Beach Rental by Grace Greene

you.”
    “That’s harsh, Jules. You sure this is how you want it? These people aren’t your friends.”
    Frankie wasn’t visiting because they were buddies. Frankie was fishing to see what he might catch. Juli took the next logical step on the rude road, “You and I are neighbors who do favors for each other once in a while. No more than that. If you want to discuss it, we can talk when I come back to the apartment.”
    She moved closer to him. “Am I wrong? If you were here because you’re worried about me, then it might be different, but that’s not it, not at all. You think I have some kind of scam going on here and you want a piece of it. You couldn’t be more wrong, Frankie. Plain wrong. Go away and let me help my friend.”
    “Sure.” He tugged at his shirt and swaggered a few steps. “Whatever you say.” He stopped and turned back. “Might be a time where you need me as a friend again.” He spit on the sand. “I wasn’t alone in that coatroom, Jules. You were there, too. Remember that.”
    Frankie sauntered up the beach away from Juli and the Glory . Had he come from up the beach?
    He wouldn’t have gone to the house first. He wouldn’t risk messing up whatever dishonest game he thought she was perpetrating—not as long as he had a ghost of a hope of profiting, too. A few houses further up, he turned right and used someone else’s crossover to leave the beach.
    Uneasy in her heart, she turned toward the house. Luke stood on the porch, looking her way.
    What was he doing here? Had Ben gotten sick? Had he called Luke because she wasn’t there to help him? Juli ran the length of the crossover. “What’s up? Is he sick?”
    Luke was icy. “Ben left some medication over at the house last night. I brought it by. Was that the man from the party? The one you were with inside the coatroom?”
    “Coatroom. What’s the deal with the coatroom? I was there long enough to get my backpack. That’s it. End of story. Is Ben up?”
    She didn’t wait for his answer, but brushed past on her way to the door. He grabbed her arm and stopped her dead.
    He spoke in a low voice, “Don’t bring him around here. Tell your boyfriend to stay away. You owe Ben that. If you think I don’t mean it, test me. I’ll give you up to the police in a heartbeat and you can explain it to them. Ben will be disappointed, but I’ll do it if I have to.”
    He was holding her arm and his face was in her face. The anger in her body surged into the arm not being held and perhaps some of the hurt from the evening before was still simmering. She swung with all her might. Her open palm hit his face with as much force as she could put into it. He released her like a hot potato, shock on his fine, high cheekbones, one of which was now bright red.
    “Don’t talk to me like that, don’t threaten me and never manhandle me.” Juli’s voice shook. “I suppose I should thank you for a lovely dinner yesterday. Consider yourself thanked.” She pushed him aside as she swept past and into the house.
    No one was in the living room. “Ben?” She saw the prescription bottle on the counter and picked it up. It was pain medication. “Ben?” She was halfway up the stairs before he answered.
    “I’m up here.” He descended to the landing. “What’s up?”
    Sweet relief. “Luke brought your medication. You left it at his house.”
    “I know. He was up here. Is he still around?”
    “I think he’s gone now.” He’d better be gone.
    “Do you mind if we have a quiet day? Just stay in?”
    “Good idea. It looks a little rainy, anyway.”
    Juli cooked breakfast and was pleasantly surprised at her growing skill. Ben said he wasn’t hungry, yet again, but after a few listless bites, he ate. First, she thought, he ate to please her and then because he enjoyed the food.
    Ben settled at the table by the front window with his cup of coffee. Jigsaw puzzle pieces were scattered across the tabletop. He picked them up, piece by piece, but did