A/n thanks for all the great reviews guys! It really means a lot to me that you guys like the story! I don't own it, just the idea for this fanfic. :D
Beau's eyes shimmered with excitement as he led her around town. They had parked the truck and he was now leading her on a walking tour of Faireville. It was a very quaint town, with lots of flowers and cute beachfront stores. There weren't that many tourists as the town was very small – it had just over two thousand people – but it was busy. Everyone was laughing and having fun in the warm evening light. There were families with dogs and ice cream cones and couples walking hand-in-hand. Beau obviously loved his town. Almost everyone they passed said hi to him and greeted him. He seemed to know everyone by name and was very kind.
"Are you like a celebrity here or something?" Alex asked in amusement as an elderly lady walked off after getting into a long discussion with Beau about the faulty traffic lights.
He laughed and said, "Not quite. My family just has a lot of business here. My dad is the Chief of Police and my mother runs a book shop. And my uncle owns a garage and I work with him. My grandfather was the mayor for a very long time until he retired two years ago. So everyone kind of knows our family."
"Wow, that's so cool." Alex said, impressed. "In New York, everyone is more worried about getting to where they're going, rather than actually getting to know people. I don't even know my next door neighbours' names."
He looked shocked and she laughed at the ridiculous expression on his face.
"Come on," He said, taking her hand. "Let's eat in here."
They walked into a little restaurant with a big patio with twinkle lights draped over the railing. It had a lovely view of the ocean and the sunset over it. The hostess lit up when she saw Beau.
"Beau Fairchild!" She exclaimed. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, how are you?" He asked politely. "How is your husband?"
"Oh, he's fine." She said, waving a hand airily. "He actually just got offered a new job at the bank."
"That's great!" Beau said sincerely.
"Would you like a table inside or on the patio?" She asked him.
"On the patio please." Beau said with a wink towards Alex. "It's my friend's first time in Florida."
The hostess gasped. "Really?" She asked. "Then you two need the best table we have! Come with me."
She led them around to an almost secluded table with a clear and beautiful view of the ocean.
"Thanks, Ashley. This is great." Beau said sweetly. "And please say hi to Jim for me!"
Ashley laughed and went back to the kitchens, promising to be back soon to get their drink orders.
Alex smirked at him. "You are famous! You should totally use that to get our dinner for free!"
He laughed and said, "I'm just friends with everyone! Ashley was two years ahead of me in school, of course I know her! And I could never take advantage of someone!"
She grinned and shook her head ruefully, "You wouldn't have lasted two minutes in New York."
He laughed again and they stayed at the restaurant until it was dark. It was fun. Alex decided she liked him. She didn't feel a great love connection or anything, but she was attracted to him. Out of the corner of her eye, just as they were leaving, she saw a man with a grey sweatshirt standing out by the front entrance. That was a little odd, in her opinion, because it was so hot out to be wearing a sweatshirt. He was also wearing a baseball cap for the Tampa Bay Rays and sunglasses. As they were walking away from the restaurant, Alex asked Beau, "Who was that man?"
"What man?" He asked.
"The man standing by the entrance to the restaurant." She said. "I saw him as we were leaving."
"Oh." Beau said, his brow furrowing. "I didn't notice him."
Alex frowned but then quickly forgot about the strange man. Bea smiled at her with perfect teeth and adorable dimples and led her to the boardwalk.
"Want to take a walk?" He asked her.
He took her hand shyly and blushed when she smirked at him. They walked along the boardwalk on the beach in the moonlight and Alex was comfortable. Beau was a genuinely nice person. She didn't know many people like that. Well, maybe Justin. And Harper. And Max. And even her parents. Fine, everyone was genuinely nice compared to her.
She saw more stars here then she had ever seen in her entire life. She looked behind her to get a better view of the whole sky but was startled to see the man from the restaurant a little ways behind her and Beau. She frowned but ignored him. Beau probably knew him, Beau knew everyone. But she still moved closer to her handsome date and walked a bit faster. Beau was telling her about his latest surfing adventure but her mind was occupied with the stranger who seemed to be following them. She opened her purse and fingered the Mace she had there. She was a New Yorker. She never left home with pepper spray. Out of the corner of the eye, she saw the man coming closer so she quickly whipped around and kicked him in his private area. She then sprayed him in the eyes with the pepper spray and jumped back as she he shrieked and stumbled to the ground.
Beau yelled and pulled Alex behind him, but Alex tugged her arm away from him.
"Who the hell are you and why have you been following us?" She shouted at the man with her hands on her hips.
He then pulled off his hat and sunglasses to reveal himself.
"Justin?" Alex screeched. "What are you doing here?"
He looked up at her with red, watering eyes and choked out. "I-I was checking up on you to make sure you were okay."
She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from him. "God, I can't believe you!" She said, totally disgusted. "I'm not fourteen anymore, you don't have to care about you I go out with!"
"You didn't know him! You went out with a complete stranger!" He said.
"I met him before! And Emma is always saying how nice he is!" Alex shot back. "What, are you jealous that I'm going out with someone and you're still alone?"
He shot her a very cold look that made her actually take a step back. He sighed in a world-weary kind of way and ran a hand through his dark hair.
"You should just go home, Justin." Alex said forcefully.
He gave her a long look that she couldn't quite figure out then turned and walked back the way he came.
"That was your brother?" Beau said in shock.
"Yup. Justin." Alex growled.
"Why was he following us?" Beau asked.
"Because he is an idiot and thinks he has to protect me from everything." Alex grumbled.
Beau frowned again. Alex pouted. They tried continuing their conversation, but the evening was clearly over. He drove her home and walked her up to the front porch. The porch light was flicked on and they stood awkwardly in front of the door for a second before he leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"Goodnight, Alex." He whispered.
"Goodnight." She whispered back.
He walked down the front steps and over to his house next door. Alex walked through the front door to see Emma sitting on the couch watching Jeopardy.
"Hey, Alex." She said. "How was the date?"
Alex skipped right to the chase. "Why did you let Justin follow me?"
Emma sighed. "I'm sorry. We were eating dinner when he said he wanted to get something in town and he wanted to borrow my car. I knew he really just wanted to check up on you, but I let him anyways. I figured there was no point arguing with him because he was probably just as stubborn as Jake. He came back about half an hour ago very upset."
Alex pouted and dropped onto the couch next to her. "I just don't understand why he has to get all crazy all of a sudden. I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself."
Emma smiled. "He just cares about you."
"Yeah, but it's so annoying!" Alex exclaimed.
Emma laughed. "That may be true. You should go to bed, it's getting late."
Alex said goodnight to her and walked upstairs to her pretty guestroom. She changed into purple boxers and a black tank top. She washed the makeup off her face and brushed her teeth. She slid into the cool sheets and tried to fall asleep. But anger and embarrassment kept her up. Justin humiliated her in front of Beau. He treated her like a little kid when she was eighteen! She decided she would go find him and tell him these things.
She tip-toed down the hall and opened Justin's door. His room was dark blue with sand coloured wood furniture. It was empty. She frowned and decided to look downstairs. She could hear Emma snoring as she passed her door. She giggled quietly and snuck down the stairs. The TV room was empty as well. Just like the widow room and kitchen and dining room. Alex pouted in frustration. But she was also a little worried. Where was he?
She peered out the window in the kitchen to see her older adoptive brother lying on the beach. She kicked open the back door and sprinted down the beach to yell at him.
"Justin!" She shrieked. "How dare you embarrass me in front of Beau? I'm not a little kid! I don't need to be protected! And you followed us like a stalker! It was none of your business! I didn't need your help! And after you totally insulted me this afternoon too!"
He just stared at her as she stomped around and ranted. She finally stopped and stood in front of him with her feet apart and her arms crossed her chest.
"Well?" She said sarcastically.
"Well what?" He snapped back.
"Aren't you going to apologize?" She asked, raising one eyebrow.
For a second it looked as if he would just laugh. But then his shoulders slumped and he said, "You're right. I'm sorry, Alex. For following you on your date and for saying I was a better wizard then you. It's not true."
She glared at him for a second, deciding whether or not to keep punishing him then decided she was too tired. She shrugged and plopped down on the beach next to him.
She lay against the sand and felt his arms and legs press against hers. They were lying side by side and slowly held hands.
"There are so many more stars here than in New York." Alex whispered.
"I know." Justin murmured back. "There are millions."
"Ooh, look!" Alex said, pointing to the sky. "That's the Big Dipper!"
"And over there is Orion's Belt." Justin said quietly. "It's the one with three stars in a row."
"I see it!" She said excitedly.
"The myth about Orion was that he was Artemis's lover, she was the Goddess of the Night, and one night he was swimming in the ocean. Apollo, the Sun God hated Orion and bet his sister Artemis that she couldn't hit the thing in the water with her bow and arrow. Artemis not realizing that the thing in the water was actually her lover, shot and killed Orion. When she found out what she had done, she honoured Orion by putting him in the sky." Justin explained softly to Alex.
Alex found her eyes getting heavy. Justin's voice sounded rough but soft at the same time and he was slowly putting her to sleep with his story telling. It was so relaxing, listening to Justin tell her myths that were hundreds of years old.
"You see the one over that that looks like a W?" Justin said to Alex and gestured to the dark sky above. "That's Cassiopeia. The legend was that she was very beautiful and liked to brag..."
Alex never heard the rest of the story because her dark eyes fell shut. She fell asleep to Justin's familiar and comforting voice and the lull of the ocean waves. The sand was soft underneath her body and Justin's shoulder made a very nice pillow. She had never slept better in her life.
A/N thanks so much for reading! Pretty please review and tell me what you think!