Right Place, Wrong Time

52. Hint of Summer

The next day was set to be all sunshine but temperatures weren't expected to climb too high, which Lauren, Joey and Brian decided was a perfect day to take a trip to the beach. Joey had seemed to want to talk Brian out of it, to Lauren's great amusement, but she said he could come along. She was happy to play third wheel to their friendship.

Which immediately came into play when Joey called shotgun as soon as they got within 50 feet of Brian's car.

"Are you serious?" she laughed.

"Sorry, Lo," he grinned. "You're the smallest."

"Thank you so much," she said. He did at least open the door for her as she climbed into the small backseat.

"Do I at least get to choose the music?" she said, leaning forward between the seats.

"I don't know, I really think Blink would be perfect for this trip-"

"It's my car," Brian cut in. But then he handed Lauren the aux, and she gave Joey a self-satisfied smile.

All of them ended up singing along anyway, so she thought she had pretty excellent taste. She was buffeted by the wind blowing in from both the boys' open windows and had to pull her hair up into a ponytail or else she might never get the tangles out, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd had that much fun.

When they arrived, they got their towels and the lunch Lauren had packed from the trunk and headed down to the blessedly empty sand, stretching out their towels alongside each other. Lauren settled herself down on hers while Brian and Joey pulled their shirts off.

"Not coming for a swim?" Joey asked.

"Maybe later," she smiled.

She watched them jog down the beach together to the water, which today was relatively still, before taking off her own shirt to reveal the bikini underneath it and stretching out on her stomach, book in hand. The sun bathed her in pleasant warmth, and her mind was as serene as the water. It was a perfect day for reading outside, and she'd almost forgotten she was there with anyone else when the boys returned, laughing loudly.

"How is it?"

"Perfect," Joey said, at the same time as Brian said, "Cold."

"So you're a liar," she said to Joey, as she sat up and began to pull out their lunch.

"It is perfect!" he protested. "Once you get used to it."

"Uh huh," she said, handing him a wrapped sandwich.

The gentle lull of the water accompanied the sound of their light banter as they ate.

"These taste great, Lo," Joey said.

"Yeah, thanks," Brian chimed in.

"You're welcome," she replied. "We all know a woman's place is in the kitchen."

Both sets of eyes widened as they stumbled over themselves to protest that, and she laughed, letting them relax again. She knew she'd do a good job, and she considered it repayment for them letting her be a guest in their house.

When she finished eating the watermelon that Joey didn't touch but she and Brian enjoyed, she wiped fruit juice from her hands with a paper towel and pulled out a bottle of sunscreen to reapply.

"Need me to get your back?" Joey offered.

"Would you?" she said.

She turned on her towel so he could reach easier and felt his warm, gentle hands spread over her shoulder blades, working carefully down along the line of her bikini. Faced away from him, she let her eyes fall closed and enjoyed the sensation.