I got out of the tanning chair. I should’ve known that I wasn’t going to stay out there. I had gone out long enough to get Jessica to agree with me to go to the beach.

Going into the house and taking the stairs two at a time I knew that if I got her away from the house my father would never know that we even went out together.

I went through my closet and threw on a different pair of shorts. A pair that made me look cool.

Taking the brush off my night stand I looked at myself in the mirror. I brushed my hair back, styled it the best that I could and looked into my own blue eyes. I couldn’t wait until three o’clock. It felt like I was going on my very first date and even though I was confident in myself I felt a little nervous as well.

I paced my bedroom floor; thought about the things I was going to talk to her about, the time was going by slowly. I even looked out my bedroom window to make sure that my father wasn’t going to be home early.

I worried about him being home early. What was I going to say if he saw the two of us in the car together? I mean what could he say? Would he fire her before I could even have a chance to get to know her? I didn’t know but I wasn’t going to chance that.

Finally, three o’clock rolled around and I rushed down the stairs to see that Jessica had a black bikini top on and a pair of cut off shorts. She was ready for the ocean.

“Good, I’m glad that you don’t take your time.” I laughed, jumping off the porch like I was a little kid.

I led her to the white Camaro that I had in the driveway. It was the news fashion. Hitting a button on my car key the doors went up and out inside of having to open them.

“What’d you do, get that for your birthday?” Jessica asked rolling her eyes.

I shook my head, my smile faded from my face and that’s when I realized that she thought I was just a rich kid who always got my way.

“No, I worked for this car.” I told her, giving her a small smile.

I could see that Jessica was taken aback by the answer I had given her, but it was the truth. My father didn’t buy me anything. I had to earn everything.

As soon as we drove off I thought it would be best to come clean to her.

“I’m not like my father. I don’t want you to think that I go around bossing people at work. I don’t even want anything to do with the shoe design business. That’s not what I want at all. My father and I, we fight about what’s good for me and what I want to do.” I explained to her, keeping my eyes on the road.

“Then that’s one big score for you. I thought that you were just like all the other rich kids around here. I have met a few the first few days I came to town and let me tell you, it’s not fun to have someone look down on you.” Jessica pointed a finger at me.

“I’m not like that at all. I don’t have friends that are like that. I’m picky about who I hang out with.” I gave her a smirk as I looked at her from the corner of my eye.

“Good, I think that we’re going to get along just fine.” She giggled.

When she did she made my heart skip a beat. It was a quiet ride, but I could see her sneaking glances at me. Glances that showed me she was interested without coming out and telling me.

“I think you working for my father are really going to help out.” I nodded, pulling onto the sandy road and getting closer to the ocean.

“You don’t worry about the dirt getting in the tires? In the car?” She raised her eyebrows at me.

“Not at all, I don’t have to worry about anything. I can do what I want with this car. I can say that I own this. I worked hard for this.” I commented, finding a parking spot and getting out of the car.

Jessica got out on her end and I locked the car. Just because I didn’t care about a few things didn’t mean I wanted the car stolen.

Without even thinking about it I took her by the hand and led her down to the shore line. By the time I realized what I had done I also realized that she didn’t pull away from me.

I felt a connection beginning to grow. A connection that said that this was going to go deeper than what I ever imagined it would.

“So, where does your mom fit into the picture?” Jessica asked.

She didn’t know it, but she was going to find out that she just hit on a sore subject. Not sore like my mother wasn’t around and just traveling the world, no something even deeper than that.

“She’s dead. She died a few years ago in a car accident.” I muttered, almost letting go of her hand.

I felt Jessica tighten her grip on mine. I watched as she looked at me with sincerity and sadness.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered, biting down on her lip.