Page 41 of Outnumbered

Laughing and shaking my head, I raised my beer and so did the others.

“Ember’s existence!” they all shouted.

Chapter

Twelve

The drive to the beach was delayed by a trip to a store to buy me, Triston, and Branson bathing suits. Something we’d all not thought of until that morning.

By noon, we reached the beach and I was bouncing with excitement as we parked. There were some other people, but not as many as I’d thought there would be. To the left was also a boardwalk with games and restaurants.

“Swim, play on the beach, eat, and games in that order?” Riddick asked.

“Sounds good to me,” I agreed.

“Last one in is a rotten egg!” Caleb shouted and ran towards the ocean as soon as his door was open.

Throwing open my door, I raced after him. I pulled off my coverup dress as I ran, but held it against my chest so I wouldn’t lose it. I had just purchased it after all.

Caleb ran into the water until he was hip deep and then dove beneath the waves, moving until he was far enough out the waves didn’t bother him. When he stood up out of the water, he flung his hair back, flinging water behind him and I staggered a step as I admired him and his now glistening abs.

Riddick ran past me, diving in beside Caleb.

Crap! I’d gotten distracted.

The first few steps of water were chilly and I yelped, but continued until I was hip deep, smiling when I realized it was warm water. I raised my arm up, keeping my coverup out of the water.

“Branson loses!” Caleb announced.

I turned and chuckled at the large man, toes barely touching the water.

“It’s warmer in here!” I called out.

“I believe you,” he said.

Caleb took my coverup and threw it to Branson. Turning, he grabbed me and dove with me under the water. Luckily, I’d anticipated what he had planned to do, so I’d taken a breath before we went under.

When we came up, I gasped in a breath and laughed.

“What type of sea life is common here?” Triston asked as he floated on his back beside us.

“If you’re worried about sharks, they don’t come this close to shore,” Caleb said. “We do have jellyfish, but they are on the opposite side of the bay.”

“I’m pretty sure a shark would flee if they sensed shapeshifters near them,” I said and started floating, too.

Riddick and Caleb swam out into the deeper water, but even though I was pretty certain it would be fine, stayed where I was.

Triston floated beside me with his eyes closed. “What do you think of the ocean?” he asked.

“It’s warmer than I thought it would be,” I admitted. “The sound of the waves is definitely soothing, too.”

“There are other oceans that are cold,” he said. “Not nearly as much fun to swim in.”

“Turtle!” Caleb called out.

I lowered my legs and looked towards the sound of his voice, and saw him pointing to my right. Turning, I saw the turtle swimming through the water. It was so big! Gasping, I swam closer, but then noticed a large fish swimming beside me and screeched.

Triston swam over, searching the water for danger, then chuckled. “It’s just a fish. They won’t bite you.”

---