2

Furious, Bella charged back up the beach to her studio. The door slammed shut behind her, causing her to wince when Alice's eyes shifted from her computer to her.

"Problems?"

"Just an asshole who thinks he's God's gift to women and owns the beach," Bella snarled as she walked over to her desk and sat down. "Have I mentioned how I loathe volleyball players?"

"A time or ten," Alice replied with a sigh as she stood up and walked to their small break room, not that they ever took breaks. She came back a moment later with a bottle of water and held it out to her. "You need to calm down before I have to call Esme."

Bella grimaced, but took the bottle from her, opened it, and took a drink, trying to calm herself. Alice would call her sister and the last thing Bella needed was for Esme to come storming into the studio. It was a miracle that Esme allowed Bella out of the house as it was.

"Better?" Alice asked and she nodded. "Good. You can't get so worked up, Swan. It's dangerous."

"I know, Peanut, but I just hate men like that. And he broke my lens."

"Not like you don't have another dozen in the back." Alice waved toward the store room where Bella kept her equipment.

"Whatever," Bella muttered, but stood up and walked over to the closet, digging out a new lens. "What time am I supposed to be on the beach in the morning?"

"Nine a.m.," she replied. "First match starts at ten. Felix wants to meet for drinks tonight, though. Talk out some details."

Bella groaned.

"It's better to get it over with now."

"Fine, whatever."

"I swear, Bella, you act like this is the worst job you could have gotten. Hot men, sweaty men, almost naked men — what's not to like?"

"Um, let's see? Attitude, egos, getting sand in places that sand doesn't belong. Fangirls with big tits and fake tans."

"Touché on everything but the sand, Swan. You love the feel of sand in your unmentionables," Alice teased.

Bella shrugged her shoulders. "Only when I'm surfing."

With a sigh, Alice swirled her chair toward her. "This is a chance that you won't get again. You know what the doctors said."

"I do," she said, frowning. "Which is why I'd rather be surfing."

"Something tells me this experience is going to change your life, Swan. And maybe mine, too."

Bella wasn't sure what Alice's cryptic message meant, and she wasn't about to ask. Alice had a way of seeing things that nobody else could, but Bella didn't believe for a second that spending the next two weeks surrounded by sweaty, meathead volleyball players was going to do anything to enhance the quality of her life. And that's all she wanted.

—BD&BH—

Just after seven that evening, Bella and Alice arrived at JJ's Sports and Grill, a popular bar among the native Hawaiians. The place was crawling with Volleyball players — both men and women — and Bella almost turned and walked out of the place. But before she could, Felix O'Neal spotted her from across the bar. He smiled and called out to her as he stood up and rushed through the crowd like they were best friends.

"Damn, Bella, you look good. What's it been? Five years?"

"More like eight," she quipped. "You know, when you betrayed me?"

Felix, a tall thin man with black hair and eyes, cringed. "Yeah, I was hoping you'd forgotten about that."

"Not yet."

"Maybe we should sit," Alice suggested, making her presence know. "You know, before she draws blood."

Felix laughed, but didn't say anything as he led the two of them through the crowd to a small table in the back of the bar. Bella sat with her back against the wall so she could see everyone. It was a habit her father had taught her when she was a little girl.

"Isabella Swan?"

Bella cringed at the sound of her name being called, but looked to the bar as her old friend, James, climbed over and nearly ran over to them. Tall with broad shoulders and shortly cropped blond hair, he pulled her into his arms, giving her a big hug.

"Where the hell have you been hiding yourself? It's been months since you've stopped by," he chided.

"Oh, you know. . ." Bella waved a hand in the air and put a smile on her face. "Been busy. And based on tonight, so have you."

"Eh, I manage," he said, shrugging his shoulders as he looked from her to Alice. "Hey, Peanut."

"James," Alice replied. "I see I don't warrant the same excitement that Swan here does."

James snorted, but grabbed Alice's hands and pulled her into a hug. "You're here at least once a week. She hasn't been here in six months. Maybe even nine."

"Yeah, yeah," Alice laughed and pushed him away. "Do me a favor and bring me my usual?"

"Sure thing, hon," he snickered and looked to Bella. "And for you?"

"Ice water. Lots of ice."

Giving her a look first, James turned to Felix. "Another beer?"

"No, not right now."

James nodded and returned a few minutes later with a large glass of ice water for Bella and large margarita with a shot of tequila on the side for Alice. For a tiny thing, she sure could drink. Bella took a sip of her water before turning her focus to Felix.

"So, you wanted to meet. Let's get this over with."

"Look, Bella, I know we've had some differences in the past."

"Differences?" Bella raised an eyebrow while Alice snorted. "I don't think you can call it 'differences.' You used me, Felix, and then threw me away when a more widely known photographer showed the tiniest bit of interest."

"I know, and I'm sorry," he said. "But that a long time ago. Can't we just forget and start over?"

Bella sighed and looked at Alice, who shrugged her shoulders. "I can't forget what you did, but I'm willing to take this job as long as you understand that I won't be fucked with again. Not by you, and certainly not by any of your players."

"Deal," Felix said with a smile. He pulled a contract out of his briefcase that was under his chair and laid it on the table in front of her. "I figured this would be a good idea. It's your standard agreement. You'll cover as much of the tournament as you can, and we'll guarantee twice your normal rate. Also, we'd like to take a couple days in the middle and have some solo shots of our high profile players done for the website."

"Hmm." Bella nodded and picked up the contract and began reading through it.

"I assure you that it's all standard," Felix said.

"I'm sure it is," she replied. "But I won't sign anything without reading it."

Bella stood up and picked up her glass of water. "I'll take it home and give it a thorough read. If I agree to the terms, I'll sign and bring it to you in the morning."

"And if you don't?" he asked. "How can I be sure that you'll show up in the morning?"

"Have I ever lied to you, Felix?"

"Well, no," he confessed.

"I'm not going to start now." Bella looked to Alice. "Do you need a ride, Peanut?"

"I'm going to stay for a bit." Her cheeks flushed red, but Bella didn't say anything. Alice deserved to have some fun. "Be careful going home. Text me when you get there."

"Yes, Mom," Bella teased and left her sitting with Felix.

She walked up to the bar and gestured for James, who gave her a finger letting her know it would be a minute. Bella had just lifted her glass to her lips to take another swig of her water when someone bumped into her from behind and she felt cold liquid seeping down her back into her shorts.

"Jesus fuck!" she screamed, spinning around and finding herself face to face with the asshole from that morning, who was now holding an empty beer mug. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Shit, I'm sorry," he mumbled, reaching across her to put the now empty glass on the bar and running a hand through his dark, auburn hair. Unlike that morning, he was now wearing a white dress shirt, but only the bottom three buttons had been done up and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. "Someone bumped into me and I turned to get out of the way and then you were there."

"Of course they did," Bella muttered. "You owe me a new camera lens, by the way."

"What? Why?" he scoffed, but then he started laughing. "Oh, shit, you're the broad from the beach this morning, aren't you? The bitch that got in my way."

Rage soared through Bella's veins. "Did you just call me a bitch?"

"Yep," he said with a smirk.

"Oh, you mother —"

A hand covered her mouth before she could let out the string of four letter words that begged to be released.

"Nuh, uh, Swan, let's keep it classy," James tittered and released her as the asshole from the beach scurried away.

"Ugh, that . . . that . . . that . . ." Bella screamed again and turned to James. "I can't believe you did that to me! Not like the chief was suddenly going to jump up from behind the bar and chide me for using foul language."

James laughed. "Charlie Swan would have, too. But don't let that deliciously handsome man cause you to be unladylike."

"Ew, you think he's handsome?" Bella gagged, though she found herself turning back and watching him as he stood on the other side of the bar with Whitlock, the guy he was running with that morning. Whatever the asshole said to him had him frowning and looking in her direction. Bella quickly looked away. "You can do so much better than someone like him, James."

"Yeah, I know, but he's hot and I'm horny. Though, with my luck, he'll be straight. What a waste of a perfectly good cock."

Bella shook her head. "Can I get a to-go cup for my water, please?"

"Sure, hon." A minute later, James slid a large, foam cup of ice water across the bar to her. "You okay? Never knew you to turn away a free drink before."

"I'm fine," she lied, knowing this wasn't the time or the place to get into her many life problems. "Do me a solid and keep your eye on Peanut?"

"I always do. Don't stay away, Bella. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," she said, her words thick with emotions.

Clutching her cup to her chest, Bella squeezed past everyone and outside, sucking in a deep breath of air. She missed her life already.

—BD&BH—

When Bella arrived back at her house, she sent Alice a quick text telling her she'd arrived safely. She knew her best friend would be beating down her door at three in the morning if she didn't. But feeling restless, Bella left the contract from Felix on her bed and stripped off her clothes, leaving her bikini on. She rushed outside, grabbed her surfboard, and headed for the water. A few minutes, she found herself just off shore. The moon cast a bright glow across the water.

"Figured you'd be out here," Esme groused, padding her own board next to Bella's. "Peanut texted, said you'd had a long day."

"I'm fine, Essie."

"I know," she said, coolly. "But she still said you'd had a long day."

"It wasn't the best day of my life."

"Of course it wasn't," Esme scoffed. "I wasn't around."

Bella laughed. "That must be it."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It wasn't just one thing," she said, sighing. "Felix wants me to cover the PV tournament."

"Ah, that explains everything. You can tell him no."

"No, I can't," Bella scoffed. "Twice my normal rate, and Peanut is ridiculously excited."

"Yeah, but if you're not strong enough."

"I am strong enough, Essie. Why do you always go there? I'm barely showing symptoms."

Esme sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Look, I know you're worried. So am I, but I refuse to stop living like he did."

"You're right." Esme smiled, but it was forced and faked. "Let's go back in. I brought home the stuff to make stir fry."

Bella wasn't ready to go in, but she knew Esme wouldn't want her to stay on her board alone, so she turned and paddled in after her. Once they had their boards rinsed off, she headed straight for the bathroom, while Esme went to start dinner. With the water warming in the shower, Bella opened the medicine cabinet and started pulling out prescription bottles. Half dozen pills lay in her hand when she was done. Shifting her eyes up to the mirror, she filled her glass with water and wondered what life would be like if she had a worry in the world. What a blissful existence that must be.

Thank you for all the reviews for the first chapter. I was overwhelmed by each and every one of them. Do me a favor and leave me another for this chapter.