CHAPTER 17

Seagulls wheeled onair currents in the cloudless blue sky overhead, and warm sunshine glittered on the white-capped cerulean waves as the three of them approached the game.

“Yay! You guys made it!” Ani cried out. “Cassie, you join my side. It’s girls against the guys! Let’s let Cassie serve,” she added with a wide grin.

Cassie left Angel in the care of a group of kids watching the game from the sidelines. She tossed her bathing suit cover-up to the side and took her position. Digging her feet into the warm sand, she jumped up to deliver a powerful overarm serve, zipping the ball across the net.

Wade was clearly distracted by Cassie in her lavender bikini, and he hesitated a second too long. The ball spit up sand at his feet as it hit the ground.

While Cassie and her teammates laughed and high-fived, Hugo smacked Wade on the side of the head, “C’mon, man! Focus!”

Wade shook his head. Game on!

The ball rallied back and forth as both teams dove, jumped, and spiked the ball over the net. As the game progressed, Wade found that he and Cassie were evenly matched.

Cassie spiked the brightly colored ball, sending it into an unstoppable downward trajectory in an undefended spot. But suddenly, Wade was there, popping it up for a teammate to send over. Later, he dinked the ball softly over the net, but Cassie raced forward from her middle position to successfully bounce it into the air and another player grounded it on the other side.

“Out of bounds!” Wade called when one of Cassie’s formidable serves caused the ball to dance across the boundary line.

“Foul!” she called back when one of Wade’s balls skimmed the net.

Hugo had everyone on both teams laughing at his creative antics. Even though he carried that bit of extra girth, he was as agile and quick as a man half his age. At times, he goofed around by heading the ball, or he’d turn his back to the net and hit it backward over his head. At one point, he fell onto his backside and leaned back in time to pop the ball up over the net with both his feet. “Soccer!” he said as he jumped back up, and everyone doubled up with laughter.

They played the best of three sets, and the girls were declared the winners. By the end of the third game, a breathless Hugo declared himself done. “Besides, I’m starved.”

Everyone headed back to the picnic area and dove into the food, gathering onto blankets and around picnic tables to eat. Wade’s contribution was ooohed and aaaahed over by the teens.

Afterward, Wade watched as everyone broke off into smaller groups and wandered off to lounge on the beach, swim, or play frisbee among the waves. Hugo and Ani sat together at a picnic table, deep in conversation.

Wade noticed Cassie pour water into someone’s leftover plastic container for Angel, who lapped it up greedily. Then she spread out her blanket on the sand near the dog and stretched out. She leaned back on her elbows and closed her eyes, face tipped toward the sun.

He stood there a moment, just looking at her, and he felt his heart race as he watched her bask in the sunlight. He admired the soft, gentle curves of her body and noticed how her fair skin was already turning rosy gold from their day in the sun. As frustrating as she could be at times, he couldn”t help but feel a pull toward her, drawn to her beauty and her bold confidence. He thought back to that moment in the hallway, when he’d almost kissed her, and wondered if her feelings toward him were changing as his were.

Without thinking, Wade made his way toward Cassie, his heart pounding in his chest. “May I join you?”

She blinked her eyes open in surprise.

“I...uh, forgot to bring a towel,” he said.

“How do you come to the beach without a towel?” she said.

“Somehow I forgot to put it on my checklist,” he said, holding up his phone.

“You made a checklist on your phone?” She dropped her sunglasses and eyed him over the top of the rims. “What am I saying? Of course you did.”

“It’s the only way details don’t fall through the cracks!”

“But you still forgot your towel,” she pointed out.

“Yeah, well...” He trailed off, unwilling to admit that he’d known in advance that she’d be at the beach party. The thought of spending time with her today had distracted him, affecting his normal fastidious level of preparation.

She scooted over to make room for him, and he sat down on the blanket next to her. Angel immediately left her water dish to come over and sniff him. Wade sat stiffly under her scrutiny. “At least she’s not growling at me this time,” he observed.

“Yeah, maybe she’s starting to like you a little,” Cassie suggested, removing her sunglasses. “Either that, or she’s figured out that you might be a good source of gourmet dog treats.”

“Funny.”

Satisfied that Wade posed no threat, Angel lay down at the top center of the blanket, her small doggie eyes moving back and forth between them.

“That was a good game,” he said. “You’re a talented athlete.” She’d already lain back down with her eyes closed. He took the moment once again to admire her long, shapely legs and the very visible curves that rose above and below her slender waist.

“I know,” she responded. Then she popped one eye open and grinned at him. “I guess if I’m being honest, you’re not so bad yourself, Riley.”

He flopped onto his stomach and angled his head to face her. “Wow, I hope you didn’t break anything giving me a compliment like that. I’d say you had a much easier time dishing out the smack talk during the game.”

“It’s my gift,” she teased, a twinkle in her green eyes. Then she gave a little shrug. “I’m very competitive.”

“I’ve noticed.”

They were quiet for a while, surrounded by the rhythm of the waves and the sounds of laughing teens and music playing.

Then he said, “You know, Hugo and I went to see Olga yesterday afternoon. We wanted to give her an update and ask her some questions about Brett, whether she or Zack noticed anything unusual about his behavior when he comes for packages. Turned out she’d already been updated by you.” He’d kept his gaze straight ahead, but out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her turn to look at him.

There were another few moments of silence. Then she said softly, “Sorry.”

For some reason, he wasn’t sure why, this time he wasn’t angry at her for breaking protocol. “It’s all right,” he sighed. “I think I’ve given up trying to stop you from helping with this case.”

“Good,” she sat up. “Because it would be pointless anyway.” She dusted sand off her hands. “Can we forget about Olga for a while, though?”

“Sure,” he said.

“Wanna go for a ride?”

“Huh?”

She gave Angel over to the care of Ani and moments later, he found himself standing beside Cassie as she rented a Jet Ski from the small beachside rental shack. They snapped on their life jackets and followed the worker to a bright yellow and blue Jet Ski.

Wade started to climb into the driver’s seat and she laid a light hand on his shoulder. The soft touch sent fiery sparks shooting over his skin where her fingertips brushed him. “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, one copper brow lifted.

“I was gonna—”

“I don’t think so,” she said, and pressed him gently back before settling herself into the driver’s position.

“Maybe I’ll just get my own,” he started to say.

“Oh c’mon, ride with me. It’ll be fun!” She waited while he climbed on behind her. Then she punched the throttle and he barely had time to wrap his arms around her waist before they rocketed off over the waves.

Wade did not like the fact that he was not in control. She rode fast. Faster than he felt comfortable. He leaned left and then right as they turned, skimmed, and bounced over the water’s surface while she laughed out loud.

“Hang on!” she shouted over the roar of the wind. They headed straight toward a ski boat flying across the lake. He was about to object when she veered off and started crisscrossing back and forth, jumping over its wake. All he could do was try to calm his breathing and hold on for dear life.

Then with another rush of adrenaline, they were back to flying over the crests of waves at more than seventy miles per hour.

Finally, she slowed down to what he considered a more reasonable pace and he felt his heart rate begin to beat normally again as they glided toward the shore. She cut the throttle, then the engine, as they coasted gently to the drop-off point.

The moment she hit sand, Wade hopped off, and she followed him.

“Are you okay?” she said, handing her life jacket to the attendant. “You look pale?”

In truth, he felt a little seasick. But no way was he going to admit that to her. “I’m fine,” he said. “So, do you always ride like that?”

“Like what?” she looked confused.

“Like a demon possessed!” he said.

“Oh puh-leeeze!” she said with a laugh and toss of her head. “That was nothing.”

“Nothing!” he said. In a sudden move, he picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and began wading back into the water.

“What are you doing?” she shouted. “Put me down!”

“You want me to put you down?” he said, striding deeper into the waves.

“Yes!”

Splash!

He’d switched his hold on her to cradle her against his chest for a second before tossing her high in the air and letting her fall backside first into the water. She came up sputtering, wet strands of her dark red hair plastered over her face. She parted it to peer at him with a look of pure astonishment. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Well, I can’t believe you drive Jet Skis like that. Fair’s fair.” As he spoke the last words, she dove beneath the waves. He felt her hands grip his ankles, yanking his feet out from under him. Water went up his nose and he came up snorting.

She was laughing until she saw the look in his eyes. Then she was off, paddling hard to get away from him. But he caught up to her in a few powerful strokes, grabbing her around the waist.

Now, she was laughing again and so was he. She fought to get away, but he held her firmly around the middle until she finally gave up and went limp in his arms. He turned her to face him, and their laughter died as they looked at each other, bobbing gently up and down with the waves, now chest-deep in the water. Heat welled up deep inside Wade, as he felt once again that magnetic pull toward her. He had an overwhelming desire to wrap his arms around her, pull her close so that he could feel her body pressed against his. Just at that moment, he wanted more than anything to kiss those invitingly full lips.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a frisbee flying straight toward their heads and automatically reached up his hand to snatch it out of the air.

“Hey, can you toss it back, Wade!” Patricio called from the shore.

Wade tossed it back then turned to face her again, feeling suddenly shy but determined. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

“Okay...” she said, watching him with an unreadable expression.

“Would you like to go out to dinner with me?”