by Alex Tully
And Debbie yelled back, “This is my house and if you don’t like it, you can leave!” She was drunk, of course—she was always drunk.
Grams went over to try to help. She was the only person Debbie seemed to listen to.
“Now Debbie, it’s already way past my bedtime, and I don’t want to have to call the police. Then I’ll just have to stay up longer, and wait for them to straighten this all out.”
“Big, bad Shirley to the rescue,” Debbie laughed loudly.
Zoe was crying, “I can’t take this.” And then she took off running toward the water and Parker knew exactly what she was going to do.
“Grams can I go see if she’s okay?” he begged. Of course, the answer was, no.
Debbie finally cleared out the party, and Grams finally fell asleep. And he finally went down by the water and saw that Frankie’s boat was gone, just like he thought it’d be.
While he waited under the big oak tree, the wind picked up and it started raining—hard. It turned into a bad storm, and Zoe was out in the middle of it. He was so worried that he almost woke up Grams, but then he heard the sputtering motor of Frankie’s boat and saw Zoe coming back. But she wasn’t alone—she was with the rich guy—Ethan.
Parker hid behind the Hart’s trailer and watched them come onshore, holding hands as they ran to his yacht! Holding hands—he couldn’t believe it! Who was this guy? When did him and Zoe become so buddy-buddy?
Parker looked at the yacht again—was Zoe in there now? He took his line out of the water, left his stuff on the dock, and casually walked toward shore. Grams would kill him if she found out, but he didn’t care. He walked from the Sunny Shores beach, filled with rocks and driftwood, past the No Trespassing sign, to where the beach magically transformed into mounds of white sand.
He stepped onto the fancy pier with all the yachts but when he got close to Ethan’s, he started to get nervous. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea, what would he say? “Hey Ethan, I was spying on you guys last night and…”
Maybe he could just say he wanted to hang out—Ethan did tell him to come by whenever he wanted. That’s what he would do.
Parker stepped off the pier and onto the yacht and knocked on the door.
After a couple of seconds, he heard, “Shit! Oh, shit!” come from inside.
And it wasn’t Ethan—it was Zoe. She did sleep over!
And then he saw Zoe’s face peek out the window, her hair all messy and her eyes all squinty. The door opened, “Oh thank god you came by Parker! I can’t believe I forgot to set the alarm on my phone!”
She rushed past him, “Sorry, I’m gonna be late. If you see Ethan, can you tell him I’ll text him? Gotta go! Bye!”
And with that she was running toward shore, her long hair swinging back and forth behind her.
What was that?!
“Hey, Parker!” Ethan appeared in the doorway, all smiles.
“Hey.”
“You want some breakfast?” he asked, “I was just going to make some bacon and eggs.”
Uh, no, he didn’t want breakfast. He actually wanted to ask Ethan who the hell he thought he was. He knew Zoe like one day, and she was already sleeping over?
Parker glanced back at his fishing stuff sitting on the dock. He really should head back, but he was also dying to get on that yacht.
“Yeah…okay,” he stepped inside and his mouth fell open.
He’d never been in a room like that before—even in a house. It was awesome—huge leather couch, giant flat screen, “Whoa, is that a sixty-inch?”
“Um, I think so,” Ethan pulled out a frying pan and started cracking eggs, “how do you like your eggs?”
Parker walked around slowly, looking at everything but being careful not to touch, “Uh, I’m not really hungry.”
“Really, you sure?”
“Yeah, I just ate.”
A glass cabinet below the flat screen held an Xbox—the Xbox One X, and it looked brand new. Not like his piece of crap 360.
Ethan called over, “Do you play Xbox?”
“Uh, yeah.” There were only two things he liked to do in his free time—fish, and play Xbox. If he could do either with Zoe, it was a major bonus.
“What’s your favorite game?”
“Probably Call of Duty.” It was his favorite because it was the only game he had that was rated teen or above.
“What’s your online name?” Ethan asked, “I’ll look you up on COD.”
God, he was embarrassed, “We don’t have Wi-Fi, so I just play offline.”
“Oh, well do you wanna play now?”
Yes! Yes! “Really?”
“Here,” Ethan brought his plate of food over to the couch and sat down, “hand me that remote next to the TV and grab those Xbox controllers under there.”
Parker opened the glass cabinet and took out two controllers. The screen lit up and he couldn’t believe how incredible the picture was, “What games do you have?”
“Um, what do you want to play? I can order pretty much anything online.”
“Really? Anything?” Oh my God, if he could have any Xbox game ever—he couldn’t even imagine it.
Ethan clicked on the game library and there were hundreds of games, “Should we just start with COD?”
“Sure,” Parker wanted to play something he was at least pretty good at.
The familiar graphics filled the screen, and the intro music blared through the surround-sound in the cabin.
He forgot about any bad feelings he had for Ethan. How could he feel bad about anything?
He was in heaven.
CHAPTER 16
ETHAN
“Hey, you’re pretty good at this,” Ethan said, and he wasn’t lying. The kid had obviously played a lot of COD.
“Thanks. It’s my second favorite thing to do, besides fishing. I used to play Xbox with my mom a lot, and I still play with Zoe a lot.”
“Zoe, really?” Ethan was dying to know if Zoe said anything when she left. By the time he got his pants on and ran upstairs, she was already out the door, “So Zoe was almost late for work, huh?”
“Yeah, she said she forgot to set her alarm.”
“Oh…” he waited for more but the kid was really into the game.
Screw it. “Did she say anything else?”
“Oh, yeah…” Parker’s thumbs clicked furiously on his controller, “she did say to tell you she would text you.”
Yes!
“Oh okay,” he said as casually as possible. But, then he thought of something—they never exchanged numbers!
He was thinking of his next move when Parker asked, “So, how did you end up on the boat with Zoe?”
Ethan was caught a little off-guard by the question, “You mean, how did she end up here, on the yacht?”
“No, last night I saw you guys coming back on Frankie’s boat—in the storm.”
What? How did he see that? “Oh, last night…” he trailed off.
“See,” Parker went on, “Zoe and her mom got into this huge fight. Did she tell you about her mom?”
“A little bit.”
“Well her mom’s crazy, like really crazy. I call her Debbie-downer. And I knew Zoe might go out on Frankie’s boat because that’s what she does sometimes. It helps her deal with it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, Zoe pretty much tells me everything,” the kid was definitely trying to make a point, “we’re like best friends.”
“She told me you guys are super tight,” Ethan said.
Parker’s face lit up, “She did?”
“Sure, she said you guys had a ‘special bond’—I think those were her words.”
“Well, we do. And you know, you guys were really lucky. I saw that wicked storm roll in while I was waiting.”
“Yeah, we were lucky,” Ethan agreed.
“Wasn’t it really bad, out on the water?”
He thought about the night before, and although the storm was bad, the rest of the night was actually reall
y, really, good, “I guess you could say it was bad…but we weathered the storm—no pun intended.”
“Huh?”
Ethan laughed, “Nothing.”
Just then, in the quiet lull between sprays of machine-gun fire, Ethan heard something. He paused the game.
“Hey!” Parker didn’t like it, “what are you doing?”
It sounded like someone was screaming outside.
“Shhh…” Ethan held up his hand, “I hear something.”
Then the distinct yell of, “Parker! Parker!”
“Oh crap!” Parker’s eyes were huge. “That’s my Grams! She’s gonna kill me!” He jumped up and dropped the controller, “What should I say?!”
Ethan shrugged, “I don’t know. You’re not allowed over here, I take it?”
“Hell no!” he began pacing, “She’s super paranoid. She used to make me wear a life jacket when I went fishing—on the docks!”
“You don’t know how to swim?”
“Of course I know how to swim, but she treats me like a total baby.”
Shit, this wasn’t good, “Well, get out there!”
“Come with me!” Parker grabbed Ethan’s arms, “Please Ethan!”
What? The kid looked so desperate.
“Okay, chill, but I don’t know what I’ll be able to do,” Ethan reluctantly followed behind him.
As soon as they stepped outside, Parker yelled over to his grandma, “Grams I’m over here!”
She was standing in front of the trailer park dock looking around frantically. Ethan could visibly see the old lady’s relief, as she put her hand over her chest, “Oh Thank God!”
As they got closer to his grandma, Parker’s pace slowed, and Ethan thought he might have to drag the kid the rest of the way.
Grandma was not happy, “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” she yelled, “What did I tell you about checking in with me?!”
Parker kept his head down, “I’m sorry Grams. I just...”
She cut him off, “I don’t want to hear your excuses, Parker! You know the rules!”
As they stood in front of Grams, Ethan was beginning to understand why Parker didn’t ever break the rules. Grams was intimidating as hell—she definitely wasn’t the frail or dainty type. Yes, she had the gray hair and glasses thing going on, but that was where it ended. She looked like an army drill sergeant in polyester shorts—she could probably bench-press more than him.
She eyed him up and down suspiciously, “And you are?”
“Hi…ma’am, my name is Ethan Pierce, and I just want you to know that this isn’t Parker’s fault,” he started, “See…if I could explain real quick?”
“I’m listening.”
“See, I saw Zoe at our pool,” he pointed back toward Crystal Waters, “and I was going to approach her but—.”
“Zoe?”
“Yeah!” Parker jumped in, “Remember Grams, I told you—.”
Grams held her hand up to Parker’s face, “You saw Zoe at the Crystal Waters pool?”
“Um…yes ma’am.”
“She’s not working there is she?”
“Um…yes, ma’am.”
“As one of those cabana girls?”
“Um…” he’d never heard them called that before, “she’s a server at the pool.”
Grams shook her head, “That’s not good, not good at all.” She folded her arms in front of her chest, “so what does my grandson have to do with all of this?”
“Uh, yes…well…I had seen Zoe fishing with Parker the other day, and so when I saw him on the dock this morning, I just wanted to ask your grandson a little bit about her.”
“Grams! That huge yacht is Ethan’s!” the kid was practically jumping up and down.
“Zip it, Parker!” Grams turned her attention back to Ethan, “Well young man, Parker doesn’t need to get mixed up in this stuff—he’s only ten.”
“I’m eleven Grams.”
“Whatever, and I’d suggest that you find the gumption to talk to Zoe on your own. You understand, pretty-boy?”
Holy humiliation. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“And Zoe’s a good girl,” she adjusted her glasses as if she was examining him, “You better have only the best of intentions.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“For God’s sake, stop being so formal. Call me Shirley.”
“Okay, Shirley.”
“And you,” she turned and gave Parker a light swat on the butt, “you go get your fishing gear and head back to the trailer—now.”
“See ya later Ethan!” Parker yelled as he ran away.
Shirley just stood there, staring at him, “Yeah, see ya later Ethan.”
“Um, goodbye ma—Shirley,” Ethan carefully turned around, and made his way back to the Sea-quester, as quickly as he could, without actually running.
As soon as he got inside, he collapsed onto the couch. He had planned on heading over to the pool and saying hi to Zoe, but now he was thinking twice.
He wondered if Zoe even realized she had a bulldog looking out for her.
CHAPTER 17
ZOE
Zoe made it to work just in time and quickly checked in at the Blue Room. She grabbed a tray and found Heather loading up drinks at the bar, “Hey.”
“Hey Zoe, it’s going to be another busy one.” It was nine o’clock in the morning and temps were already in the eighties. “I’ll probably be in the kiddie pool with you most of the day.”
“Okay, thanks,” Zoe was grateful, but today she was feeling like she could tackle anything. The hot weather didn’t bother her. Even the bratty kids, who she could already hear screaming, didn’t bother her.
Nothing really bothered her because all was right with the world. She couldn’t stop thinking about the night before, and all she wanted to do was get through work so she could see him again—Ethan. Ethan, Ethan, Ethan…she could say it all day long!
She made her way over to the kiddie pool where Mrs. Dray was just getting situated. “Can I get you anything Mrs. Dray?” she asked in her cheeriest voice.
“Oh, hello Zoe, can you hold Iris for me, while I lay this blanket down in her pack-n-play?”
“Uh sure, let me set this down,” Zoe put the tray on the closest table, and took the baby out of Mrs. Dray’s hands. Iris was probably around six months old. She was wearing a pink sunhat and sunglasses shaped like flowers. The first time Zoe held Iris she was a little nervous, but now she was used to it.
Her job was becoming more manageable by the day—definitely not a walk in the park, but at least she’d be able to stick it out. After the Bloody Mary incident, she wasn’t so sure. Getting to know the people was key. Like Mrs. Dray—she only stayed for an hour or two, because Iris never stayed put in the pack-n-play, and that got old real quick.
In the back corner, Jessica and Maddie were laying down their towels. Both were nannies, not much older than her. They never asked for much, except an occasional bottle of water.
Mr. Montgomery was going to his usual umbrella-table. He was one of the few dads who showed up consistently, and his eyes always seemed to be glued to his iPad. Thankfully, they had full-time lifeguards on duty, even in the shallow kiddie pool.
There were a lot of other regulars that trickled in and out as the day went on, some really demanding, others she barely noticed. But now, she felt like she could handle them all.
Things were in full swing in the middle of her shift, when she headed back to the bar at the Galley for the hundredth time. Heather was waiting for her, “Hey, Crawfish wants to talk to you.”
Zoe usually laughed at Heather’s pet name for Mr. Crawford, but this time it didn’t sound funny. An uneasy feeling crept into the pit of her stomach, and her eyes wandered over to the cabanas.
“Don’t look over there,” Heather said quickly, “he’s probably watching us right now.”
“What?” Zoe searched Heather’s face, “What does he want? Am I in trouble?”
“No, trust me it’s nothing like that. Let�
�s just talk later.”
Zoe didn’t like the sound of that, “Talk about what?”
“Later. Look, it’s fine,” Heather insisted, “just go.”
Zoe took a deep breath, walked out into the main pool area and toward cabana row. What did Mr. Crawford want with her?
His cabana was ridiculous—bigger than all of the others—full wraparound couch, flat-screen TV. What was more ridiculous was the fact that he sat in it every day.
Every. Single. Day. All day. Other than doing his daily laps in the pool, he was always there.
Zoe had heard that Mrs. Crawford was the one who made all the decisions in Crystal Waters—she ran the place, not him.
As Zoe approached the cabana, Mr. Crawford’s cringy face broke out into a smile, “Hello Zoe. Thanks for coming over to see me.”
With his eyes hidden by his sunglasses, she couldn’t tell where he was looking and she immediately felt self-conscience, “No problem,” she smiled.
“Please sit down.”
She half-expected him to pat the spot on the couch next to him, but thank god he waved his hand in the direction of the lone chair across from him. He wore a yellow polo shirt, which deserved another thank god, because she knew most of the time he went shirtless.
He stretched his arms out over the piles of navy blue and white pillows on either side of him, “I just wanted to tell you I’ve heard nothing but positive things about you from our residents. Everyone I’ve talked to has said you are doing an outstanding job, and that is so important to me,” he paused and waited.
She smiled, “I’m glad to hear that.”
He went on, “I pride myself on providing a five-star experience and believe me, not everyone is up to the task.”
She just nodded, and let him do his thing.
“Now, I know you had a little bit of an embarrassing situation the first day, but you recovered nicely.” Of course, he had to bring that up. He wanted to see her squirm.
“Thank you,” she wasn’t going to give him one bit more than she had to.
His head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed, “You are most welcome Zoe.”
Then he picked up a small white card from the teak table in front of him, and scribbled something on it, “this is my private cell phone number.”
