The Girl in the Striped Bikini

Chapter Twelve

When a hand suddenly appeared on my arm, I jumped and whipped around to meet Frankie’s amused face. “You’re gawking,” she states with a laugh. “I know they’re cute, but you have somewhere to be.”

“Does he come here often?” I asked, and looked back a Brody, who still hadn’t seen me, thankfully.

Frankie looks around with furrowed eye brows. “Who?”

“That guy over there!” I whisper shouted. “The one who hit on me the other day.”

“Oh! Brody, you mean,” she says. “Yeah, he’s usually here for lunch. He hangs around here a lot during the summer.”

“What about the guy he’s with?”

“Will? No, not really. Every once and while, but he’s not a regular,” she says. “But, girly, you better get the led out.” Frankie shoves me towards the entrance and I stumble a bit.

Once I’m at the door I look over my shoulder at Frankie. “Bye, Frank! And thanks.”

“No need to thank me! Just remember; follow your head.”

I grinned, “I thought the saying was, ‘follow your heart’?”

“It is. But the heart doesn’t always know what’s best for you.”

“Wise words, from a wise woman,” I say.

“It comes with age,” she laughs and heads back to the bar.

With that, I turn my gaze to the door in front of me. Just as I was doing so, I made slight eye contact with Brody. So before he could start talking to me, I pushed my way out of the restaurant with narrowed eyes. There was something off about Brody. I don’t know if it was his forwardness or what. But whatever it was, I didn’t like it.

* * *

Ten minutes later, I stood at the front door for Jude’s beach house, waiting for him to answer the door. I remained perfectly still, and let the sound of the ocean float into my ears. I did this a lot to calm myself before I approached stressful situations. But before I could reach a perfectly calm state, Jude yanked the door open, scaring me.

“You scare way too easily, Ken,” he laughs. Jude, as usual, was in his swimming trunks. I swear, if I didn’t know him any better, I would think he lived in those. But, since he’s always at the beach, it’s to be expected from him. I would probably think there’s something wrong with him if he wasn’t wearing them.

I roll my eyes and push myself past him and into his house. “Hello to you too.” I made myself at home on his couch, like I usually did when things were normal between us.

Butterflies immediately erupted in my stomach as I remembered this wasn’t a normal visit. I started fidgeting in my seat and picking at non-existent lint on my shirt nervously. Seconds later, felt Jude’s presence on the couch as the weight of it shifted as he sat down next to me. His hand enveloped my own, and I looked at him. “I’ve missed you,” he said, barely above a whisper.

I could already feel myself caving, but I was trying my best to resist the feeling. So, instead of replying, I stayed silent, and waited for him to continue.

“And I’m so sorry for the way I acted. I know what I did was wrong, and I feel terrible for it. I’ll do whatever you want for things to go back to the way they were… I can’t stand for things to be this way.”

Staring into his eyes, I could tell he was being sincere. But could he keep himself from doing it again?

“Anything?” I said, with a small smile working its way to my face.