by Marr, Maggie
We’re nearly finished with registration for the first day of the final session of summer surf camp. I hand another Mom a clip board to fill out emergency contact info because she forgot to do it online.
“What time did you take off last night?” Jorge asks.
“Around eleven,” I say.
“Dude that’s when it just started getting hot,” Jorge said. “But I saw what you took home,” he elbows me in the ribs. I glance up at the Mom standing across from us. She glances at the two of us and then down at her kids. I elbow Jorge and jerk my head toward the two kids.
“Thanks,” she says and hands me the paperwork.
“You go right over there, with “Max,” I say. “That’s the ten year old group.”
She nods and heads off with the two boys behind her.
I turn to Jorge. He stares at the back of Bliss Board shop, it’s about 15 yards across the beach and holds his hands over his forehead to shade his eyes. “Dude, like I said, I was totally gone last night, but isn’t that one of the girls you took home walking across the beach?”
Ashley. In a bikini. That body became mine last night. My cock twitches.
“But you also took home the model too,” Jorge says.
“They’re roommates and best friends,” I say.
“Bruh! Way to score big!” Jorge says and raises his hand high, for another high-five.
“No dude, no. It wasn’t like that,” I stare at Ashley. Her gaze meets mine and that electrical current we share zips through me. A charge of want and need and also feeling completely connected to her consumes me. “I…uh…she’s, she’s amazing,” I say.
Jorge squints, “Wait man, is she wearing a Bliss Board instructor rash guard? Did you know she works here?”
I shake my head and sigh. “Not until she got here this morning,” I say.
“Wait, isn’t Jack’s niece starting today?”—Jorge’s eyes shift to me—“No way man, did you score with the boss’s niece?”
My chest tightens. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I open my eyes and glance at Jorge, “Dude, zip it. She’s cool and funny and—”
“You totally boned! And now…what man? Are you all-in?” He turns his head to me and looks me up and down. “Oh yeah, you’ve got the look of a man who is all-in, where this little-lady is concerned. She must have a magic—”
“Not kidding,” I say. The muscle in my jaw twitches. “Zip it.”
Jorge holds up his hands, “Hey, hey, hey, no reason to get upset, bruh. Just busting your balls a bit for getting down with the boss’s niece.”
My insides are a mix of desire and confusion, because I like my job. I need my job. I also like my boss Jack. But…the problem is that I’m whipped for Ashley. Like can barely play it cool—at all. And I don’t know what this morning, finding out that we not only work together but that she is the boss’s relative and that the big job she has, where she’s going to run the entire shop, means that in about two weeks time, she’s going to be my boss.
How does this work?
Does it work?
“Hey,” she says and her gaze goes from me to Jorge. “Jorge!” She says and a smile breaks over her face. “Good to see you again. You feeling okay?”
“Ain’t even a thing,” Jorge says.
Ashley takes a step back and looks at me and wiggles her eyebrows, as though to say, wow, Jorge smells like a brewery this morning. Which he totally does. He’ll be sweating out liquor all day in the sun.
“Jorge, Presley mentioned she had something for you…a file?”
“Yes!” Jorge says and points at Ashley. “Now that registration is finished, I’m gonna’ hop inside and get that and I’ll be back to help with lunch set up, sound good?”
“Absolutely,” I say.
Jorge trots off. “So,” I say. Ashley’s curls blow in the ocean breeze. “We work together.”
“Yes we do,” Ashley nods. She looks past me toward the Pacific where the instructors work with the camp kids. This may be the most uncomfortable silence I’ve ever endured.
“And Jack’s your uncle.”
Her blue-eyed gaze slides back to me. “Yes he is,” Ashley nods again.
“We’re going to talk about this after work,” I say.
“Yes,” Ashley stares into my eyes, “we are.”
* * *
The sun sets over the Pacific. It’s been a long day. I fold the Bliss Boards Pop-Up tent that is on the beach. All our campers have left. Jorge holds the other leg of the tent and I slide the latch to release the top.
“So Bruh, did you know that was Jack’s niece when you hooked up with her last night?” Jorge asks he nods his head toward the Board shop.
“No idea,” I say. We walk toward each other and the tent top collapses.
“Dude she’s totally hot, but” —his eyes widen and he shakes his head— “I just can’t imagine dating Jack’s niece, you know?”
I nod. Jack’s a great guy but Bliss Board has a super-strict no dating policy.
“Well technically she’s not your boss,” Jorge says.
“Not yet,” I say. I roll the tent and and Jorge holds open the case.
“I mean, right now, technically you’re her boss,” Jorge says. “At least for a little while.”
“Somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better.” I pick up the rolling case that holds the pop-up tent.
“She’s way cool, man. Totally chill today. I mean, I know a lot of us were worried when we heard that Jack’s niece was coming in to help run the place, because you know it’s his relative and everything, but she seems good so far.”
“Yeah,” I say. Ashley is good. She’s beyond good. She did a fantastic job today. She shadowed and helped and stepped in where necessary without being obtrusive of over-bearing. She asked great questions. “She’s gonna’ be a big asset to the shop.”
“Here she comes,” Jorge says and nods toward the parking lot. “You go man, I can take care of this.”
“Thanks.” I hustle toward the parking lot where Ashley stands beside Jack’s car.
“So how was your first day?” I ask. I smile at her and she returns my smile, but there is hesitation, maybe for both of us, because we have some important stuff to discuss.
“It was good,” She says she ducks her head and looks up at me through her eyelashes in that way that makes my cock hard. I want to grab her and pull her into my arms and kiss her, but I definitely can’t, not here, behind the Bliss Boards shop, and depending on our conversation tonight, maybe not ever.
“So listen, “ she says and sighs. “I uh…I just—”
My belly flips and my heart slams into my ribs. Is she going to end this right here, right now?
“I have to go pick up my nephew,” I say super fast, trying to cut Ashley off before she breaks off our new relationship. “My sister has night shifts at the hospital the rest of this week. She left me the car and I have to go get him from my Aunt Mary’s and get him home and feed him and watch him.”
“Oh, right,” Ashley says. She nods and takes a breath like she’s processing what I just said. “Got it.” She turns toward the car door.
“You want to come over for dinner with two very handsome men?” I ask. Hopeful that she’ll say yes. “So we can talk.”
She smiles. “Well, one of them is a little young for me.”
There’s a playful tone in her voice and the fear I had a second ago, that she was getting ready to break off, what just started last night, slides away, and is immediately replaced with this deep desire I have for Ashley. “Right,” I step closer. All I’ve thought about, all day is pressing my lips to her lips. “But I’m just your type.”
“You are,” she says.
There’s a hint of sadness in her eyes, that I do my best to ignore. The conversation tonight is gonna’ be serious. We’ve got decisions to make. I love my job and it works perfect with school and everything else I’ve got going in my life. When I’m working at the shop it’s really the one time
when I’m not worried about something like school or money or Sarah or Teddy. When I’m here, I tend to block out anything that weighs heavy on my mind.
“Great, I’ll send you the address and you head my way whenever you’re ready,” I say. “I’ll be home with Teddy in about an hour.”
“See you then,” Ashley says and slips into Jack’s car.
“See you then,” I say. I fight the panic in my belly. Worried that there’s no way that this woman that I adore can be mine.
Chapter 12
Ashley
The grocery is a crush of bodies with people stopping in after work. I carry my phone in one hand and push the cart with the other. Julia sits in her hotel room in New York nibbling on Swedish Fish and drinking a glass of chardonnay.
“What do you mean he’s your boss?” Julia asks. She takes a big bite of a red fish and chews. “Your Uncle is your boss? You’re gonna’ be the boss soon.”
“He works at Bliss Boards and he’s the guy training me for the next two weeks, and then I’m gonna’ be his boss.”
“Oh, ick,” Julia says. “That sucks. And seriously, could only happen to you.”
“You have no idea. Plus, you know how it was supposed to stay a secret that Jack is my Uncle?”
“Everyone knows,” Julia says.
“Yes! Everyone knows.” I walk to the veggies and pick up a bag of salad mix and toss it into my cart.
“Well you knew that secret wouldn’t keep, didn’t you?”
“No!” I grab a bunch of bananas and set them into the cart. “Why would I assume that everyone would know?”
“Because offices are gossip-filled places and you’re meant to come in and become everyone’s boss, of course they want to find out as much about you as possible.” Julia takes a long swig of her wine. She tells me about her flight and the airport and her hotel room which is stocked with everything anyone could ever need. She also informs me of exactly how terrified she is for tomorrow and that she’ll be lucky if she doesn’t get fired from this film. I listen and walk through the Trader Joe’s not even sure what I’m looking for. I need milk, and eggs, and I guess I should take something to Matt’s house tonight.
“What do five year old’s eat?” I grab a bottle of wine and put it in my basket.
“Candy bars? Carrots? I actually have no idea what a five-year-old boy eats. Do you think it’s much different than a twenty-five year old guy?”
“Good point,” I circle back to the bakery section and put a box of four delicious looking chocolate cupcakes in my basket. Perfect for me, Teddy, and Matt.
“Hey, are you sure that Matt, didn’t know you were going to be his boss?” Julia asks. She pours more wine into her glass, “I mean when he hit on you last night?”
“No! Of course not,” I spin around and look at the chips. “Wait, what if he did?”
“I mean, he doesn’t strike me as that type of guy, buuuut…I guess it is possible.”
I sigh. “My heart hurts. I really really like him.”
“And I know that that means for you, because you never really really like any guy,” Julia says. “You tend to be a bit of an over-thinker where men are concerned. Actually you tend to be a bit of am over-thinker where everything is concerned.”
“I know,” I say. “I think it’s a side-effect from what happened to my dad and then what happened to Uncle Jack.” I grab a bag of tortilla chips. “I mean, bad things happen to people.” I toss the chips into my basket and turn the corner toward check out. “What am I going to do?”
Julia’s my best friend and she’s been through everything with me. Sometimes I think she knows me better than I know me. “My brain can not stop ruminating about this and going to the very worst place possible.”
“And that is?”
“That I fall in love with Matt, Uncle Jack comes back and throws a huge fit and tells me I have to choose between my job or my boyfriend.”
“And what’s the likelihood of that happening?” Julia asks.
“About the same as me finding and sleeping with the guy who I’m now working with.”
“Good point,” Julia says and sighs. “Well then I guess there is only one thing left to do.”
“What’s that?” I queue up behind a giant guy with curly blonde hair.
“Have loads of sex with him until someone tells you that you have to stop seeing him.”
Heat flushes my cheeks.
“Oh look at you, you’re blushing!” Julia coos.
“Stop,” I say and press a palm to my cheek. “It’s like the 40th time today I’ve turned red.
I guess you’re right, about Matt.” I glance at my basket. “I’m not a very good shopper,” I say.
“What is it? Wine, cupcakes, and carrots?”
“There’s more than that,” I glance in my basket. Not much more.
“Tortilla chips?”
“How’d you know.”
“Because we’ve been friends for nearly our whole lives. Now go get eggs and milk and stop worrying about this. Have loads of sex with Matt and loads of fun and I’ll call you tomorrow after my first day on set!”
I smile. Julia is so excited and such a great friend to let me go on and on about my problems when tomorrow is quite possibly the biggest day of her entire life.
“Can’t wait to hear,” I say. “Break a leg—do they say that with movies?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care. Ooo, Dylan is beeping in. Got to go! Meeting him and the director for dinner. Love you! Chin up my beautiful friend. You have a man you adore!”
And then she’s gone. I sigh. Push my cart around the corner and grab a carton of eggs and gently set them in the basket. I’m not interested in breaking anything else today and that includes my heart.
Chapter 13
Matt
Ashley stands in the doorway of my and Sarah’s apartment. She carries a bottle of wine and a box—that I’m guessing is a dessert for me and Teddy. Her curls are pulled back away from her face. She wears a skirt and a halter top. Her curves are barely covered and all I want to do is step forward, curl my arm around her waist, and pull her to me. Kiss the curve of her neck and then press my lips to her lips, lift her up, and carry her to my bed.
But I can’t.
“Uncle Matty, who’s the pretty girl?”
Because Teddy has one arm slung around my leg. I pick him up and smile first at Ashley and then at Teddy. “This is my friend Ashley,” I say. Teddy dips his head and cups his hand around his mouth. He leans close to my ear. “But she’s so pretty, Uncle Teddy.”
“I know buddy,” I whisper. “She’s smart too.”
“Could she be my friend too?”
Ashley smiles. I step back and Ashley walks inside the apartment while Teddy still leans close to me, eyeing what he’s rightly determined to be one of the most beautiful women in the world.
“You know Teddy, I wondered if you would let me be your friend?” Ashley asks.
Teddy nods.
“I brought a couple things for tonight. There’s this book called Jam Berry that my Uncle used to read to me.” Ashley pulls the book from the bag and hands it to Teddy. His face lights up like sun reflected from the ocean.
“Thank you,” he says.
“I also brought a bottle of wine for dinner,” she hands the wine to me, “annnd, some dessert.”
“What’s for dessert?” Teddy asks.
Ashley leans close to the two of us, “Chocolate cupcakes.” Her voice is very serious. Dessert is very serious and very important.
“I love chocolate cupcakes,” Teddy says with a seriousness that matches Ashley’s.
“Then I do believe, Teddy, that we’ll be friends, because I love chocolate cupcakes too.”
“I want to show you my Legos,” Teddy says. He reaches for Ashley’s hand. I nod at her and smile. I take the wine and the box with the cupcakes. Teddy wanting to show Ashley his Legos is high praise and a sure sign that he likes her and thinks she’s a-okay. She looks
at me over her shoulder. I press a quick kiss to her lips as my nephew pulls her inside.
“Kid dinner in fifteen minutes buddy, okay?”
“Okay,” Teddy says.
He has on his jammies and I’ve already given him his bath. Fingers crossed once he’s been fed he’ll go to bed on the early side. I walk into the kitchen. I step over the Legos where Ashley sits on the floor and Teddy shows her the house and the cars and
“Can I help you with dinner?” She asks.
I glance at Teddy who is completely mesmerized by Ashley. He still clutches his new book in one hand. “You are helping,” I say.
* * *
One kid-dinner, a very long story-time, and grown-up dinner finished we sit down next to each other on the couch in the living room. We’ve managed to avoid the obvious topic that we need to discuss.
“So,” Ashely says and takes long drink of wine.
“So,” I say. I pull her close to me. I want her touch. The press of her body against me helps me to believe that her being Jack’s niece and eventually my boss isn’t going to be a big deal.
“We…we should talk about today,” Ashley says.
“Why? What happened today?” I ask attempting to make a joke. I’m kind of worried that after this conversation is finished, I won’t be laughing.
“How long have you worked at Bliss Boards,” Ashley asks.
“I started last summer. Right before Emma got here. I worked all this past year. It’s goes really well with my schedule and my sister’s schedule. I applied for the employee scholarship this year.”
She bites her bottom lip. “So it’s important to you? The job?”
“But you are too. Already.” I reach for her hand. “I’ve never had this happen before, but I feel like I know you and that we’re supposed to be together.” I look into her eyes. “I mean I’ve dated, but I’ve never felt anything this intense and definitely not this fast. I want to be with you.”
“I want to be with you too,” Ashley says. She twirls an opal ring she wears on her right hand. “But how do we do this?”
“The same way we did it today,” I say.
