“And if not?”
“Things always work out.” Rachael grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. “Now, go put on your hottest swimsuit, brush your hair, and grab a cute hat. We are going to the beach and we need to post some pics.”
“Why pics?”
“They will see them on their feed. It’ll tear him up that you’re out having fun, same day, looking hot, at the beach.”
“Maybe there’ll be some cuties there, too.”
“Nope, we don’t want to go that far. That pushes them in another direction. We don’t want to lose him- we want to regain him. And hook that fish!” Rachael winked.
Rachael’s phone vibrated in her pocket. It was Travis.
How is she?
She knew Wade had put him up to checking. She didn’t respond. Rachael shoved the phone back in her pocket. She was in town for three days, and she could help Shannah repair this- she knew it. No one needed to go as far outside the realm of normal relationship mending as she and Travis had done. And if her own heartache could help Shannah, then she’d use her experience to do just that.
What beach are you going to?
Rachael ignored that text, too. The pictures would say it all.
Shannah popped out of the front door wearing a bright fluorescent yellow bikini top covered in sequins with a matching bottom. She turned around and showed Rachael it was a thong.
“You’re not worried that’ll drive him over the edge?”
“He dumped me.” She spat.
“My girl is back!” Rachael wasn’t sure she had the booty or the gall to pull off a thong. “Where did you get that?”
“Would you believe my mom? It was my birthday present. Still had the tags on it until this morning.”
“It makes sense.”
“Yah, since she and I are like the same age and all.” Shannah joked.
“I didn’t mean that, but it is different for you. Cool different. She’s still young and sees things similarly.”
“Sometimes I feel like she’s the daughter and I’m the mom.”
The girls took Shannah’s Jeep and found themselves enjoying the salty breeze of the Gulf air a short twenty minutes later. Seagulls and a few brown pelicans flew overhead. Palm trees lined the roadways, where tourists and college kids walked down sidewalks.
“It’s Spring Break! With the wedding and everything else I had nearly forgotten.”
“I hope we can find parking.”
“No worries, we’ll find a spot.” Rachael had Shannah stop and she climbed over the side, walking up to the shower area. A guy carrying a lawn chair and a sketchpad rinsed his feet off in the shower. Rachael waited for him to finish before approaching him about his parking spot. “Excuse me, sir, are you parked out there?” Rachael pointed to the large parking lot, milling with tourists and frustrated motorists in search of a spot.
“I am. Red dodge car. Third or fourth row.”
“Thank you, we’ll loop around.”
Rachael turned and ran back to the Jeep. “Red dodge car, third or fourth row.”
Rachael didn’t bother getting in. She sprinted to the Charger and stood at the back marking the space as theirs. She could see Shannah at the end of the row and waved to her. Shannah gave her a thumbs up. A car full of young teens pulled up and put on their blinker.
“Sorry girls, we’re not leaving.” It was a little white lie, and while this wasn’t even her car she truly wasn’t leaving.
Shannah pulled up and put her blinker on just as the guy set his chairs in the trunk. He pulled out and Shannah pulled in.
And that my friends is how it’s done by a Native Floridian…
Shannah locked her doors and helped Rachael with the small drink cooler and chairs. They plodded their way through the sugar sand, sticking to the path to avoid sandspurs. The beach was dotted with people in every direction. Rachael spied a small clearing and determined it would be large enough for two girls and one tiny cooler. They set up their chairs and sprayed each other’s backs with sunscreen. Rachael turned on her phone’s playlist and sat down soaking up the warmth.
“Excuse me, would either of you like to play Pro Kadima?” A guy in his mid-twenties approached them cautiously.
“I would,” Shannah sprang into action.
Shannah went ten uninterrupted exchanges with the guy in their first round, twenty in the second, and fifty-something in the third. They had really found their stride and had drawn a very large crowd of beachgoers, most of which were men. In the final round, Shannah matched him eighty-eight hits and when he hit one low and short down front she raced, flying forwards to hit it before it hit the ground. She came up covered in sand where it stuck to the oil on her stomach and upper thighs. Rachael used the opportunity to snap a few action shots, immediately posting them with the caption…
Shannah spanks some guy at Pro Kadima!
Her phone immediately vibrated in her cup holder and she knew she didn’t dare look at it. After an hour she and Shannah decided to rinse off. She was covered in sand and in that swimsuit she didn’t envy her.
“This sand wedgy is all sorts of uncomfortable.”
“I can’t believe you wore it.”
Rachael ran down to the surf. Shannah and she went in waist deep. Shannah had to rinse even her hair which hung nearly to her waistline when it was wet. When they were sure they were becoming prunes, the girls exited the water.
“Wait, I need a pic Bo Derek Style.” Rachael skipped over to grab her cell. When she got back they took a selfie, from up high, with as much cleavage as they could capture. She posted it, tagging it #beachlife, Spring Break FL. She thought about tagging it #bikiniclad but she knew that might cause her problems with Travis. The cleavage shot was already going to push it a bit, but they couldn’t help it if they were voluptuous in their swimsuits.
Rachael’s phone buzzed once more and this time she decided she should check it. There might be something wrong. It was Travis.
A thong? Really? Pro Kadima in a thong?
Rachael typed her response. If it bothers him so much he shouldn’t have broken things off with her.
That bikini has to go…
Rachael responded. Hers or mine?
Both . Came Travis’s one word response followed by a well-placed period.
He followed up with another text. Rachael please stop. Wade is going to blow a gasket here.
He should’ve thought of that before. Have fun hunting, baby! Kisses
Rachael knew her pics had hit their mark. She showed Shannah who roared with laughter.
Rachael glanced at her phone. It was nearly lunchtime. She couldn’t imagine what Shannah had thrown in that cooler, but hoped it would be appetizing. She opened it up and nosed around finding carrot sticks, cheese sticks, and pretzel sticks.
“All sticks?” Rachael eyed her skeptically.
“It was fast and easy. And two beers each.”
“Great, let’s eat very little and drink in the heat. That’ll be a good mix.”
“So, tell me your side of the Colten in your room naked story. I heard Wade’s version.”
“I was supposed to be out, but I wasn’t. I went back into the room and there he was. Naked- as in buck naked. In my roommate’s bed.” Rachael bit a pretzel, nodding her head.
“Go on,” Shannah’s eyes were wide.
“He jumps out of bed, with nothing on. I mean nada!! Then, there’s Travis looking in the window. He beats him to a pulp. My roommate comes home. It’s this horrid scene on the lawn between our sorority house and the one next door. It was so white trash. I’m glad no one else witnessed this crap. Then, Travis storms out of there. I tried everything. A note on his truck, stalking him at class- everything. He disappears. Then, I go over to confront him and bust him playing strip poker. He wasn’t naked though. I gave him back the ring.”
“That ring?” Shannah points to the solitaire.
“Yep, this ring.” Rachael wiggled her finger. “He apologizes, gives back the
ring, then disappears with Wade. Gone. Gone Guy Gone. I could’ve killed them both. I was so worried. If Wade ever disappears- he’s hunting.”
“Like today?”
“Exactly like today. Do you think he had this planned?”
“I don’t know. He’s been stressed about his family’s ranch. Some loan his dad took. It’s going to sound strange, but I think he’s worried about providing for a wife. In my opinion, that’s years off. He’s in this weird place between wanting to get married next week and putting it off for years because that’s what I want- and working through his family’s farm trouble. You can’t tell Travis. Mr. Baxter would certainly jump in and handle it, but Wade’s father is embarrassed.”
“I get that.” Rachael opened her beer, taking a sip.
A boat approached offshore. A few guys on it waved vigorously to them. Rachael’s phone buzzed and she recognized the number as Ty’s. Talk about a blast from the past!
Ty the player. All bad memories there.
“Is that Ty and Jason?”
“Sure is. I’ve learned my lesson there. You can swim out there if you want to, but I don’t need to cause myself any trouble with Travis. And my last adventure with Ty ended badly. He’s such a jerk.”
“Nope, I know you shouldn’t go. I won’t either.” Shannah concurred. She sent them a short text message and leaned back in her chair.
Rachael’s phone buzzed. She was hesitant to pick it up, but knew she had to.
We’re here. Where are you?
“They’re here.” She announced to Shannah.
“Who?”
“Travis and Wade.” Rachael glanced around, scanning the beach.
“What? And I’m in this thong!” She yelped. “I guess nothing says I love you and want you back like a thong on the beach.”
“I thought it said something like, kiss my butt- we both know I look good.”
“Quickly, change suits with me.” Shannah begged.
“Not on your life. Don’t you have any shorts?”
“Nope, oh crud, here they come.” Shannah glued herself firmly to the chair.
Travis’s long legs carried him to Rachael faster than she’d have liked. She needed a few more minutes to come up with a plan for Shannah.
“Hi, baby. So glad we were able to catch up with you.” Travis held his keys in his hand.
“This is our girls’ day at the beach. You guys can lay over there.” Rachael squinted towards some area in the distance where there appeared to be a void area large enough for two guys.
Shannah didn’t speak a word. She wore sunglasses covering her puffy eyes, and looked incredibly gorgeous.
“Shannah, would you like to take a walk?” Wade offered holding his hand down to her.
“A walk sounds like a great idea.” Travis gave Rachael a knowing look.
“No!” Rachael shrieked. “You can sit right here in my chair. Travis and I are going swimming.”
Rachael ran towards the water leaving Travis little other choice than to follow. He caught up with her and carried her the rest of the way.
“A thong?” Travis said once he had them in shoulder deep water.
“She’s single.” Rachael giggled. “I’m taking it you didn’t show him the pics of the thong.”
“Oh, he’s seen it. We made it here in less than fifteen minutes. He drove. I thought we were going to get pulled over. Seventy in a forty-five is a big ticket.”
“So, if he doesn’t want to be broken up why did he break up with her- last night?”
“It’s complicated.”
“We are all complicated. It can’t be that complicated.”
“His father’s got cancer. He’s sick. Wade’s just trying to finish school. He’s freaked out. I guess his dad took some loans for medical bills. Wade doesn’t want his father to know he told me. I’m not supposed to tell my dad. He doesn’t want to hold her back. She has three years to go. She doesn’t want to get married right away- and he has to graduate and move home. It’s complicated.”
“That is complicated. If you’d communicated all of that to me- I never would’ve encouraged the photoshoot.”
“I’m glad you did. It’s got him rethinking what he did. You took what I told you and switched it around on us. Sneaky, sneaky, my dear, Rach,” Travis pulled her firmly to him. “A cleavage shot.”
“No, that was not what that was. Just a cute selfie of two friends at the beach. I can’t help it if your mind goes places it shouldn’t.”
“Sure,” he glanced down at the flower suit she had on. “I hate this thing worse than the tank top with strategic flowers. Why don’t you just buy one with giant bullseyes on the triangles?”
“Don’t be mean, Travis. I like this suit.” Rachael acted hurt and a little put-off, even though she really wasn’t.
“Maybe I need to put in a private beach at the ranch- like a swimming hole. Keep you all to myself.”
“Stop, not funny.”
Travis bent his head and kissed her. Rachael felt like she’d abandoned Shannah. She walked up the beach leaving Travis wondering where she was going. She could feel his eyes on her and just kept right on moving. There were things you needed to do and things you needed to be. And loyal to your friends was one of those things.
Wade stood, inviting Shannah to join him. She shook her head, staring off in space. Wade passed Rachael nodding in her direction and continuing to the water to join Travis.
“Well?” Rachael plopped down in her chair with a thud.
“He’s sorry. He wants to fix things. He gave me this back, but I don’t know how I feel about it.” She held the ring in her fingers, not putting it back on. It shimmered in the sunlight. “It’s a start I guess.”
“Travis told me everything. He’s going through a lot right now with his family.”
“I know. I get that. I really do.” Shannah sighed, taking a sip of the beer she held. “Yep, I get it. But he can’t run scared. I told him I’ll take him back, but if he does this ever again I’m done. I don’t toy with him and never have. I expect the same.”
“You’re right. What we went through made us miserable. Truly.”
“We’ve got to go.” Rachael mistook her unease as an urgency to get distance between her and Wade.
“Okay, let me tell Travis we’re leaving and I’ll see him later.”
Shannah grabbed her forearm and lowered her glasses. “No, we’ve got to go because I think I may sustain some sort of sand injury otherwise. My parts are getting chafed. I may need like…some sort of diaper ointment.”
“Baby butt balm,” Rachael cracked up.
“Globs of it.”
Rachael stood and tossed Shannah her shorts. She tossed them back to her.
“I have to see this through. Show him just how serious I am. So, even if the sand is chafing my ass, I’m going to strut this right off the beach.” Shannah’s backside looked a bit pink and possibly sunburned. Rachael thought it may hurt later. She cringed. Regardless, Shannah had a great butt. Maybe she should wear a skimpy suit all the time.
Travis and Wade joined them. Wade offered Shannah a towel, but she declined it. They went to the showers and rinsed off. The guys spied the Jeep in the third row.
“How did you get that prime parking space? We’re across the street.” Wade stared at them both.
“Just our luck.”
“I’ll bet it was,” Wade eyed Shannah’s suit skeptically. “Some luck I’m sure.”
Wade asked to ride with Shannah and she accepted, freeing Rachael to ride with Travis. Rachael gladly held his hand and crossed the street.
“Just two friends on the beach taking a selfie.” He chuckled. “Whatever, girl. I know you better than you know yourself.”
“You only think you do. I have a whole bunch of innocent photos I took of Shannah and the huge crowd of guys watching her. I didn’t post them.”
“No, only the one of her diving mid-air to make that incredible save- in a thong. Followed by another one of h
er jumping and serving, racquet overhead.”
“Just photojournalism, Travis.”
“And it was you that got that space. I know your trick. Cute girl approaches a guy at the showers and asks where he’s parked. He’s not about to tell her she can’t have his space. He’ll take an extra fifteen minutes rinsing off giving her time to get her friend in position to seize that space.”
“I would never.”
“Now, if I did that you’d be mad.”
“Not if you approached a guy in the showers, Travis. I wouldn’t be mad at all.”
“What about Pro Kadima? Did you spank any guys at Pro Kadima?”
“Nope. I didn’t play. I stood there watching Shannah and turned down several offers to play.”
“Well, that puts my mind at ease. Did you drive all the way here in just shorts and flip flops and a bikini top?”
“And a Jeep.” Rachael smirked over at him. “I needed a tan.”
“I can’t argue that. You look really good tan.” He pulled her snugly against his side. “I love you, Rachael Harte Baxter.”
“How was hunting?”
“Great until your pics came pinging in.”
Chapter Seventeen
Travis’s cell phone vibrating on the nightstand awoke them both shortly after three o’clock in the morning. Rachael nudged his back gently to wake him. When he didn’t stir, she rolled over and saw it was Mrs. Baxter. She knew instantly it must be an emergency. She never called this time of night, or morning. Rachael climbed across Travis to answer the phone.
“Mrs. Baxter, it’s Rachael.”
“Hi, Rachael,” she paused. “Is Travis there?”
Rachael pushed Travis a little more firmly. “What?”
“It’s your mother.” Rachael held the phone out to him.
Travis took the phone and listened intently to his mother.
“Okay. Sure. Of course. We will leave immediately.”
Travis disconnected the call and sat up in bed, rubbing his face with his hands. He climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom, washed his face, and turned to brace himself against the counter. His teeth were clenched tightly and Rachael knew he’d just learned some very bad news. Rachael went to join him in the bathroom.
Cowgirl Coed (Redneck Debutante Series Book 4) Page 19
