18. Marnie
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Marnie
“Jump! Jump! Jump!”
The shouts of encouragement erupt into cheers when two guys backflip off the railing side by side. Not something you see or hear every day.
What the hell have I agreed to?
I’ve been sitting in my car for the past ten minutes with the windows cracked, listening to cars honking and people applauding with each jump.
Not only do I need some time to work up the courage to approach the crowd, but I also need a few minutes to recoup my sanity from my recent parallel parking fiasco.
Only three failed attempts and several judgmental looks from the driver behind me, but no car casualties.
It’s approaching the time I agreed to meet Caleb, so I turn off the car and grab my bag off the passenger seat.
Now or never.
I make for the dunes, spotting the slim trail surrounded by the tall grasses that lead over the dunes onto the beach.
The beach is crowded today, but I spot Caleb easily. It’s hard not to.
He’s wearing a fitted red T-shirt and black swim trunks, kicking a soccer ball across the sand with Parker. They kick it too close to Linny’s blanket where she’s sprawled out, accidentally tossing some sand up in her direction and onto her book, and I watch as she silently scolds them.
I love their trio’s dynamic. They clearly have a deep amount of love and respect for one another, and my heart twinges. It makes me miss Gwen, but I know that she’d want me to accept the invitation instead of wallowing in my mix of emotions from the last several weeks.
Parker scoops up the ball and looks around—likely for a new spot to kick the ball around—when he notices me approaching and waves.
Linny and Caleb look in my direction to see what Parker was waving at. When they realize he’s waving at me, I get two very different reactions. Linny lights up, while Caleb’s features remain neutral.
Embarrassment floods my cheeks. I know the reason things have been so weird between us is mostly due to me, but I had hoped that coming here today would be a start at making amends. I don’t want things to be weird between us anymore.
“I didn’t know you were still coming,” Linny says, sitting up when I reach them. “I need a brain break. And some girl time.” Linny marks her place and closes her book before she hops up and loops her arm around mine. “We are taking a walk. Don’t wait up.”
“But our summer ki—” Parker begins.
“We will be back in plenty of time,” Linny interrupts, taking my bag and placing it next to hers on the blanket.
“You know what happens to me when I don’t get my brain break.
We don’t need a repeat of junior year.” Her words act as a threat and Parker doesn’t argue.
She tugs on my arm and leads me away from the bridge.
“Bye, boys,” she calls over her shoulder.
We stroll along the beach, a comfortable silence stretching between us until the boys are tiny specks of color in the distance.
It’s nice to hang out with someone again, especially someone who genuinely enjoys being in your presence and doesn’t make you feel like a burden.
Since Gwen and I have been so busy recently, it’s been hard to find time to catch up on the phone.
Getting some girl time with Linny helps fill that void.
“How have you been?” I ask, scrunching my toes in the wet sand with each step.
“Good.” She swings her ponytail off her shoulder. “Between leading nature tours during the day and working on my research at night, I’m exhausted.” She huffs a laugh. “It’s a good thing I love it.”
I nod in agreement.
“What about you? How’s the exhibit? Caleb’s been telling me a little bit about what he’s been working on, but I want to hear from you.”
“Well, that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about today, but now I feel bad asking.”
“No, tell me,” she urges.
“I was wondering,” I hesitate, “if you would help me with the educational component of my exhibit. I really want to focus on conservation, and I think you’d be a great person to consult with to make sure I hit all the important points.
Your research directly aligns with the point I’m trying to get across. ”
Linny’s face brightens, and she stops to face me, grabbing my other arm before I finish my sentence. “Oh my god, really?! I would love to.”
“Yeah?” I perk up at her enthusiasm. “I don’t want to create more work for you. I know you’re slammed as it is. I can find someone else if you’re too busy.”
She waves a hand in the air. “Nonsense. Forget what I said about being exhausted, I love talking about my work and showing off my research. I rarely get to do so outside of an academic conference setting. I’m in, just tell me what you need.”
I squeeze her arm in thanks. Everything is coming together now.
We turn around at the last lifeguard tower and make our way back to the boys, who are impatiently waiting for us at the bridge.
“Alright,” Parker says, clasping his hands together excitedly. “We ready to jump?”
Caleb pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it on the blanket—a silent confirmation. I’m momentarily caught off guard.
I knew Caleb was attractive. We’ve flirted, shared lingering looks, and almost kissed at this point, but seeing him shirtless, arms toned and sculpted, is going to make it even harder to suppress the feelings that have been building since we first met.
I realize I’ve been staring and quickly avert my gaze. “Yeah, let’s do it,” I reply, mustering as much confidence as I can and tug off my shorts and T-shirt, revealing my matching black string bikini.
When I find the courage to look back at Caleb, a small smirk hangs on his lips. Damn it. He caught me checking him out. Again.
I really need to stop making a habit of that.
I distract myself by drawing a doodle in the sand with my toe.
“Hang on,” Caleb interjects. “Can you give me and Marnie a minute?”
“Everything okay?” Linny asks, confusion coating her face as she looks between us.
“Yeah, we’ll meet you over there.”
When Linny and Parker walk off towards the bridge, Caleb turns to me, a worried look on his face. “Are we okay?”
He’s standing a few feet back from me, like he’s trying to keep his distance. Something tugs at my heart.
“Of course,” I reply sincerely.
“That day in your office . . .” he trails off, eyes cast downward. “I thought you said we were only seeing each other for work-related things.” He brings his eyes back up to mine.
His change in tone and sudden concern causes my stomach to churn.
I did say that. But the truth is, these last several weeks have been downright miserable without him. I’ve missed our tip jar debates and his shameless flirting. Most of all, I missed him. His warmth and the way his smile can light up the room and make me forget rational thoughts.
“This can be counted as work-related, right?” I offer. “Since the bridge is an iconic symbol from the movie?”
He nods cautiously, like he’s trying to figure something out.
“You just . . . you seemed off that day, and we haven’t really spoken outside of a few email exchanges and a couple of texts since then. I just want to make sure we are okay.”
“Caleb, we are fine. I promise.”
“Are you sure? We still have a few months to go on this exhibit, and I don’t want to make it awkward or make you feel uncomfortable. I can reassign someone to take my place if that would make you more comfortable.”
My heart sinks at the thought of working with anyone other than Caleb.
“No,” I practically yell.
His eyes widen at my response, so I pause and take a moment to collect myself before speaking again. “That’s not what I want,” I add in an even tone.
“It’s not?” he asks hopefully.
“No, and I’m sorry that I gave you that impression. It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks, and I’m under a lot of pressure from Irene. She called me that morning, and I panicked. I really enjoy working with you and I don’t want that to change.”
“No awkwardness?”
“Zero awkwardness,” I assure him.
He breathes a sigh of relief. “I promise I will be the perfect gentleman. And I won’t even try to kiss you again. Unless you ask.” He holds up three fingers beside his head. “Scout’s honor.”
I give him a small, playful shove as I walk past him over to the flat rock just off the jetty where Parker is waving us over.
He motions for us to circle up, and the four of us form a huddle of sorts.
“Alright, summer is finally here, and our group is growing.” They all smile in my direction, and I feel a blush creep up my neck. “Let’s make it the best one yet. Everyone’s jumping, right?”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I shrug. Caleb looks at me proudly.
Linny crosses her arms. “One jump. That’s all you’ll get out of me.”
The boys high-five and take off towards the bridge.
Linny and I fall into step next to each other. “You don’t like jumping?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “My parents didn’t grow up around any of this, so they don’t understand half the things the locals do in their free time.
When I was twelve, I wanted to hang out with Parker and Caleb and some of our classmates to jump off the bridge.
It was my first time, and I was too scared to tell them the truth because I knew they would say no.
They must’ve sensed I was being weird and thought I was succumbing to peer pressure.
My dad hit me with the classic, ‘if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?’ line, and I had to figure out a way to tell them that that was exactly what I wanted to do.
Though technically, it was a bridge and not a cliff, but he didn’t share my humor. ”
We both laugh at that, weaving through the crowd of people waiting to jump.
Parker and Caleb found a spot a little over halfway down the bridge. We almost walked right past them because they were leaning so far over the railing that we couldn’t see their heads.
“What are they doing?” I whisper to Linny.