absent sideways glance I doubt fooled him for a moment.
“I didn’t lead her on. You know that, right?”
I bit the inside of my cheek and nodded. “Yes. I know.”
“Good. I don’t go out of my way to advertise, but it’s not in an effort to avoid being honest.”
“I believe you.” I held up my hand. “She’s obviously infatuated with you, and Mack, of course. But definitely you. I agreed to this beach journey so I could give you a piece of my mind. Liz isn’t just my employee, Jake. She’s a friend too. I didn’t want her to get hurt by lies of omission or—”
“I didn’t lie.”
“I’m not accusing you of anything. She figured it out anyway.”
“Oh. How?” His tone was nonchalant but I sensed a steely element underneath the calm.
“I think she clued in when you didn’t jump at her offer to accompany you on this fucking grand adventure to a pile of sand. And by the way, what is wrong with Santa Monica Beach? It’s closer. Why on earth are we—”
“Shh. You’ll see when we get there.”
“Are we almost there?”
“Yes, princess.”
“You know, I get the impression you think I’m a skinny, limp-wristed homo, Jake. Please tell me I’m wrong. I don’t want to have to dust off my black belt and kick your ass.” I kept my tone light as I singsonged my threat.
Jake chuckled softly.
“And this is funny… how?” I scowled.
We’d finally pulled off the freeway and were stopped at a red light. Jake shifted in his seat and stared at me with an intensity I couldn’t read.
“Bran, I know you’re strong. Very strong. You don’t have to kick my ass to prove it to me.”
Oh.
I sucked in my bottom lip, feeling a bit overwhelmed. I knew he wasn’t referring to the size of my muscles. I was strong within. I knew it and plenty of my friends did also. There was something about hearing Jake Westley, someone significant from my past, utter those words. It made my pulse hum excitedly. I couldn’t have begun to decipher why, so I changed the topic to something mundane, like the weather. We reached our destination before I bored us to tears with speculation on the unlikely probability of springtime rain in LA.
The parking lot was located across the street from the beach and was practically deserted. I glanced at my watch. It was almost 7:00 p.m. No wonder. Late May meant there was still plenty of daylight but most sane people were home eating dinner now, not frolicking at the beach.
The incessant whimpering from the passenger in the backseat reminded me we were here for Mack. And Mack was really excited. He whined loudly and threw in an occasional bark when Jake parked and turned off the engine. When we unfastened our seatbelts, he was pacing from one end of the confined space to the other as if looking feverishly for a means of escape.
“Someone’s happy to be here,” I noted, reaching back to pet Mack, who began barking like a madman. The sharp sound reverberated inside the SUV and in my head. Suddenly I was anxious to be outside too.
“Cool it!” Jake commanded. Mack went quiet and sat patiently waiting for release. “It’s okay, buddy. You’re here. Let’s get your leash and ball. Want to go play?”
Mack barked once and wagged his tail furiously. I laughed at his exuberance as I opened the door and stepped outside. It was a gorgeous evening. The sun was low and cast a soft light over the coast. There was a row of two-story homes on one side of Pacific Coast Highway and a wide expanse of sand and sea on the other. I gazed at the ocean. There were a few clouds dotting the horizon, which would make for a beautiful sunset. I smiled in spite of myself. I hadn’t been interested in joining Jake and Mack in the slightest, but I was glad to be here now.
I stretched my arms over my head and listened to Jake’s calming voice telling Mack we were almost there. The panting dog excitedly brushed against my leg as if to say “Let’s go, Bran!” He let out another round of
“I didn’t lead her on. You know that, right?”
I bit the inside of my cheek and nodded. “Yes. I know.”
“Good. I don’t go out of my way to advertise, but it’s not in an effort to avoid being honest.”
“I believe you.” I held up my hand. “She’s obviously infatuated with you, and Mack, of course. But definitely you. I agreed to this beach journey so I could give you a piece of my mind. Liz isn’t just my employee, Jake. She’s a friend too. I didn’t want her to get hurt by lies of omission or—”
“I didn’t lie.”
“I’m not accusing you of anything. She figured it out anyway.”
“Oh. How?” His tone was nonchalant but I sensed a steely element underneath the calm.
“I think she clued in when you didn’t jump at her offer to accompany you on this fucking grand adventure to a pile of sand. And by the way, what is wrong with Santa Monica Beach? It’s closer. Why on earth are we—”
“Shh. You’ll see when we get there.”
“Are we almost there?”
“Yes, princess.”
“You know, I get the impression you think I’m a skinny, limp-wristed homo, Jake. Please tell me I’m wrong. I don’t want to have to dust off my black belt and kick your ass.” I kept my tone light as I singsonged my threat.
Jake chuckled softly.
“And this is funny… how?” I scowled.
We’d finally pulled off the freeway and were stopped at a red light. Jake shifted in his seat and stared at me with an intensity I couldn’t read.
“Bran, I know you’re strong. Very strong. You don’t have to kick my ass to prove it to me.”
Oh.
I sucked in my bottom lip, feeling a bit overwhelmed. I knew he wasn’t referring to the size of my muscles. I was strong within. I knew it and plenty of my friends did also. There was something about hearing Jake Westley, someone significant from my past, utter those words. It made my pulse hum excitedly. I couldn’t have begun to decipher why, so I changed the topic to something mundane, like the weather. We reached our destination before I bored us to tears with speculation on the unlikely probability of springtime rain in LA.
The parking lot was located across the street from the beach and was practically deserted. I glanced at my watch. It was almost 7:00 p.m. No wonder. Late May meant there was still plenty of daylight but most sane people were home eating dinner now, not frolicking at the beach.
The incessant whimpering from the passenger in the backseat reminded me we were here for Mack. And Mack was really excited. He whined loudly and threw in an occasional bark when Jake parked and turned off the engine. When we unfastened our seatbelts, he was pacing from one end of the confined space to the other as if looking feverishly for a means of escape.
“Someone’s happy to be here,” I noted, reaching back to pet Mack, who began barking like a madman. The sharp sound reverberated inside the SUV and in my head. Suddenly I was anxious to be outside too.
“Cool it!” Jake commanded. Mack went quiet and sat patiently waiting for release. “It’s okay, buddy. You’re here. Let’s get your leash and ball. Want to go play?”
Mack barked once and wagged his tail furiously. I laughed at his exuberance as I opened the door and stepped outside. It was a gorgeous evening. The sun was low and cast a soft light over the coast. There was a row of two-story homes on one side of Pacific Coast Highway and a wide expanse of sand and sea on the other. I gazed at the ocean. There were a few clouds dotting the horizon, which would make for a beautiful sunset. I smiled in spite of myself. I hadn’t been interested in joining Jake and Mack in the slightest, but I was glad to be here now.
I stretched my arms over my head and listened to Jake’s calming voice telling Mack we were almost there. The panting dog excitedly brushed against my leg as if to say “Let’s go, Bran!” He let out another round of
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