by Katie Ashley
I reached out and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” he said. After he tipped his ball cap to me, Frank turned to Jackson. “I guess this means no more golf today, huh?”
Shaking my head wildly, I protested, “Oh no, I just ran into Jackson. We weren’t planning on hanging out or anything.”
His grandfather laughed. “No, that’s completely all right. He doesn’t need to hang around an old fart like me when beauty beckons.”
Both Jackson and I shifted uncomfortably. “Um, yeah, well, I’ll call you when I’m done here,” Jackson finally replied.
Frank nodded. “Have a nice time, son,” he called.
Jackson and I waved to him as he rode away. As our flip-flops smacked across the wooden slats of the boardwalk, I asked, “So, do you come here often?” Inwardly, I groaned. Had I seriously just asked him that question? What was next, asking about the weather?
“Yeah, my grandparents have several rental properties here. Even though their house is in South Carolina, my grandfather loves the golf down here. So they usually spend part of their week here.”
“Are you very close to them?”
He nodded. “They’re more like my parents than my grandparents.”
“I’m really close to my grandparents, too. Well, my dad’s parents at least. They live really close to us back in Texas. I can’t imagine life without them.”
“I hear you on that one.”
We reached the end of the boardwalk, and I slid off my flip-flops. My feet sunk into the warm sand as we started across the beach. The afternoon sun beat down on us, and I could feel the sweat beading on my hairline.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Jackson mused, “Looks like it’s going to be another scorcher today.”
Fabulous. Now he had resorted to talking about the weather. This couldn’t possibly be good. “Yeah, I’m roasting out here.”
“I don’t guess you’d want to go for a swim, would you?”
“Sure, I’d love, to.”
He cocked his head. “Really?”’
“Of course. I mean, why else would you come to the beach?”
Jackson shrugged. “I dunno. Bryn and her friends usually only want to tan. They say the salt water is bad for their skin or something.”
Bryn—the ultimate diva. For the life of me, I still couldn’t understand why in the world Jackson would put up with such a pain in the ass. Drawing my shoulders back, I smiled, and said, “I guess it’s lucky for us I don’t care about all that stuff.”
Jackson’s face lit up. “Awesome!” He quickly ripped his shirt over his head and tossed it on a beach chair. Wow, there was that perfect, sculpted torso again. My mouth ran dry, and I had to wet my lips as I continued staring.
Oblivious to me ogling his bod, Jackson asked, “Race you to the water?”
“Yeah, sure.” My hand hesitated on my cover-up. I’d momentarily forgotten in my triumph over Bryn that getting in the water would mean Jackson seeing me in my bikini.
“Come on,” he urged, with a grin.
I drew up a deep breath and slid off my cover-up. I’d never felt so naked in my entire life. Jackson drank in my appearance before bobbing his head. “Nice suit.”
“Thanks,” I replied. We both flushed a little at the awkwardness of the situation.
Jackson cleared his throat. “Ready?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Go!”
I sprinted to the water, kicking up a sandstorm behind me. Military school must’ve kept Jackson in good shape because he kept up with my frantic pace. But I managed to reach the water first. “Boo-yah! I won!” I cried, as I splashed through the waves.
He bent over to catch his breath, resting his hands on his knees. “Damn, I lost to a girl.”
I giggled. “Hope it doesn’t crush your precious self-esteem.”
Rising up, he splashed me. “Oh, I’ll live.”
“Watch it!”
Cocking his head, Jackson asked. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those ‘don’t get my hair wet girls’?”
“Never,” I replied, before diving into the waves. I swam out a few yards before bobbing back to the surface. Jackson was close behind me. We continued swimming, letting the water cool us off.
“Wanna play with some boogie boards?” Jackson asked. His hopeful expression told me he had never dared to ask Bryn such a thing.
“Sure.”
“Cool.” We swam back to shore, and then Jackson hightailed it up the beach to where an equipment shack stood. I watched as an auburn headed girl beamed as she handed over two boards. Jackson talked to her for a second. Jeez, was there any girl on the face the earth who didn’t want him?
We amused ourselves for the next hour or so slipping and sliding in the water and sand. Each time I would start to ask Jackson a question, one of us would wipe out or get swallowed by a wave. I may not have been getting my bounty hunting work done, but I was totally enjoying myself.
Exhausted, we finally dragged ourselves out of the water. As soon as I dried off, I slipped my cover-up back on. A glance at my phone showed me I had about five text messages from Wyatt.
One read, Julesy, where are you?
Followed by, You said Tybee wouldn’t take long!
Okaaay, I’m about to give up and get Raye to hunt you down.
And finally, “Plz come save me from my Mom!!!
Jackson grabbed up our boards. “Just let me turn these in, and then we can grab something to eat at the club.”
Even though I wanted to spend more time with Jackson, I also really wanted to get back to the real world down at Raye’s. “I’d like to, but,” I waved my phone, “I got to get back to Savannah now. Some social thing of Mom’s.” Lying on the spot was becoming way too easy for me.
“Oh, okay, then.”
“I had a really good time though.”
He smiled. “Me too. Next time I want a beach buddy, I’ll know who to call.”
Great. Nothing screams anti-romance like the word “buddy”. I grabbed up my bag, and after a quick wave, I headed to the car.
Chapter Twelve
When I walked into Raye’s office, both Sherry and Wyatt were at the front desk. She must’ve been schooling him on billing invoices because the desk was littered with multicolored paperwork.
Wyatt bolted out of his chair. “Where have you been? I’ve been texting you all afternoon!”
“Hello to you to,” I replied. He crossed his arms and waited for my explanation. “Yes, I realize you sent me a bajallion texts, stalker, but when my lead turned up zilch, I ended up running into Jackson at Tybee Island.”
“Uh-huh,” he said contemptuously.
“I’m sorry, okay? You can hate on me all you want for mixing work with some fun.”
Sherry grinned at me. “Speaking of the beach, I almost wouldn’t recognize you out of your jeans and boots in that society gal get-up.”
I glanced down at my beach cover-up. “Tell me about it. It was a gift from my mom.”
Reaching out, Sherry felt of the fabric. “Oh man, that’s gotta be a big name. You don’t see that at Target.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, um, it’s Prada.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you shitting me? I’ve never seen any up close.”
“You can totally try it on.” I patted the bag on my shoulder. “Thankfully, I’ve got my real clothes in here.”
Sherry chuckled. “Honey, you got a nice sized chest, but I don’t think there’s any way I’d squeeze these big guns into that.”
Wyatt groaned. “Jesus, Mom, could we not talk about boobs?”
Sweeping her hands to her hips, she countered, “Oh, suddenly you don’t want to hear about them, huh? Like you and your buddies don’t talk about them constantly, not to mention the fact I’ve come across a ton of Playboys in your room!”
Wyatt clenched his jaw. “Okay, that’s it. I’m going to Starbucks to get coffee,” he growled before storming out the office.
“I’m surprised he even cared. I mean, he’s usually all cocky and self-assured.”
“Oh honey, you sure don’t know boys, do you? That’s all just part of his tough guy act. Trust me. Deep down he’s really insecure…especially with the girls.”
I couldn’t hold back my laughter. “You’re kidding me, right? Mr. Egomaniac being insecure? Nope, I don’t think so.”
“Maybe it’s more that he’s insecure with a certain type of girl—one that he thinks is out of his league,” she replied, giving me knowing look.
“Um, okay, then,” I replied, as I started for the bathroom. There was something about her words that made me uncomfortable. Once I discarded my labels for my regular jeans and button-down shirt, I felt way more like myself.
Sherry and I were discussing the plans for her and Raye’s wedding when Wyatt came back. He didn’t look at either one of us before plopping down in the chair beside me. Sherry glanced at me before saying, “Wy, I was just telling Jules about how you’re going to be Raye’s best man at the wedding.”
He acknowledged the comment with a grunt. We were interrupted by my phone ringing. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered it anyway in case it was Dad or the boys on another line.
“Hey, Jules, it’s Jackson.”
I almost dropped the phone. When I finally found my voice, I stammered, “Oh, um, hey.”
“Hope you don’t mind, but Vivian gave me your number.”
Yeah, I’m sure she was more than happy to give it to him. “Of course, it’s fine.”
“Listen, I was just thinking after you left that with Bryn gone and you not knowing a lot of people in town, maybe we could get together tonight. You know, just to hang out.”
Oh holy hell. He wanted to hang out...with me! That had to be good, right? “Yeah, I’d like that. I mean, if you’re sure you really want to. It’s totally cool if you don’t. But I really would like to. Another night at home with Aunt Viv and Mom, and I just might go crazy.” In my mind, I was screaming, “Stop rambling you incoherent idiot!”
Jackson laughed. “Yeah, I want to. How about I pick you up around six? We can grab a bite to eat down on River Street or something.”
Before I could say yes, Bryn’s face flashed in my mind. Yes, she was a heinous bitch, but was I really okay with sneaking around behind her back? Wasn’t that as good as cheating? And wouldn’t that put me in the same league as my mom? “Are you sure Bryn wouldn’t mind?”
“Oh yeah, she said she didn’t care if I went out with you.”
“Really? Um, okay, then. Six it is.”
When I hung up, both Wyatt and Sherry were staring expectantly at me. “That was Jackson.”
“Again? Weren’t you just with him?” Wyatt asked.
I nodded. “He wants to hang out tonight.”
“Interesting,” Wyatt replied.
“Wait, I thought he was dating your cousin?” Sherry asked.
“Yeah, he is. But she doesn’t care, which is kinda strange since we hate each other.”
“Duh, she doesn’t care because she doesn’t see you as a threat,” Wyatt said.
“Excuse me?”
“Think about it. If she honestly thought you were someone that could lure Jackson away, she wouldn’t have agreed.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks as the revelation washed over me. “Oh. My. God. You’re right. How could I not see that? I’m a total dumbass!” Bringing my hand to my forehead, I eased down into one of the crappy plastic chairs in front of the desk. Mortification and anger rocketed through me, and I seriously felt dizzy.
Sherry shot Wyatt a pissed look. “Couldn’t you have found a better way to say that? I mean, it’s not like Jules is a Quasimodo in the belfry or something! She’s a beautiful girl.”
He grimaced. “I’m sorry, but I wanted her to see the bigger picture.” He nudged my foot with his. “I’m sorry for being harsh, Jules.”
“It’s okay. It’s not your fault that she looks like Angelina Jolie. It’s fucking genetics,” I murmured.
Kneeling down beside me, Sherry jerked my chin up. “Jules, she has every right to be threatened by you.”
“Look, I think you guys aren’t seeing the total picture here. It’s not just about the fact that Bryn is hot.” When I shot him a death glare, Wyatt threw up his hands and said, “Sorry, I’m an ass, okay?”
“Whatever.”
He leaned back against the desk. “Like I was saying, it’s about more than just looks. They’ve been together a year, right?”
I bobbed my head.
“So, she’s got all that time invested in him. And oh man, the baggage with his dad the felon and her parents’ divorce. She’s got her hooks in him for sure.”
Sherry smiled. “See, it’s not about you. It’s about them.”
“Maybe,” I murmured.
Wyatt ran his hands through his out of control hair. “I hate to say it, but she’s probably got other talents that keep him coming back for more.” At my blank expression, he waggled his eyebrows. “You know, bedroom talents.”
“Ew, ew, ew!” I cried and covered my eyes. I didn’t want to ever think of Bryn and Jackson getting jiggy.
I snatched my hands away at the sound of a smack. Wyatt was rubbing the back of his head. “Damn, Mom! Lighten up!”
“Don’t say things like that around Jules.”
Wyatt made a time-out sign with his hands. “The fact is you just gotta put your game face on and become a major threat.”
“And just how am I supposed to do that?”
“You’ve been one of the guys for too long—you know, jeans, ponytails, and boots. You gotta maximize your assets.”
“Huh?”
He shook his head slowly. “Jeez, you really are clueless about how sexy you could be, aren’t you?”
“Obviously if I have to resort to you schooling me,” I countered.
“Always the smartass,” he grumbled.
I sighed. “Okay, then, what should I do?”
He made a pained face. “First, I hate to mention boobs again, but you gotta show some major cleavage tonight.”
I glanced down at my chest. “For real?"
He nodded. "Totally. They've got this magnetic pull for guys." As if to illustrate his point, his gaze honed in on my chest.
"Fine, I'll show off the girls.” Seriously, it was beginning to look like taking down a felon was easier than being a girl.
He reached over, and I jumped when his fingers clasped my hairclip. I smacked his arm. “What are you doing?”
Ignoring me, he unfastened it, sending my hair tumbling over my shoulders and down my back. “Long hair is super sexy, so wear yours down tonight. And do that girly toss thing or run your fingers through it.”
“You are seriously advocating that I act like a bimbo?”
Wyatt shrugged. “You can take it or leave it, Julesy.”
It didn’t sound like I had much of a choice. Getting Jackson’s attention away from Bryn was serious business, so I had to pull out all the stops. Even if they went against my usual behavior.
Appearing to be mentally checking off a list, he said, “You also need to smell really good—”
I gasped. “Are you trying to say I don’t shower enough?”
Wyatt rolled his eyes to the ceiling and appeared to take a few breaths. “No, that’s not what I meant. Before you went all paranoid, I was gonna say you needed to wear some sweet smelling lotion like vanilla—something really girly.”
Great, what was he trying to say? That I needed to hide my usual heinous odor if I had any chance with Jackson? “Don’t I usually smell good?”
Leaning over, Wyatt inhaled of my neck and then my hair. His warm breath sent tingly feelings up and down my body. “I’d say you smell pretty amazing—but a little more can’t hurt.”
“Oh,” I murmured, as I tried to ignore how close he was and how good
he smelled. I mean, I was supposed to be focusing on Jackson, right?
“Good.”
“Anything else?”
When he glanced past me to Raye’s office, his eyes lit up. “Man, why didn’t I think of that before?” He barreled down the hallway and blew through the open door. I trailed behind him, wondering what torture device might await me. Wyatt snatched something off the table in the far corner and spun around toward me. “You should totally approach this date like a true fugitive hunt—wired and with an earpiece!”
“Are you insane?” I demanded.
“Oh come on, you do it all the time when you’re out with your dad and the boys, right?” When I nodded, he continued, “So, it wouldn’t be something you’re not used to. Then I could listen in and tell you the right things to say and do.”
“Have you lost your mind? Not just no, but hell no! I don’t want you in my ear all evening reminding me what an epic screw-up I am with guys!”
Raye cleared his throat. I whirled around to see him and Sherry in the doorway. “It’s actually not a bad idea, Jules.”
“Not you too?”
“It actually could help in more ways than one. If you’re all nervous about saying the right things in front of Jackson, then your bounty hunting skills are going to be pushed to the side. You could really hit it out of the park if all the circuits were working at a hundred percent.”
“Jeez, with the baseball analogy.”
Wyatt teasingly waved the earpiece in front of me. “Come on, Julesy, you know you want to catch Emmett Marshall. But more than anything, you want to take Jackson away from Bryn.”
I scowled at him. “Yes, I most definitely want to catch Emmett, and it’s not necessarily all about Bryn on the second part.”
Wyatt cocked his head at me. “Oh really?”
“Jackson is….” I suddenly clammed up with everyone’s eyes on me. “Yeah, he’s rich and good-looking, but now that I’ve gotten to know him, he’s actually a nice and decent guy. He deserves somebody better than Bryn.”
A funny look flickered on Wyatt’s face before he quickly grinned. “Aw, Julesy, has a crush!”
“I do not!” I huffed.
He leaned in closer, totally invading my personal space. “Ooh, you’re totally hot for him. You probably think about him night and day, and what it would be like to—”
