CHAPTER 10

The rest of the vacation was spent sightseeing, swimming, windsurfing and playing in the sand. Rosa had met a man, Walter, who was widowed and vacationing with his son, Pete, daughter in law Danique, and grandson, Josh, who was the same age as Parker.

Rosa and Walter got along really well and Seeley, Pete, Tempe and Danique hit if off as well. Coincidently, Pete was a police officer in NYC and Rose an ER doctor.

The last full day at the resort had a solemn start but at breakfast, one of the staff members came around reminding the parents that the Kids Klub would be starting in an hour. They would be going to the resort beside them to meet up with the kids staying there and have a BBQ on the beach as well as a sandcastle-building contest.

Seeley was not too sure about that. Parker was four. He was so protective of him. It was a tiny island so it was not like he could wander off too far but still. Parker and Josh really wanted to go. Pete was OK with Josh going but only if Parker went. No pressure there Seeley. He will have fun and I can always check up on him. I can see the beach from our beach

"OK, Parker, you can go. Have fun and remember to listen to Lisa, she's in charge."

"Daddy you think to much, I will be OK."

With that, he took his son back to the room to get changed and ready for a day of fun WITHOUT him, Rosa or Tempe by his side.

"It's hard, Seeley. To let them go," Pete said as he handed him an early morning beer.

"Thanks. Yes, it is hard. I'm not sure whether or not being in law enforcement is an advantage or disadvantage when a parent." His mouth went to a small frown as he waved to Parker.

"How about some Jet-Skiing?" Pete asked as he put his finished beer down.

Realizing that Tempe and Rose were off to town in the Mustang, Parker in the Kids Klub and Rosa and Walter doing whatever it is they did when together, he really was alone today and graciously accepted Pete's offer. Once out on the water, Seeley lost himself in the rush of flying over the waves and taking the salty breeze that splashed into his face. Two young girls had made their way over to Pete and Seeley as they had taken a breather.

"Hey guys, you want to race?"

Seeley and Pete looked at each other with straight faces then smiled a "let's go smile" and Pete spoke for them", you're on".

What they did not know was that these girls were natives and spent a lot of time on these things. Their male egos were slightly smaller when they were sucking in the water spray of their female competitors.

"That was not good Seeley."

"Nope, not good."

Pete asked if he wanted to go to the hotel casino.

Seeley stopped in his tracks and his face went pale.

"Something wrong?" asked Pete.

"I am a recovering gambling addict."

"Oh sorry, didn't know."

"That's OK, I don't usually talk about it."

Kind of at a lost as to what they should do since it was just the two of them and they had done everything they wanted at the hotel and on the island, an announcement over the speaker system gave them inspiration "Beer chugging contest at the pool bar in 10 minutes followed by Men's Sexiest Legs contest at poolside."

"I don't know about the leg thing but I'm in for the beer chugging," Pete said nodding to the bar.

"Me too."

As they reached the bar, the bartender was taking names for entry into the contest. They gave their names and looked around them at the competition. In comparison to them some of these men they were SMALL. Even though Seeley stood 6' and Pete about an inch shorter and both very muscular, some of these men were as wide as they were tall and looked at those beer consumption was a full time hobby for some of them. "No contest," they both mumbled as they sat on the bar stools in front of them.

Not being a beer drinker of this fashion Seeley was out after the first round. Pete was in the finals. He lost by two chugs.

Rosa and Walter had been watching them. "Let's see how you do in the next contest," Rosa said as she surprised them from behind.

"What contest?" Seeley inquired.

She pointed to the men lining up along the side of the pool.

"We need two more contestants", the organizer called out.

Walter shouted, "Over here", pointing to Seeley and Pete.

The two lawmen looked at each other with startled faces.

"We can't do this? Can we?" Pete asked Seeley looking for a renouncing answer of NO.

Before Seeley could answer, they were standing poolside with the other contestants. . Some were taller; others shorter, some lean, others not so lean, some older, some younger.

Fifteen men stood along the side of the pool in only their swim shorts and t-shirts. Two men had Speedo's on but Seeley and Pete did not look their way.

"What do you think audience, should they take their shirts off?" the organizer asked.

Whistles, claps and chants of YES responded from the audience. The contestants took off their shirts and the women in the crowd cheered. Each man had to give their name and walk around the edge of the pool showing what they had.

"Wish I had my gun and badge," Pete whispered to Seeley out the side of his mouth. "Then we could walk out of here and pretend this never happened.

Seeley chuckled as a microphone was pushed towards his mouth.

"Seeley Booth from Washington, D.C." He then made his way around the pool feeling like a complete and total idiot for doing this. But as he rounded the second corner he realize the whistles and claps were getting louder. Hey, that is for me. I should have some fun with this. At that thought he came out of his hunched position, cocked his head, flexed an arm and smiled his best smile. The cheers got louder. It was Pete's turn and he new it would be hard to follow in those footsteps but with blonde hair, bicycler's legs and arms equally defined, he too decided to make the most of this unusual situation.

At the end, the announcer asked for the audience to pick the winner by applauding as the contestants stepped forward one by one. The women in the audience were loudest when Seeley stepped forward. That was until it was Pete's turn. The women went wild. For his efforts, he was handed a new iPod.

The boys would be back now and it was time to get them changed for their last dinner on the island. It was a BBQ for all the guests with a band, dancing and water games at the pool.

Tempe and Rose were late getting back but made it just as everyone else settled for dinner. They all listened to each other's stories of the day. Parker and Josh had a great time and really did not want to go home. No one did. When it came to Pete and Seeley to tell about their day they both mumbled some things, hen stood and announced they were hungry and were going to get some food.