they were seated at a table near the outside deck. A fishing boat and a sailboat went past, floating toward deeper gulf waters. "And Mom is going to manage this and the restaurant in Star Cove," he added.
"This is so cool," Wynn said, looking around at the décor. Everything had a beach or nautical theme, with shells, antique fishing equipment and boat oars hanging on the walls. Ashe glanced toward a nearby table, filled with young men staring at Wynn and Dori. Dressed in shorts and T-shirts, they'd likely been on the beach already, leaving it long enough to eat before going back.
Dude, those guys are staring at Dori and Wynn , Ashe sent the mental message to Sali. Sali cut his eyes toward the table before reaching out to rub Dori's back. Wynn, reading over the menu before deciding, seemed oblivious of the stares and subsequent whispers.
"Still planning on taking the GED?" Sali asked, ignoring the nearby table. He and Ashe both heard the whispered conversation between the young men. "They're drunk," Sali said softly, knowing Ashe would hear.
"Yeah. I get that," Ashe agreed softly. He didn't want to hear anyone saying those sorts of things about anyone, especially Dori and Wynn. "I’m studying the manuals I bought," he said in a normal voice. "Winkler says the GED test is three days before school starts in Star Cove. I have to pass it before I can enroll in any online courses at the University of Texas."
"You're going to work for Winkler part-time and take online college courses?" Wynn lifted an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn't heard this before and was understandably curious. Sali had to explain after bringing it up.
"I think so," Ashe said. "And since Chad and Jeremy are staying in Star Cove now, well, I think I'd like to beat them at their own game."
"Those creeps," Wynn sniffed. "I heard Jeremy met a girl at the mall in Corpus."
"Is that why they're staying? True love?" Sali laughed.
"Jeremy wouldn't know love if it bit him on the ass," Dori muttered. Ashe had to stifle a snicker.
"Get what you want, I’ll buy," Ashe said as Wynn and Dori continued to discuss menu items and what they might be able to afford.
"Ooh—shrimp cocktail," Wynn said. She and Dori shared the appetizer while Ashe and Sali split fried cheese sticks. Ashe had grilled shrimp for lunch, Dori and Wynn chose fried shrimp and Sali had the catch of the day—flounder.
"This is so much fun," Wynn sighed after they'd left mostly crumbs and a few bits of food on their plates. "Can we go to the beach now?"
"Maybe for a little while," Ashe agreed. Sali was already nodding. The table of young men had left earlier. Ashe was happy to see them walk out the door—they'd been rude in their comments, wondering aloud if Dori and Wynn were available, in addition to other, less savory remarks. Sali had growled a time or two while they ate; fortunately, Wynn and Dori were chatting at the time so they hadn't paid attention.
Ashe paid the check, leaving a generous tip—the waiter had treated them very well, smiling and joking a little. Ashe noticed he didn't do the same with the other table. Those patrons had been loud and obnoxious, demanding more pitchers of beer and then arguing that they'd been charged incorrectly at the end. Ashe was glad they were gone. "Ride up front with Sali," Ashe told Dori when they reached Sali's car in the parking lot.
Sali pulled his shirt off the moment they reached the public beach, tossing it into the front seat. Without thinking, Ashe did the same. Wynn stared at him after Ashe dropped his T-shirt in the open window.
"Did you get a tattoo?" Wynn stared at Ashe's left arm.
"Uh, I guess," Ashe said uncomfortably.
"Dude, what is that?" Ashe recalled that Sali hadn't seen it either. Sali, Dori and Wynn were scrutinizing the eight gold imprints on his skin. "That is so cool," Sali breathed. "Mom and Dad won't even consider letting me get one."
"This was an accident," Ashe muttered, feeling embarrassed.
"A good one. That's
"This is so cool," Wynn said, looking around at the décor. Everything had a beach or nautical theme, with shells, antique fishing equipment and boat oars hanging on the walls. Ashe glanced toward a nearby table, filled with young men staring at Wynn and Dori. Dressed in shorts and T-shirts, they'd likely been on the beach already, leaving it long enough to eat before going back.
Dude, those guys are staring at Dori and Wynn , Ashe sent the mental message to Sali. Sali cut his eyes toward the table before reaching out to rub Dori's back. Wynn, reading over the menu before deciding, seemed oblivious of the stares and subsequent whispers.
"Still planning on taking the GED?" Sali asked, ignoring the nearby table. He and Ashe both heard the whispered conversation between the young men. "They're drunk," Sali said softly, knowing Ashe would hear.
"Yeah. I get that," Ashe agreed softly. He didn't want to hear anyone saying those sorts of things about anyone, especially Dori and Wynn. "I’m studying the manuals I bought," he said in a normal voice. "Winkler says the GED test is three days before school starts in Star Cove. I have to pass it before I can enroll in any online courses at the University of Texas."
"You're going to work for Winkler part-time and take online college courses?" Wynn lifted an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn't heard this before and was understandably curious. Sali had to explain after bringing it up.
"I think so," Ashe said. "And since Chad and Jeremy are staying in Star Cove now, well, I think I'd like to beat them at their own game."
"Those creeps," Wynn sniffed. "I heard Jeremy met a girl at the mall in Corpus."
"Is that why they're staying? True love?" Sali laughed.
"Jeremy wouldn't know love if it bit him on the ass," Dori muttered. Ashe had to stifle a snicker.
"Get what you want, I’ll buy," Ashe said as Wynn and Dori continued to discuss menu items and what they might be able to afford.
"Ooh—shrimp cocktail," Wynn said. She and Dori shared the appetizer while Ashe and Sali split fried cheese sticks. Ashe had grilled shrimp for lunch, Dori and Wynn chose fried shrimp and Sali had the catch of the day—flounder.
"This is so much fun," Wynn sighed after they'd left mostly crumbs and a few bits of food on their plates. "Can we go to the beach now?"
"Maybe for a little while," Ashe agreed. Sali was already nodding. The table of young men had left earlier. Ashe was happy to see them walk out the door—they'd been rude in their comments, wondering aloud if Dori and Wynn were available, in addition to other, less savory remarks. Sali had growled a time or two while they ate; fortunately, Wynn and Dori were chatting at the time so they hadn't paid attention.
Ashe paid the check, leaving a generous tip—the waiter had treated them very well, smiling and joking a little. Ashe noticed he didn't do the same with the other table. Those patrons had been loud and obnoxious, demanding more pitchers of beer and then arguing that they'd been charged incorrectly at the end. Ashe was glad they were gone. "Ride up front with Sali," Ashe told Dori when they reached Sali's car in the parking lot.
Sali pulled his shirt off the moment they reached the public beach, tossing it into the front seat. Without thinking, Ashe did the same. Wynn stared at him after Ashe dropped his T-shirt in the open window.
"Did you get a tattoo?" Wynn stared at Ashe's left arm.
"Uh, I guess," Ashe said uncomfortably.
"Dude, what is that?" Ashe recalled that Sali hadn't seen it either. Sali, Dori and Wynn were scrutinizing the eight gold imprints on his skin. "That is so cool," Sali breathed. "Mom and Dad won't even consider letting me get one."
"This was an accident," Ashe muttered, feeling embarrassed.
"A good one. That's
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