Offshore

Chapter 14

Grace knew it was a mistake to go to the beach on a Saturday, but it was Dave's birthday and that's what he wanted them all to do. They set up camp far away from the surf school, thankfully, and everyone quickly stripped down to their bathing suits. The guys immediately started an energetic game of Frisbee, Dave's stomach wobbling above his Simpsons shorts, making Lisa giggle. Grace had to concede that Greg looked cute. He had a solid build, and a manly V of blonde hair covering a broad chest. Lisa grinned her appreciation at Grace and mouthed 'nice!' but Grace couldn't help constantly glancing to the middle of the beach where a small crowd of preteens was gathering.
An hour or so later, she eventually gave into temptation and went for a walk along the surf's edge, trying to convince herself she needed the exercise.
Sam was standing by the shore, shouting encouragement out to sea. His wet suit was fully on this time but it showed every defined muscle. He ought to have a special license to wear that thing. He turned round and saw her, a dimpled grin spreading across his face, his eyes flicking down to her red bathing suit. His eyelashes were wet. They looked even longer and darker than ever.
But before he could say hello, a smoky voice calling, "Sam!" interrupted him. The leggy brunette from last night was walking towards them. She was wearing a tiny black string bikini and a sarong was slung round her narrow hips. Her hair was swinging round her shoulders, straight and shiny.
"Shannon, come and meet Grace," Sam said and the girl reached Sam, slinging her arm around his shoulders, and smiling at Grace.
"Hi!" she said cheerfully.
Grace noticed she not only had tattoos on her shoulders, but also one on her toned midriff. Sam's hand went easily to her waist. Grace's mouth went dry.
"Grace is JD's home room teacher," Sam said.
"Cool!" said Shannon
"Shannon runs a bar in Bakersfield," Sam said as if he were at a polite dinner party. Then Grace realized what he had just said and blushed.
Sam's expression was neutral but his dimple twitched slightly.
"It's nice to meet you. I should get back to my friends," Grace stammered and turned and walked away, overly conscious of what her wobbly ass must look like in her bathing suit.
She lay on her beach towel sipping at a beer and trying not to think about Sam, Shannon and Bakersfield, but failing dismally. At least this explained what Sam had been doing there that night. But she was confused about why he had come on to her, or why he had been flirting with her so shamelessly since they'd met again. Maybe he really was a man-whore?
That evening, Greg walked her home and got all drunkenly frisky with her in the hall, wrestling her out of her sundress and snaking his hand under her bathing costume. It wasn't like him to be so playful and, determined to enjoy it, Grace took him to her bed where they leaked sand onto the sheets and Greg licked the salt off her body. But she kept losing concentration, and thinking about Sam's wet eyelashes and what it must be like to peel him out of that wetsuit.

***

The next day, Grace went to the beach house to see how JD was doing, or so she convinced herself. Again, she knew she shouldn't, but logic wasn't a key part of her thinking at the moment. As she walked up to the open door, she could hear voices.
"Please don't cry." It was Sam's deep voice. Grace froze half way up the steps.
The person who was crying took a while to answer. "But it's happening so quickly. I can't believe the baby's due in five months!"
"It's OK. We'll manage," Sam murmured.
Grace was about to turn and tiptoe back down the steps when Shannon appeared in the doorway. "Grace!" she cried, quickly wiping her eyes and surreptitiously sniffing. She was dressed in denim shorts and a crop top, stomach looking as ridiculously flat as it had yesterday.
Sam appeared beside her. He was wearing nothing but a pair of pajama trousers. He looked pale and drawn.
"I came to see how JD is," she stammered.
"He's out with a friend for the day," Sam said. "He's doing much better."
Shannon leaned against Sam, her head resting on his shoulder. Three was clearly a crowd so Grace mumbled a goodbye and drove out of there, fast.