CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Ben
“Rick, come on. Tell me something. What is going on with her?” I closed the door of the Sand Dollar behind me and turned the AC to low. Today was a scorcher.
“Rebecca’s determined. She says she’s in love.”
“What in the hell? We weren’t even together that long.” I ran my hands through my hair.
“I talked to her for a few minutes yesterday. She swears the article is her way of getting you back. She really wants you to work things out.” He paused. “It sounds legit, Ben.”
I slid into the vinyl booth with a cup of coffee. “It can’t be. I was there. I was in the relationship. We never once said we loved each other. This is so full of bullshit. She has an angle. I know she does.”
“You can’t tell anyone that. Rebecca is sweet and beautiful. She’s really playing up the girl-in-love card. And it’s working. She’s had one interview after another.” Rick breathed hard into the phone. “Have you thought about doing a counter interview? You should put your side of the story out there.”
“Hell no.” The coffee burned the tip of my tongue. “I’m not responding. No statements, no interviews, no spin. Do you hear me, Rick? I just want to know what she’s up to. I’m not turning this into a bigger media circus.”
I didn’t know about the other interviews Rebecca had granted, although it wasn’t surprising. She loved the attention. I remembered how she never turned down a fan request for an autograph or a picture. She was in her natural state when a camera was present.
“I’ll keep making some calls,” he announced.
“Thanks, Rick.”
“Sure thing. I’ll get back to you as soon as I find out.”
“All right.” I attempted another sip of the coffee.
“But if you change your mind, just say the word, boss, and I’ll have Entertainment Now, the Gossip Channel, anyone you want ready to air your side of the story. We can work this in your favor. I know it.”
“There is no my side of the story. Just find out how to end this shit.” The longer this carried on, the more sympathy Becs was stockpiling.
“Got it. Hey, how is it, where you are?” Rick hadn’t asked my whereabouts in the last few phone calls.
I realized that he wanted that one piece of information above everything else. “It’s beautiful, man. I’ll catch you later.”
I didn’t give him another chance to pester me. I ended the call and placed the phone on the table.
I had worked five straight days at the store, and now I had two off in a row. It felt strange to sit in the camper with nothing to do. The waves were breaking hard and the wind was blowing.
I stepped out onto my sandy patch of yard and took in the scene. I had to shield my eyes from the sun. Man, it was bright and hot even with the breeze.
“Hey, stranger.” I heard Alice before I saw her.
“Hey, Alice.” I smiled and raised my coffee cup to her.
The pink bikini wasn’t as wild as some I had seen her in.
“You’ve been a busy guy this week, haven’t you?” Her arms were loaded with a beach chair, bag, and towel.
“Yeah, I took a job at the general store in town. This is my first day off.” I took a sip of the coffee and peered at the surfers taking the waves head on.
“Day off? I bet you could use some sun. Some time on the beach, huh?” She ran her tongue over her red lipstick.
One of the surfers took a nosedive in the center of a wave. I watched him pop back up with a smile on his face. “Actually, I’m going to do some surfing today.”
“Surfing?” She sounded shocked. “Oh, I bet you look all hard and chiseled in a wet suit.”
I swallowed the coffee and fought the urge to laugh. It was all so comical how blatantly she threw herself at me. “I don’t know about that, but I thought I’d give it a try. It’s been awhile.”
I wasn’t going to tell her the last time I surfed was for my role as a spy who arrived on an island by surfboard. I would keep that tidbit to myself.
“You have a good time, and if you come down to this part of the beach I’ll wave.”
“All right, Alice. Thanks.” I watched her sashay toward the row of sunbathers camped out on the beach for the day.
Sure, it was a spur of the moment excuse, but I was pretty stoked that I had come up with it. It was the perfect day to hit the waves.
***
“Welcome to Wave On, how can we help you?” The girl behind the counter couldn’t be more than sixteen. Exactly the demographic I needed to stay away from.
I was feeling more comfortable about my residence on Brees Island. But after Rebecca’s article two days ago, some of that contentment I had built as Jake the writer was gone.
I pulled my hat over my eyes and focused on my feet. “I wanted to get a refresher on surfing. I’ve done it before, but it’s been a few years. Is there someone who could give me a quick rundown on the breaks and waves, and then I’ll take it from there?”
She was staring, definitely staring long and hard. I was going to be pissed at myself if I blew everything because a fifteen-year-old identified me.
“That sounds like something we could totally do. You should go out with Derek. I think he’s free. He knows like everything.” She turned and opened a door behind her. “Derek!”
“Yep. I’m here. What’s up?” I recognized Derek as the clerk from Davis General Store. The clerk who had created a job opening for me.
“This guy needs a lesson or like kind of a lesson. Like maybe you could just take him out.” She started re-braiding her hair. I was no longer worried she knew who I was. She might be the one teenager who couldn’t pick out One Direction from a lineup.
“Hey, I’m Derek.” He stood by the counter.
“Jake.” I shook his hand. “We kind of met at Davis. You used to work there?”
“Five years I did. But this is a better situation.” He wiped dark bangs off his forehead. “Surfing is better than stocking shelves and sweeping floors.”
“All right.” I didn’t need all the background. I was just making conversation. “Do you think you could take me out? I’ve surfed before, but I’m rusty. It was a few years ago. Just fill me in on the best spots. I’ll be good from there.”
“Oh yeah, man. Let’s go.” Derek led me over to the rack of surfboards. “Pick out your board and meet me on the beach.” He turned and walked behind the teenage girl.
There wasn’t much to choose from. I reached for a white board, tucked it under my arm, and exited through the same door Derek used.
I remembered my first time surfing on the set of Spy Cross. I had approached the board like all other tasks—something I could tackle with athleticism. I didn’t know it would be such a humbling experience. It took me almost a week before I could stand on the board, and then another few days before I felt confident enough for the director to start shooting scenes with me upright. They almost called in a stunt double, but I was determined to find my balance on the waves. I didn’t need a double. Most of the scenes were shot as close-ups, but I was still proud I had learned to surf so quickly.
“You ready?” Derek greeted me by the surf.
I felt the waves lap around my ankles. “Yeah, let’s do it.” I gripped the board and waited for him to give me the rundown on Carolina waves.
***
It was almost sunset. I sat in the sand watching the waves wash through the pilings of the pier. The surfing didn’t come back to me as quickly as I wanted. I had spent the entire day wrestling with the board and the waves, but it felt good. My head was clear.
My lungs surged with the salt air, and my muscles ached with exhaustion. It was a damn near perfect day.