“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s greatness. I write environmental reports all day. And if you will recall, Keith, you were the one who showed me my strength. Without you – without the ocean – I never would have had the courage to pursue my dreams. You changed everything for me, and even if I uttered a thousand thank yous, it would never be enough to accurately convey my gratitude.”
“It was all selfish angling, Sam. I just wanted to see you in a swimsuit.”
“Oh, right, because I was such a catch back then.”
“You were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Still are.”
A blush crept over my cheeks. “Thank you.”
“No,” he whispered in my ear. “Thankyou.”
“So what about you, Keith? What are you doing now? And, most importantly, why don’t you smell like seaweed?”
Keith smiled, a hollow gesture. There was real pain behind the scenes, and I wanted to pull back the curtains and get immediate answers to his mystery, but I got the sense that beyond even the tragedy that had befallen his family, life had thrown some hard punches Keith’s way.
“I have so much to tell you. But I can’t do it here with the music and crowds. I promise you’ll get your answers, though. Right now, I just want to look at you.” His voice hummed a suggestive tune as he brushed his thumb over my cheek. “God, Sam, you’re a knockout. How did I land a girl like you back in high school? It must have been all those prayers to the reefer gods.”
“Yes.” I laughed, feeling nothing but joy as my wandering hands continued to make up for lost time. “That must be it.”
There was a cyclone stirring inside my gut. He was something I desperately wanted, and I wondered how long it would take us to get horizontal. My guess was before the clock struck midnight, and even that would be too long to satisfy the hunger surging just below the surface.
A high-pitched squeak caught our attention, and we both swiveled our heads in unison only to find Shannon hopping in place, a smile so wide it threatened to split her face in two. Damn, she was a good friend. In a world of cynicism and female jealousy, Shannon was celebrating my triumph right up alongside me. Sometimes I wondered if she was more than I deserved.
“Shannon!” Keith called out, opening his arm to her. “Get over here! Group hug.”
As if she’d just been waiting for the invitation, Shannon squealed her way into our embrace with an enthusiasm typically reserved for the tiny organisms swimming under her microscope. Stewart stood off to the side, an awkward extra in our blockbuster movie.
“It’s like high school all over again,” Stewart quipped.
Keith glanced over at the lone giant waiting for an invite. “Dude, I have no idea who you are, but I’m feeling charitable, so if you need a hug, get on in here.”
And then we were four. I got the distinct impression Keith instantly regretted it as Stewart, overexcited by inclusion, proved a needy addition to our circle of trust. Keith was forced to physically extract himself from Stew’s loving embrace.
Once Keith had shaken himself loose, he extended a hand and properly introduced himself. “Hey, I’m Keith. Let me guess – you’re Shannon’s brother?”
Instead of politely correcting the mistake, Stewart snorted his amusement and went so far as to play along. “Yeah, okay, right. Yes, she’s mysister.”
Finger quotes completed the awkward exchange.
Shannon smacked him, rolling her eyes for our benefit.
“Or…uh… maybe not.” Keith’s brows drew together as he cast me a questioning glance. I grinned, shrugging.
“Keith,” Shannon said. “This is my boyfriend, Stewart.”
“Boyfriend?” Keith’s eyes widened at the unbelievable news. “You’re not related?”
“Nope,” Stewart answered.
“Separated at birth?”
“No again.”
“Distant cousins?”
“Nada.”
Once Keith had run out of genetic pairings, he shrugged and gave up.
