“I’m getting that idea.”
Looking away, Thad pointed. “Perfect timing.”
Up the beach, Heesham and Rives were pounding two wooden poles into the sand. A net stretched across the middle. Talla held a green ball; it appeared to be woven from the same green strips I’d tried to fashion a net from on my second week here, only these strips were cross-hatched in a tight pattern, perfectly forming a ball.
Avolleyball.
Heesham cupped his hands. “Court’s ready. If you’re game, bring it.”
“Is he talking about volleyball?” I asked cautiously. Nothing here was exactly what it seemed.
Thad nodded. “Yup. Nil style. Be my partner, and I promise to bake you a full batch of cookies when we get home.” Thad’s devilish grin was back.
“You’re on.”
“Ever played before?” he asked.
“A little.” I smiled.
“Oh, yeah,” Thad said, his grin widening. “Let’s bring it.”
CHAPTER
28
THAD
DAY 290, AFTER NOON
“We’re in.” I called.
“You a team?” Rives asked.
As I nodded, Rives took point. “First game,” he announced. “Charley and Thad against Bart and Talla.”
Talla shot Rives a hard look, then trotted onto the sand, loosening up her shoulders.
“Hey, Charley,” Bart called. “I’ll take it easy on you, seeing as you’re new and all.”
“No need,” Charley said. “I’m a big girl.”
“Oh, I know,” Bart said. “What are you, like, seven feet?”
Charley’s cheeks flushed. I guessed her height was a sore spot. I wanted to tell her it just made her sexier, but I left it alone.
“You want to serve?” I asked her.
“All yours.” She stared at Bart. But now her chin was raised, and her look was calculating, almost dangerous.
I served to open the game. Talla connected, setting up a sweet shot for Bart, who sliced a weak shot across the net. The ball fell like a wounded duck, and Charley spiked it home with the force of anAmazon warrior. The ball landed at Bart’s feet, where he yelped and fell.
Fighting a smile, I turned to Charley. “You playa little?”
Grinning, she pinched her thumb and forefinger together. “A little.”
I laughed.
We pounded Bart and Talla. They never scored once. Sy and Jillian lost, too. Jason and Heesham put up the best game, but we still won handily. Talla had just called for a rematch when the ground rocked, violently.
