Mom and Frank get the crazy idea to rent a beach house in
Massachusetts. And because Frank can work remotely with his
finance job, they don’t rent it for a week like a normal family.
They rent it for the entire summer. And of course, they insist
on dragging me and Eddie down with them. To sit on my butt
all day and to go to garden luncheons.
“Where are the two guys I saw you with?” the guard calls out.
Cameras. Of course there are cameras. The beam of the flashlight cuts from me to scan the yard. Travis’s whole body tenses, and a wash of guilt passes over me. As much as I initially wrote
him off as a rich jock, I actually kind of like the guy. He’s been
cool and willing to play along with my ridiculous little shenanigans. I can’t let him suffer serious, long-lasting consequences.
Meeting Travis’s eyes, I mouth the word “go” and then wave
to the security guard with both arms. “It’s just me, big guy. Me
and my lonesome.”
The flashlight snaps up to me. My pulse races. What I’m
doing, I’m not exactly sure. But the recklessness feels good.
“I thought I saw someone else,” the guard says.
He starts to pull the light away to search the yard. I have to
act quickly. Drawing in a breath, I pull my sundress over my
head and toss it on the patio. For a single, humiliating moment,
the guard’s flashlight illuminates my red bra and underwear for
all the world to see. Travis better be halfway home by now.
The guard’s voice is calm but laden with warning. “Miss…”
“Last one in the water’s a rotten egg!”
Drawing in a breath, I give one good bounce on the diving
board, leap into the air, form the perfect swan position, and
plunge into the water.
Chapter 2
Cassandra
ew things can compare to the humiliation of standing
F
on your doorstep at 2:00 a.m., dripping wet, with a
security guard holding your arm. As he knocks, I’m suddenly
not sure which is worse, facing jail time or Mom’s wrath.
In a rare stroke of luck, it’s Frank who answers. He’s blinking
groggily, his hair mussed from sleep.
“Cass?” he says, frowning with confusion. “What is this?”
The guard releases his grip on my arm, presenting me for the
slaughter. “Your stepdaughter thought it would be a fun idea to
go for a swim in the Andersons’ pool tonight.”
Frank blinks, still trying to wake up, and stares at his watch.
I shift uncomfortably in place.
“It was an accident. I was confused. I was…sleepwalking.”
The guard shoots Frank a grimace, but Frank says nothing.
After an excruciating pause, he sets a hand on the security
guard’s arm.
“Thank you for bringing her back…” He reads the security
guard’s name tag. “Jim. I certainly appreciate it. I can take it
from here.”
The guard grimaces. “I ought to bring her in. We take trespassing very seriously in these parts.”
Frank nods. “As you should. And I can assure you, her mother
and I will not let this go unpunished.”
The guard’s frown deepens. “I don’t know…”
Frank smiles warmly. “Tell you what, Jim. You turn her over
to us, with the promise that she’ll be thoroughly taken to task,
and in the morning, I’ll talk to Mike Anderson about getting
you the weekend off. We can have Braden cover for you.”
My throat tightens. This can either go very well or very,
very bad.
The guard analyzes Frank, silently weighing the pros and
cons of his next move. But then, in seemingly slow motion, he
nods and gives me a little push forward.
“If it happens again. If anything like this happens again, she’s
in for it.”
I could explode from sheer relief.
Frank gives the guard’s arm a friendly squeeze. “Much appreciated, Jim.”
Smiling cheerfully, he escorts me into the house and shuts
the door. The smile drops as he turns to me.
“I can explain,” I rush to say.