Dad's Best Friend

Beach House

     I pulled into the driveway, the windows down in my red jeep wrangler. I parked and turned the music down, pushing my cat eyed sunglasses to the top of my head so I could take in the beach house. It was a two story older house. White with blue shutters right on the beach. The closest town was two miles behind us. I smiled, pushing my sunglasses back down. I took my keys out of the ignition and grabbed my iPhone six from it's spot in the passenger seat. "Finally." I sighed in relief to myself as I walked up the driveway towards the large tan deck extending from the front of the house. There was a canopy porch swing on it with a white picnic table and a couple of lounge chairs. I was surprised not to find my parents or my brother out there but I shrugged it off, and entered the house. One of my favorite parts of being out here was having no need to lock the door. I stepped through the front entrance, hanging my keys on the hook next to the mirror. I checked my reflection. My sunglasses looked fierce with my freshly dyed hair, piled at the very top of my head in a messy bun. I had on a light pink pleated skirt pulled up around my waist and a white crop tank top with a pink heart on it over my bikini. 

     I could hear music coming from the kitchen. I assumed it was coming from the pool and Chris had left the patio doors open, as always. "Too hot, hot damn." I sang along to the song as I entered the white kitchen. Everything from the refrigerator built into the wall to the breakfast island in the middle of the kitchen was white, even the four stools at the island were white. I stopped in my tracks. There, standing in my parent's perfectly white kitchen was a tall tan man. I could feel my heart leap into my throat. His shoulders were wide and his muscles were everywhere. But why was he in my kitchen? He was chopping watermelon, popping a piece in his mouth as he slightly moved to the beat of the song. "Uhm, who are you?" my words finally found me. The man looked up at me and I noticed a few grey hairs speckled in his goatee. My palms started to sweat. "I could ask you the same thing." he smirked at me, sitting the large knife down and placing his hands on the counter. I stared at him in his white Endless Summer tank top and red swim shorts. I forced myself from looking him up and down but I watched as he carefully examined me. I squirmed under his gaze.

     "Owen! What is taking so long with that melon!?" I heard my mom call from outside. I looked to the left where the glass patio door stood open, the bright blue pool catching my attention. I noticed my mom lounging on a double floater with my brother. "You need some help in here?" dad came jogging into the kitchen. For forty-eight he looked great. He was still fit and tan but his age showed in the wrinkles on his face. His blue eyes brightened when he saw me. "Suzie!" he yelled and flashed his pearly whites at me. My intense demeanor immediately changed as his arms wrapped around me, at six foot he was only a few inches taller than me. I hugged him tightly. I'd really missed him. "You know I hate when you call me that." I said when he finally let me go. He winked at me as my mom entered the kitchen now. 

     "Oh my god my baby! You're here!" mom rushed over to me. She was also still fit and tan. Her shoulder length dirty blonde hair trailing behind her. She wore a tankini but she could still pull off a bikini. Both of my parents took spin classes three times a week. She hugged me tight smelling of lily's and sun tan lotion. She wasn't quite as tall as me, but she looked perfect when she stood next to dad. "Your hair!" she squealed at me, touching the top of my head. "You like it?" I smiled at her as she examined my head. "That's very red Z." she smiled. "Uh oh, I think we know what that means." dad laughed next to us and I rolled my eyes. "It doesn't matter if you like it mom, I'm the one who has to sport it everyday and I love it." I said to her, glancing over at the man still standing in the kitchen, watching us. 

     "I didn't say I didn't like it! I'm just not used to it. It's almost orange it's so red." Mom smiled at me but I rolled my eyes again. "Don't listen to her Suzie, I think it looks great." dad said and kissed the top of my head. I glowed in the presence of my parents. I didn't realize how much I really had missed them. "Chris get in here! Your sister's finally home!" mom yelled out the patio door to Chris. He came jogging in in his bright blue swim shorts a few seconds later. His hair was blonde like mom's but he had dad's height, looming over him at 6'2. But he still wasn't as tall as the man chopping melon in the kitchen. I glanced at him again, he was still staring. "Hey baby sis." Chris smiled at me, actually being somewhat pleasant towards me for once. I smiled back opening my arms to hug him but he wrapped his arm around my neck, pulling down and rubbing his knuckles over the top of my head. "Chris! Stop!" I yelled, trying to slap at him but I couldn't get to him, his laughter echoing throughout the kitchen. "Chris knock it off and hug your sister! She's been gone for two months!" I heard mom scold him and he released me.

     "You're such an ass." I smacked him and he laughed again, wrapping his arms around me and pinning mine against my sides. I rolled my eyes as he lifted me up. "Aren't you a little old for this stuff Chris, I mean you're pushing thirty." I spat at Chris but my insults hardly fazed him. He sat me on my feet and smiled. "You're never too old to torment you sister." he said and lightly punched my shoulder. "Seriously Chris you are a little old for that." mom said to him grabbing his arm and pulling him next to her. I know she didn't mean it though, she had a huge smile on her face. I knew she secretly loved anytime Chris and I interacted. "Oh Owen, how rude of us." dad finally turned his attention to the mystery man chopping melon and my ears perked up.

     "Owen this is our youngest daughter Suzanne." dad walked over to the end of the island holding his hand out to me. I walked up next to him as Owen leaned across the counter. He stuck his hand out to me. "Nice to meet you." he said to me, his dark brown eyes met mine. I felt a shiver run down my spine as our eyes locked together and my hand slipped into his. "Uh, you too. Call me Z." I said, my hand lingering in his. "Suzie just got back from a counseling job at Camp Sheerwood." dad said to Owen, beaming at me. Mom and Chris came over to the counter now too, taking seats at the stools. "What's at Camp Sheerwood?" Owen asked, squinting at me a little. "Z's studying to be a teacher Owen, Sheerwood is a camp for kids between the ages seven and twelve, right sweetie?" mom looked at me, reaching across the counter and taking a piece of watermelon from Owen's cutting board. I nodded at her, my eyes having trouble leaving Owen's gaze. He smiled a little, my heart speeding up a little.

     "So tell us everything, how did it go? Did you have fun?" mom smiled at me, grabbing a couple more pieces of melon. I had everyone's attention now, including Owen's. "Uh, let's go out to the pool and I'll tell you all about it." I said turning on my heel and heading out to the patio, everyone following behind me. The pool was a ten foot in ground pool with three separate lounging areas with umbrellas over them. Mom and dad took to the double floater now and Chris did a cannon ball next to them, splashing them and me. I squealed a little, putting my hands up. Owen chuckled from behind me. He was sitting on a lounger laughing at me. I glared at him. "So uh, how do you know my dad?" I asked him moving to the other side of the pool to undress. "Honey you remember me speaking of Owen, we've worked together for years! He's one of my best friends!" dad smiled at me and nodded to Owen who nodded back to him. "Only at the office right?" Owen said and they both busted out in laughter. I glared at them both, trying to remember dad ever speaking of an Owen. Nope, the name wasn't ringing any bells. 

     "Never mind all that right now, tell us about the Camp." mom clapped her hands, turning the attention back to me. "Uh, it was good." I started as I wiggled out of my skirt feeling a little self conscious in front of Owen. I slyly looked over at him but he had put a pair of dark aviators over his eyes so I couldn't tell where he was looking. "What age group did you end up getting put in again? I forget." mom asked as I quickly pulled off my shirt, standing now in a black and purple palm tree bikini. "I got placed in the younger group." I smiled as I grabbed sunblock from one of the lounge chairs, remembering my time at the camp. The past two months had been a lot of fun but they had shown me a lot about who I am and who my friends were. "Do they let you drink there? I can't imagine a bunch of twenty-two year old's being without alcohol all summer." Chris came over to the side of the pool, staring up at me. I rolled my eyes at him. "I was the only twenty-two year old there actually, the others were either eighteen or just turned twenty-one. But no, we couldn't drink there you dummy." I waved Chris off. He rolled his eyes at me now and went under the water, swimming away from me.