Strangely Normal by Tess Oliver Page A

“You two are like a friggin’ Vaudeville act.”
    The pool area was deserted which made my towel removal much less daunting. We stretched out on the lounges and buttered up with a fruity smelling suntan oil.
    I smoothed the lotion over my shoulders. “I don’t usually burn, but since I don’t have any color yet and since I have just about every inch of my skin exposed, I better not stay out too long.”
    Finley was so busy adjusting the straps on her bikini top, she hadn’t heard me. She moved them up and down and then up and down again. She grunted in frustration. “I knew I shouldn’t have worn this suit. The straps are going to annoy me.” She shook herself like a dog throwing off water. “There, I’m just going ignore the straps and relax.” She looked anything but relaxed. Her phone buzzed which took her mind temporarily off the straps. She looked at it, smiled, and texted something back. “That was Max. He was checking to see if I was going to show at the party tonight.”
    “Definitely a good sign.”
    Finley leaned back and closed her eyes. “Now I’m going to need that paper bag.”
    “How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”
    “About three months and six days.”
    I couldn’t hold back a smile. “ About three months and six days?”
    “Well, I’m not exactly sure about the hours.”
    I leaned back and closed my eyes as well. The June midday sun in California was already intense, but it felt good on my bare skin. In the distance, a door opened and shut. I’d only heard the door to the pool house a few times, but I already recognized its distinctive sound. Finley and I both lifted our heads and shaded our eyes as we looked toward it.
    Jude plopped down in his usual chair.
    “Let me guess,” Finley called across the pool area, “the model is getting ready.”
    “Nope,” Jude replied without further elaboration.
    “Then you needed a smoke.” Finley turned toward me. “Dad doesn’t let anyone smoke in the house or pool house.”
    “Nope,” Jude answered. “Just came out here to watch.”
    Finley leaned her head back and dropped her hand. “I suppose I should have started with that.”
    I leaned back too. “You’ve got to give him points for honesty.”
    We lay there greased and primed for the UV rays, but Finley’s straps were still causing her angst. And knowing Jude was across the way watching us sun wasn’t helping my nerves either.
    Apparently, the vantage point of the pool house was subpar, and Jude strolled across the path and pulled up a chair near the lounges. I was now acutely aware of the ridiculous lack of coverage provided by my new suit.
    Finley grunted in frustration. “It’s no good. I have to change my suit. Whoever designed this suit should be burned at the stake while being drawn and quartered.” She pushed off of the lounge and stomped back toward the house. “I’ll be right back after I change and push this suit through the shredder.”
    Jude watched her march off and then looked at me with a told you so type of look.
    “So she doesn’t like the straps on her suit.” I waved it off. “That happens all the time.”
    “Right. So you talked her into walking past the hedge yesterday,” he said.
    “Sure did. And she was really excited about that little accomplishment.”
    “I’ll bet.”
    “You really are a pessimist, aren’t you?”
    He held his arms out to the side. “What? All I said was, I’ll bet. I think it’s great.”
    “But?”
    “But, what,” he said. “I didn’t say but, you said it.”
    “You were going to say it. I could see your top lip begin to curl in to form the letter B.”
    Half of his mouth kicked up in a smile. “You’re kind of nuts, do you know that?”
    I leaned back with a harrumph. “You think everyone is nuts. Maybe you’re the one who needs to have his head checked.”
    “No argument here.” He propped his bare feet, complete with ankle monitor, on the edge of my lounge. “So I’ve heard you and