Hello friends! Here is the one-shot I promised you! As mentioned in the description, it occurs between the last two books in my trilogy. It can be read as a standalone, but it's mainly meant to fill in the gaps, so if you haven't, head to Shatter to get caught up!
Note: I have been given some amazing feedback on my older stories, but I'm not currently editing, as I am still working on In Pursuit. So, feel free to leave feedback, and I will take it on. But I just might not get around to making changes, if it is an older story.
With that out of the way, enjoy this little one-shot. If you like it, give me a review, and a follow to stay up to date with my new stories. I am still working on In Pursuit, with a new chapter coming out in the next day or two, so make sure to look at that as well!
:)
"Does anyone else want any salad?" Laura Hardy asked, looking down the table at her assembled guests. The sun-tanned faces of her husband Fenton Hardy, sons Frank and Joe, and their girlfriends Nancy Drew and Bess Marvin, smiled back at her.
"I'm stuffed!" Joe said, pushing back his chair.
"Thanks, love. I'm with Joe. If I eat another bite, I'll have to undo my top button," Fenton joked, motioning to his jeans.
"Yes, well, you need to put on some pounds. You're so very thin these days."
Frank turned to the stunning redhead at his side. "Dad forgets to eat, sometimes. Once he starts working, it's like he's on a different planet. Mom used to put notes everywhere: in his office, in his car, in the bathroom, all reminding him to take his pills or make a sandwich."
Nancy laughed. "I have a feeling I might need to take a leaf out of your book sometime, Laura. I've seen Frank when he's got his head stuck in a book. It feels like fireworks wouldn't even get his attention. It must be genetic."
"Yes, well, my boys are all very hard-working."
That they were. Fenton was a PI, with his son Joe as his assistant. Frank worked as a prosecutor in New York City. The two Hardy brothers had also chosen ambitious partners. Nancy worked for the FBI and Bess couldn't say no to new projects. She'd tried her hand at modeling, acting, singing, dancing, and she was wrapping up work as Nancy's father's personal assistant at his law firm in the Midwest.
Fenton insisted that he would help his wife clean up, instructing the two couples to enjoy the afternoon sun. "Nancy and Bess won't be here in Bayport forever, so I reckon they'll want to get out of the house. Besides, I don't mind cleaning up. Really."
Joe suggested they take a walk on the beach, a mere block from the Hardy residence: an impressive, yet sturdy redbrick house, with two stories and an impeccably maintained garden. The four arranged to meet in ten minutes after they'd changed into swimsuits.
"Your mom and dad seem so happy together," Nancy commented as she changed out of her flowered sundress into a blue bikini that brought out her dell blue eyes.
Frank tried not to get distracted by her slim, strong body, which was tauntingly close to his. "Yeah, well, they've been together a long time. And the danger of dad's work has trimmed a lot of the fat, you know, she doesn't take anything for granted. They understand each other and have seen what it would be like to be parted, so they put differences to the side pretty quickly. Besides, they're good parents, good people, they're perfect together."
"I wonder if my mom would be so understanding of my dad."
"I'm sure she would. Everyone says you're like her. And you and your dad are thick as thieves." Frank put his arms around her waist and gazed into her eyes. "Nance, I know you still have a mom. And, wherever she is, she's looking down on you, feeling pride. My mom won't replace her. But I'm willing to share."
Nancy laughed. "I suppose we're a "real" couple now. So, our families are becoming one."
"Speaking of "real" couples, what do you think of Joe and Bess?"
"Oh, head over heels for each other. But don't say that. They'll get all coy. Let it happen organically. I know Joe teased you about me. Bess did, too. But let's be the more mature ones. I don't want to scare them off each other, not when they're so happy."
Frank sighed. "I suppose I can be the boring older brother for once."
Nancy giggled. "Oh, you're not boring. Just sensible."
"I can be a rebel too. I had a leather jacket at one point. I've been told I might look like John Travolta if I slicked my hair back." He pushed his thick brown hair off his forehead and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Nancy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay Danny Zuko. Come on, we don't want to keep the others waiting. Here, take a towel." She tossed a towel at her boyfriend and led the way back outside. She tried to ignore the butterflies she felt in her stomach. Even his playful bedroom eyes made her feel like a teenager all over again. Only Frank Hardy could make her fall head over heels, time and time again.
"My god, you two took your time!" Joe called out. "What were you doing?"
"Frank was doing his best Grease impression."
"What? Is that a new sex thing?"
"No, silly," Bess said, chuckling. "It's an old movie."
"Right. Well, it's too nice outside to watch old movies, so let's go swimming!"
On the beach, Bess stretched out a towel and settled in with a Taylor Swift playlist, to work on her tan. Frank had a book. But he decided to take a dip first. Nancy, unlike her friends, had a fair complexion, so she sat down next to Bess to apply some sunscreen.
"So, what's the plan?" Bess asked.
"Huh?"
"With you and Frank? Is this "it"? No more starting and stopping. Are you guys doing this relationship thing for real? You know, white dress, ring serious?"
"Yup. I'm all in. I'll ask him when I'm ready. But I want to enjoy "us" first. We haven't been a proper couple yet, really, without guns and cases. I want to take it slow, steady."
"Wow. Good for you. He's crazy about you."
"Mm. His brother seems into you, too."
Bess blushed. "He's not bad. He might seem silly, stupid, sometimes, but he has a good heart. And he cares about family. That's all I want."
"Well, his looks don't hurt though, huh?"
"Hell no. He's a solid ten!"
Nancy's intelligent eyes roved across the empty sand. It was late in the afternoon, the air cooler than it had been when the sun reigned high. The local teens had flocked to the corner pizza store to get a slice and drink too much soda. And a mom was bundling her kid into a stroller and trying to pack a single bag with an assortment of towels and toys.
Suddenly, she spied a lone figure walking down the sand. His movements hugged the boundary wall, a half-foot brick thing that separated a walking path from the small beach.
"Say, is that Chet Morten?" she asked, recognizing the stocky young man from visits to Bayport. He'd been a friend of the Hardys for as long as she'd known them. He lived on a farm just out of the town and had driven the same beaten old yellow jalopy that he'd bought when he got his license.
"Chet! Chet!" she called out.
He made his way over, his moon face brightening as he recognized Nancy. "Nancy… Nancy Drew! What the hell? You haven't changed!"
"Well, I hope some things have. I was eight or nine last time we spoke," Nancy joked.
He flushed. "The hair… it kinda stands out."
"I was only teasing. Chet, have you met Bess Marvin?"
Chet glanced at Bess and shook his head. "No. I haven't. Nice to meet you. Um… anyway, aren't you both a bit far from River Heights? Not that it isn't nice to see you…" he trailed off and looked at his feet. He wore heavy sneakers, even on the sandy strip.
"Well, Frank and I are dating now. I'm staying with the Hardy family until we find our own place," Nancy explained. She was puzzled that Chet didn't know about it. While Frank was living in NYC, his parents were influential figures in the town, and it surprised her that Joe or Laura hadn't let them split. But she wasn't arrogant enough to assume that people cared all that much about her relationship status. She shook off the odd feeling. "And surprise, surprise, Bess and Joe are an item now. I know, it sounds like a Hallmark movie. But there it is. And how are you going? Are you working on the family farm?"
Chet ignored the question. "I heard about you and Frank, I think," he said thoughtfully. "A while ago. But I haven't seen Frank much. And Joe… dating again?"
"That's right. We're giving it a whirl." Bess shot Nancy a questioning look.
"Frank and Joe are in the water if you want to say hi."
Chet mumbled an excuse about being late for an errand and he hurried away.
Bess was confused. "What was that all about?"
"I'm not sure. He goes way back with the guys. They did scouts together, went on cases, vacations… but you might have spooked him a little. After all, he was Iola Morten's brother. You know, Joe's first girlfriend? The one who was killed in that explosion?"
Bess facepalmed, skin pale. "Of course! I feel like an idiot now!"
"It's not your fault, Bess. It's been like seven years since it happened. Joe deserves to be happy, right? Come on. The water looks amazing! See, the guys are waving to us!"
Bess quickly cheered up, rushing down toward the water. Nancy took her time, smiling as she saw Joe scoop his girlfriend from the sand, spinning her around in the anemic white tips of the surf. The two shared a passionate kiss, seemingly unaware that they weren't the only two in the world.
As Nancy prepared for bed, Frank came up behind her. He took her brush from her hands and took over, moving it smoothly, steadily through her hair. He sighed, smiling at her in the mirror's reflection. "Sometimes I think I'm dreaming," he said.
"Do you want me to pinch you?" she quipped.
He set the brush down and draped his arms about her shoulders. "No need. I'm happy."
"Mm. Bess and Joe seem to be. But I'm not so sure about Chet."
When Frank's brow creased, Nancy hurried on to explain her earlier interaction.
"I feel awful. I've been so busy with work. I haven't checked in. What do you think about inviting him to dinner tomorrow night? He'll be okay. I just reckon it's a shock. I struggle to keep up sometimes, as it is. But Joe has every right to be happy. Jesus, he's waited long enough. Chet will be glad for him. Just you see."
Nancy felt reassured. After all, Frank knew Chet better than she. As she settled in bed, nestled against Frank's broad, bare chest, she flicked languidly through a paperback. He was on his phone, looking at real estate listings again. It had become a habit for him: over coffee in the morning, on quiet moments lazing on the sunny porch. It made her feel warm at the thought that he was so committed to finding them a place. But she was also happy to live in the moment for once.
"Nance," he said suddenly, handing his phone to her. "I think I've found it: our place! Look, it's in Williamsburg. It's a great area. I go there sometimes for coffee or books. There's a ton of restaurants and galleries, stuff like that. And the transport is good, so we could both get to work okay. What do you think?"
She flicked through the photos of big rooms with original floorboards and light-filled windows and felt the butterflies return. She returned the phone to his hands and pressed her lips tenderly to his. "it's perfect, Frank. Things are really looking up, aren't they?"