Uploading a smidge early (for me, anyway) because I'm still riding my gin high after completing my 50k words in 30 days challenge, but I'm not sure I'll be feeling so hot in the morning *facepalm*
Enjoy!
Chapter Eleven
Edward
Salty sea air, late afternoon sun, and the whoosh of the sea rushing up the shore. My happy place.
Or, my comfortable place.
The beach is my favorite part of living in Jackson Bay. Spending the afternoon and evening serving the people of the bay is no real hardship for me when I have the sounds and smells of my favorite place to keep me fueled.
It's not like I've got a family desperate to spend the holiday with me.
"There ya go, man. That'll be thirteen fifty."
"Thanks, EC."
Leaning against the counter after serving another happy customer, I release a long sigh and look out over the beach through the hatch.
I have the prime spot. Right where the beach meets The Boardwalk—the main street which cuts through Jackson Bay—sits the Burger Co. food truck. It comes out a few times a year for big events like this or when people hire us to cater parties and weddings. While TJ, Lily, and Jones man the restaurant, I've got Kelly with me in the truck and Burger Co.'s newest recruit, Xavier—or New Kid, as he's better known—serving the picnic tables. He's been with us part-time for a couple of months now. He's slow to pick things up, but the customers love him.
From my vantage point, I can see Mrs. Paul serving cones from her freezer cart and the Samuels' selling donuts and pastries decorated in red, white, and blue.
The Georges are serving off the deck of their pizzeria, the smell of the pizzas cooking in their clay ovens almost making me want to send New Kid over to grab me a slice. It smells amazing. Thankfully, the competition hasn't impacted my business as much as I was expecting. The usual suspects still come over for their favorite burgers and fries.
Speaking of usual suspects.
"Hey, EC." Benjamin saunters over with Danny clinging to his shoulders, blue icing smeared across his cheeks.
With a small, wry grin, I ask, "Did you get into the treats, by any chance, Danny?"
The boy giggles, wiping his face with the back of his arm. "The pretzels are so good. You should go get some before they're all gone."
I nod. "I'll be sure to do that."
"How's it goin' over here?" Benjamin lifts Danny off his shoulders and sets him on his feet as he wriggles, wanting to go see one of his friends at a nearby table.
"Good. I wondered if people would head over to the pizzeria, but we've been busy all afternoon."
Benjamin grins, fishing his wallet from the pocket of his shorts. I'm dropping a fresh batch of fries and reaching for the 60-40 beef and pork patties before he can request his usual. "And I'll take some house fries for the little one."
"Sure thing."
He waits for his food mostly silent, asking an occasional question and laughing when I grumble a curse, both of us watching New Kid drop the tray of fries he fetches from me a few minutes later.
"For fuck's sake."
"He the new guy?" Benjamin tosses his thumb over his shoulder, chuckling even as I scowl and put some more fries in the fryer.
"Not anymore. He was new two months ago."
"Ah," Benjamin mouths as New Kid slowly walks over, his hand in his hair and a sheepish-as-hell look on his face.
"Sorry, boss. You can take that outta my wages—"
"I was going to," I grumble, telling him to comp the table their whole meal.
Thankfully, Kelly is back from her break by the time I've served Benjamin his Spitfire burger and given Danny his fries. She's just in time to take over and run the new batch of fries to the table who, thankfully, were happy to wait. When she returns, she tells me to grab a beer from the cooler and go take a break for myself.
"But I'm—"
"Nuh-uh. Don't wanna hear it, EC." She shoves a bottle into my hand, then gives me a good push until I step out of the door and down the three steps to the sand. "It's almost closing down time, anyway. We can handle it from here. You've been non-stop since silly o'clock this morning. Go chill out."
"Kelly—"
"Edward!"
Before I can finish arguing with Kelly, a familiar voice yells my name about three seconds before a small body slams into my legs. Peering down, I find Jaxson grinning at me. Like his cousin, he has icing smeared over his sun-flushed cheeks and around his smile.
"Hey, buddy," I chuckle, hesitating just as my hand rests on the top of his head. The bright smile he aims my way relaxes me, so I ruffle his mane of dark hair and remind myself to chill out.
He and his brothers have been by the restaurant with Renee a few times since they moved here, so I'm getting used to their personalities slowly but surely. Jaxson is the loud, never-sits-still one. Finley seems to be more quiet, more introspective. And Arlo is the confident, no-fear type.
"Momma said I'm not allowed to ask for fries, but if you offer some, that's okay," he says frankly, mischief lighting his eyes, and there is the kid I've gotten to know.
"Well, all right then. What fries can I get you?"
"What's the options again?" He stands on his toes and squints at the blackboard. Again, I hesitate, but before I can take the board down for him to read, he taps my arm in a silent request to pick him up.
I don't know why I'm so nervous, but my heart thumps faster as I look around before lifting him up with an arm around his middle so he can read the chalk writing on the menu. The heavy, warm weight of him in my arms is foreign, but not unpleasant.
"What's brisket?"
"Beef. We cook it overnight with a bunch of different spices and flavorings, then we shred it all up in the morning and the sauce goes over the meat and the fries."
"Are they good?" He's already licking his lips, so I nod at Kelly and motion for her to drop some fries.
"Everything's good from this truck, buddy."
"Okay." Turning his attention to me, he cocks his head. "Do you want to come sit with us for a while? Momma and Papa and Nana have a whole basket of treats. Nana made pretzels with red, white, and blue icing!"
"That sounds good. I think Danny mentioned those."
Jaxson's smile widens. "Oh yeah. Aunt Angie put him on a ban 'cause he got a sugar rush."
"That sounds about right," I chuckle. I don't see Angela as much as I see Benjamin—not since she returned to her nine-to-five job and he quit his to be a stay-at-home dad—but I do know she can be a strict mom to her rambunctious son. Danny is his dad made over. Mischief and mayhem go hand in hand with that kid. He sure keeps her on her toes. I guess it doesn't help that, with Benjamin being his primary caregiver, he gets away with way more than Angela would let him.
Jaxson seems pretty comfortable with me holding him while he points to different things on the menu and asks me to explain what they are. He decides that he wants to try the pad thai fries next time, so I promise to talk his mom into bringing him by sometime soon. If she's not up for it, I can always bring takeout to Jaxson at Charlie and Renee's or wait until she brings them by next. She and Charlie often used to come in for lunch if they were at the hotel, but the boys are addicted to the Burger Co. shakes, so their once- or twice-weekly lunch dates have become more frequent, especially when they have the boys while Bella works.
Thoughts of Bella quickly have me feeling guilty. The last time I saw her, I was a jerk. There's no getting away from that. I lost my head and got carried away, then when I realized what I was doing, I pulled my usual trick and ran away. Figures. I frustrated even myself, so I can't imagine how she felt. However, I can guess. Her face is, and always has been, an open book.
Those big gray eyes of hers hide nothing. She didn't even try to disguise the disappointment on her face as she said goodnight and walked away from me. I watched her go, watched her walk all the way up the drive and let herself into the house. Unlike the times I've driven her home, she didn't look back. I waited until she was inside with the door shut behind her before shoving my hands in my pockets and turning toward home.
Holding her son as he thanks Kelly for his brisket fries and promises to share the other two portions she hands me to carry, I can't help but wonder how she'll react when she sees me. Nerves gnaw at my gut.
"We're right over there," Jaxson mumbles around a mouthful of fries, pointing with one hand while stuffing food into his mouth with the other.
"All right." After walking a few feet, I spot the Swans on the edge of the crowd. The town committee has done a great job of decorating the beach with colorful paper lanterns hanging from strings which are held up by white wooden posts. The strings make up a huge net, holding the round lanterns in the typical holiday colors of red, white, and blue. Families and friends have brought blankets, cushions, and camp chairs and set up on the sand ready for the fireworks display later on, once it's dark. I carefully wind my way through the crowd, unable to stifle my grin at the yummy noises Jaxson is making.
"These are good. I kinda don't wanna share with Finn and Arlo."
"Sorry, buddy, you've gotta. I don't think you'll be able to eat three portions of them all by yourself anyway."
He flashes me a mischievous grin and wipes some sauce from the tip of his nose. "Is that a bet? Nanny Jude says I've got hollow legs, you know."
"I don't doubt it," I tell him with a laugh and a shake of my head, nearing his family. Except, I don't see Bella...
"There you are!" Renee crows, spotting us just as we reach the edge of the big blanket she's sitting on. Charlie and Benjamin pause their conversation to say 'hi,' and Angela offers me a wave as she tosses a ball back and forth with Danny. I assume Rosalie and Everly are around here somewhere, but I can't see them. "Your momma is looking for you, Ja—"
"Jaxson Lane Swan, what have I told you about running off? Christ, kiddo. I was worried!"
Here goes nothin'.
Turning, I plaster what I hope is an apologetic smile on my face. It immediately slips a little when I get a good look at her.
Like most people here, she's gone for typical beach attire in bright scarlet. Her bikini has scalloped edges; it comes up high on her waist and reasonably low on her breasts, showing off her delicious curves. It's almost impossible to divert my eyes from her body and all the skin left exposed.
Having her six-year-old in my arms helps.
"Bella."
Her expression softens, which isn't what I expected. If she's surprised that I'm holding her son, she doesn't show it. She just looks amused, if anything. "Hey, Edward."
"I was with Edward, Momma," Jaxson says, wiping his face with the back of his arm. "He gave us some brisket fries. They're so good, you gotta try 'em."
Quirking her brow at him, she pops her hip and crosses her arms.
Not helping keep my eyes on your face, Bella. Christ.
"What did I say about—"
"I didn't ask!" he interjects before she can tell him off. "Edward offered. Right, Edward?"
"Right," I agree, just about managing to withhold my smirk.
Bella eyes me shrewdly, obviously trying to work out if I'm bullshitting or not, before we're both distracted by little hands tugging at the bag in my hand.
"Please can I try some, Edward?" Arlo asks, rolling out the puppy dog eyes. Gulping hard—he almost looks like…—I nod, handing them over as Jaxson wriggles to get down and joins his brothers on the nearest blanket.
"Share, boys," Bella tells them firmly with a sigh, stepping closer to watch them tuck into their food with obvious enthusiasm.
It doesn't escape my notice that I'm far more aware of her presence than I should be as she stands at my side, one of her arms brushing mine as she shifts her bare feet in the sand. No shoes. For some reason, that makes me smile.
"Are you having fun?"
"Yeah," she breathes. I can feel her gaze on the side of my face, but I can't bring myself to turn away from the boys. Their bright smiles, their giggles as they point out the sauce they're getting on their faces while they eat, their rosy cheeks... "Are you?"
I'm surprised when the automatic "yes" slips from my mouth. Although, I guess I am having fun. "Kelly kicked me out of the truck," I admit ruefully, rubbing the back of my neck.
Bella's lilting peals of laughter make my lips twist upward just a touch. "Why does that not surprise me? Come on, have a seat. There's plenty of room."
Lowering myself down onto a free corner of the huge plaid blanket Bella points to, I look around at all the people celebrating the holiday with their families. I can see the Samuels' nearby. Their little girl, Lakely, is making eyes at Arlo when I glance their way, so it doesn't surprise me a minute or two later when she sidles over and asks if he wants to go look for shells with her.
Beaming, Bella tells him to go once he's wiped his face clean. Jaxson and Finley decide to join them, and Danny abandons his ball game to run after his cousins, leaving just the adults to chat. I keep quiet, fairly content just to listen. As I expected, Rosalie and Everly are here. They wander over with to-go cups of what look like margaritas after a few minutes.
"None for me, thank you," Renee says, waving away her daughters. "I'm watching all the boys tonight."
"You don't need to do that, Mom. I don't feel like going out, anyway."
"Nonsense, honey. Go out with Rosalie, Everly, and Angela, let your hair down. You've been working so hard, you deserve a night out."
Eyeing her with curiosity, I can't help but ask, "Where are you ladies off to?"
Everly grins and twirls her straw between her fingers, cutting Bella off when she starts to say that she's happy to go straight home. "We're going to Blue. It won't be a massively late night, Bella. Live a little, have some fun. Let your hair down, like Mom said. It's not often we're all free to go out on the same night, after all…"
Groaning, Bella seems to accept that her mind has been made up for her and she's headed to the only bar here in town, Blue. The new owners refurbished it when they moved into the bay last year, and it's become a popular hangout. I've never been. "Fine. I'd better have one of those now then."
Rosalie, Everly, and Angela cheer as she takes a big gulp from the nearest cocktail, flashing me a small smile and rolling her eyes when the ladies are distracted by Benjamin asking his fiancée a question.
Edging closer, I wonder...and then I decide to go for it. She can always say 'no.' "Do you want me to give you a cover story?"
Raising an eyebrow at my whisper, she tells me to go for it.
Clearing my throat, I force my voice to sound somewhat casual but confused. "Uh, Bella, didn't you say you would help me at the restaurant? You know, because the guys there want to go out as they missed the parade and you said the boys would probably stay with your parents…"
Her smile bursts free for just a moment, but it's enough to make my own small smile widen. She's beautiful when she's happy. When the joy in her face reaches her eyes, all bets are off. She's truly stunning.
How did I never notice that before?
Guilt worms its way into my stomach as Bella lies and goes along with my story to her sisters, my own mind miles away. That's right, because she was eighteen when she left here. A baby. And of course, the fact that she's your best friend's daughter.
Another part of my brain points out that she's still one of those things, she's still Charlie's daughter, even if she's now nearer thirty than twenty, but I'm noticing her more now. If Charlie could hear my thoughts, if he'd seen where my eyes lingered when I first saw her a few minutes ago, he'd kill me. Benjamin would probably help him.
A week ago, I'd have said Bella herself would be disgusted to know what I was thinking, but after the other night, I'm not so sure. There was no disguising the want in her eyes, in her movements. She was visibly disappointed when I cooled things down before the spark could turn into an inferno.
"Another time."
I tune back in time to hear Everly telling Bella that she's a killjoy and so am I. I happen to disagree, so I reach out and gently flick Everly's ear, guffawing when she turns around to face me with such a look of incredulity that everyone cracks up.
"Did you just flick me?"
"I might've." Unsure if I've overstepped my bounds, I chance a look at the faces around us.
Most of the Swans are laughing. Charlie is shaking his head while keeping an eye on his grandsons, but he makes a show of drawing a line across his neck just to show me what I have coming from his youngest daughter. Bella offers me a high-five, earning herself quite the stink-eye from Everly.
However, it's Renee's expression that makes me pause. She looks...contemplative? Her eyes are narrowed on me, her lips pursed.
Too distracted by Renee, I miss the attack coming my way until the cold registers. Everly's self-satisfied grin is at complete odds with the shock shooting through my veins. "Did you—shit, that's cold!"
Apparently unconcerned with their dwindling supply, Everly tosses the last of the ice cubes at me—the ones that bounced off me when she dumped the ice bucket over my head.
"That'll cost you, Ev…" I warn, peeling my shirt over my head when it quickly becomes damp and cold. Even with the heat of the evening, ice isn't pleasant on my skin.
"Shit!" She squeaks, scrambling backward on the sand. Before she can get out of reach, I wrap my fingers around her ankle and smirk, because I've known her since she was four years old.
I know that she's ticklish, and she knows I know it, too.
~ oOo ~
Not too much later, I find myself down by the shore with Arlo as he hunts for shells.
When he called me over, I figured it was just to show me something. I didn't realize he was expecting me to carry his stash while he carried on looking for others. As it is, my cupped hands are almost overflowing with shells of all shapes, colors, and sizes.
"Don't you think you have enough, buddy?"
Arlo shakes his head, glancing over his shoulder at me before continuing along the edge of the water. "Nope. I've gotta rebuild my old collection from home. Momma said I couldn't bring them all with me, so I left most of them for Nanny Jude. She's got 'em in a special jar we decorated so she can always remember me."
A lump lodges itself firmly in my throat. This kid. Actually, these kids. He and his brothers...they're something else. Spending this evening with the Swans has opened my eyes to their family dynamic. Things have shifted a bit with the addition of Bella and her boys. They seem complete now in a way they didn't before.
Crouching, I softly call Arlo back and wait until he's standing in front of me before huffing a breath through my nose. "I don't know, uh, Nanny Jude, but you've told me all about her, and do you know what I think?"
"What?" he asks, wrinkling his nose.
"I think she probably misses you a whole lot, and I'm sure there's no way she'll ever forget you, shells or no shells. Okay?"
Arlo offers me a silly grin, shrugging and brushing some of his wild hair away from his face, before taking off to resume his hunt for shells with a content smile whenever he runs back to add to his new collection.
As I look around and find myself feeling comfortable with the company I'm in, I realize that Bella, Jaxson, Finley, and Arlo round out the family like a puzzle piece that's been missing and was just found under a sofa cushion. Danny has some buddies a similar age to play with. Rosalie and Everly have their third amigo—they dressed as the Three Amigos for Halloween for five years running when they were kids. Benjamin has all his little sisters in one place, and Angela has another mom friend who can relate to being a parent of a hyper little boy. Or, in Bella's case, three hyper little boys.
When Renee watches the boys, she often stops by Burger Co. to get them milkshakes on their way to the beach. They're getting more confident with me, asking questions and cheekily requesting extra toppings. They're all a lot like Bella as a child, particularly Finley. Jaxson and Arlo are wild dudes with more than enough character to compensate for their brother's shyness.
He seems to be the typical middle child. He's content to watch his brothers cause mayhem the majority of the time, only joining in occasionally. Shortly before the fireworks are due to begin, when Jaxson, Arlo, and Danny wind up being banned from the treats for going crazy with Renee's homemade candy, Finley plucks an icing-topped pretzel from the basket and sits himself between his mom's legs to enjoy it. He's calm and chilled out, flashing me a shy smile when I ask him to hand me a pretzel rather than reaching over him.
"Here you go. The cupcakes are good, too. Momma helped Nana make those."
Bella runs her fingers through his hair, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
Forcing a smile, I make myself chew the pretzel even though my sense of taste and enjoyment of food has deserted me.
Once, I would have grinned at the sight of a parent fussing over her son. I would have admired it.
But that was before.
Now, it makes my stomach knot and my heart thump.
The sudden, high-pitched screech of a firework being set off distracts me from my morose train of thought before it can really take hold.
The navy sky is illuminated with sprays of every color in the rainbow as firework after firework shoots up into the atmosphere. Somewhere further down the beach, Mr. McCready—the janitor at Bay High—is setting them all off. It's a great display. The pops, fizzes, and bangs are accompanied by the gasps and cheers of the onlookers. Looking around, I see the faces of people I've known for years lit by the myriad of colors exploding above us. There are smiles everywhere I look, loving couples at almost every turn, and captivated children on the laps of their parents.
My eyes shift to Jaxson, Finley, and Arlo in turn. Finley is still right by his mom, his brothers on their knees as they excitedly point to each new splash of color as it appears. My lips curl up on one side. Rubbing my jaw, I feel a familiar burn at the back of my eyes.
She always loved the Fourth of July.
Looking back up at the sky, I wonder if she can see them now. I wonder if she can hear the sounds that used to make her squeal and bounce on my shoulders.
"Look! Look at the boo one!"
Soft and warm, the hand sliding on top of my clenched fist makes me gasp, pulling me from my memories.
Bella's eyes shine multi-colored, reflecting the pyrotechnics, as she squeezes my hand and offers me her understanding and comfort. I hesitate for maybe a couple of seconds, loosening my fist and twining our fingers together just as nerves begin to shine through her gaze. She turns back to the display, holding her son to her chest, and instead of joining her, I watch something far more captivating.
Her.
If you haven't already, come join the TFMU Twific Meetup group on Facebook! A big group of us are meeting in Austin, Texas, in June 2020 and I'd love to see you there if you can make it! A little bunch of us are travelling over from the UK, and I think for at least a few of us, it'll be our first time. Everybody is welcome whether you're a reader, writer, beta, banner maker...we want to see you all!
As always, huge thanks to my wonderful team of ladies who call me on my bull and point out when I'm being too liberal with my 'it's fiction' excuse. annaharding, LizziePaige, ThatSoAlex, Anakinsmom, and LadyLoonie, I love you all dearly.
And I love each and every one of you who reads, reviews, and recommends this little tale of mine. Come friend me on Facebook - Ciara Shayee Hill - to chit chat with me and see the visuals I create to go with each chapter.