Heart Sparks: Tiny Stories of Love | ✓

11 • Beach Vacation

I thanked the server for the champagne glass and set it down beside me. In a horde of strangers, I spotted Gracie in deep conversation with a scuba diver. I reached for my sunglasses in the lounge chair.

A voice interrupted the silence.

"Penguin," the man said. I only caught the end of his sentence.

"What?"

"Your bathing suit makes you look like a penguin," Carter repeated, sitting on the lounger to my left.

"Then you must be a strawberry," I smirked. I looked for Gracie. She was now passing the archway, heading into the bar.

"Any reason for this invasion?" I asked. The rules said the beach area was neutral territory so I could tan in peace and Gracie could flirt. Over the last five days, Carter had obeyed once.

"Okay, okay. Cease fire," he said, as though he could sense my wavering patience. "I only came to tell you that Gracie and I are planning to head into town for dinner. Are you in?"

He took my champagne glass.

"Not likely," I responded.

"What, why?" He asked, after taking a sip out of spite. He hated champagne.

"Not me," I said. "Gracie just went into the bar with some guy. I don't think she'll be going anywhere."

Carter frowned for a moment.

"Just me and you then."

"I'm fine right here," I replied. I bent one of my legs to put on some sunscreen but he took the free spot on the lounge chair as an invitation.

"We only have two days left," Carter said as he sat down, blocking the sun's rays. "Don't you want to leave the hotel?"

"What on Earth for?" I demanded, lowering my glasses on my nose. Carter's eyes softened into a plea but I rolled them right back up.

"What if I make it worth your while?" Carter said.

"I'm still not going anywhere with you."

"You came all the way to Malibu with me," Carter countered. "I'm only talking about a few miles."

"First of all, you're the one who came here with Gracie and me. Second of all, still no." I closed my eyes, waiting for the eclipsed sun to make its return from behind Carter's head.

He had sat in silence for so long, I thought he had given up. I should have known better.

With no forewarning, he scooped me up in his arms. I flailed, trying to keep my hat on.

"Carter, put me down!"

"No can do."

I wanted glare at him but his eyes softened again. His arms around my waist and my thighs tightened, pulling me closer to him. I blinked.

"I'll let you down on one condition," he said, quietly.

"What's that?" I whispered.

"You go on a date with me."

I waited for an explanation but he continued to search my eyes.

"One date?" I asked.

"One," he confirmed.

"Okay, where are we going?"

He let me down slowly, placing his hands to his sides.

"Not here," he replied, "when we get home."

"What? No way. Deal's off."

I took a step back to my seat but Carter's arm wrapped around my torso, pulling me back in front of him.

"Ally," Carter said and switched his tactic. "Remember that day I was out of the hotel?"

"How could I forget? It was the best day of this vacation."

He ignored my jab.

"I was hoping to take you someplace here as a surprise," he finished.

"I thought you wanted the date to be at home?" I asked, confused.

"This isn't a date. Just something I wanted to show you," he swung his hands back and forth at his sides. "So, will you go?"

I sunk my feet into the warm sand, looking out at the water. It couldn't hurt to go exploring. Admittedly, I could have been nicer to Carter instead of asking him to leave at every opportunity. The guilt settled in and I sighed.

"Let me get changed," I said.

"Take as long as you need," he replied. "I booked the car for 5."

"Okay," I said. "See you then."

He nodded his head, keeping his mouth closed, and walked away.

When we met in the evening. He didn't give any clues as to where we were going or why. The drive was short so I didn't press. We stopped in front of a small but bright bungalow with pearl white gates. He reached for the hatch.

"What are you doing?" I hissed. "We're trespassing."

He ignored me and swept his hand through the air, inviting me inside. He rapped on the door twice and an older lady came to answer, a wide smile on her face.

"Carter, come in," she said and embraced me. "You must be Allison. I'm Lucinda."

I stared at the house and at Carter, confused. Then gave a timid smile to the woman when she pulled back and ushered us inside.

We passed family photos on the wall, until I stopped across a familiar boy with a wide gap between his teeth and sandy brown hair. The boy I'd first met around the same age, in fourth grade.

Carter stopped close behind me, at my ear.

"You found me," he said. I turned to face him and he lifted his eyes to the photo.

"You lived here," I said, putting the pieces together. I had always assumed his family had moved from another school district in the city.

"Lucinda's my Dad's sister. I've been coming here every night since we got here."

"Why bring me?" I asked.

"Why not?" he shrugged and paused. "I would've brought Gracie too."

This time I paused. This wasn't right. Gracie was the one who had kept us together all these years, we'd both just happened to be good friends of Gracie's. This was a choice, a new direction.

"Come on," he said, holding out his hand.

Slowly, I placed my hands in his, as he led me outside to meet his family.