Page 42 of Outnumbered

“It just startled me,” I muttered, embarrassed.

“Come on, let’s go build a sandcastle,” he suggested.

I would have liked to swim a bit more, but I did also feel bad that Branson was on the beach by himself. He looked pretty comfortable, reclined on a lounge chair with an umbrella over him and sunglasses on. He also looked delicious as fuck with no shirt on, hands behind his head so his biceps were flexed and his lats out.

“Where did he get the chair and umbrella?” I asked.

“We brought them,” Triston answered. “There’s also body boards I think.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a small board that you can use in the water. Do you want to try that first?”

I nodded. “Yes. I would like to try it.”

Triston raised his hand and Branson lowered his sunglasses. “Can you get a body board?”

Branson gave us a thumbs-up and headed back towards the SUVs.

“What are you guys doing?” Riddick asked as he and Caleb joined us.

“Branson’s getting a body board for Ember to try,” Triston answered.

“Oh! I didn’t realize we had body boards,” Caleb said. “After Ember plays with it, I’m going to try surfing on it.”

“Surfing on it? It’s too small,” Riddick argued.

“You can surf in the shallows with it.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Triston said with a challenging smile.

“Oh, you’ll see it,” Caleb promised.

Branson returned with two body boards and threw them to us like a frisbee.

The board was light enough to float and had a rope with a wrap on it. “Secure that to you ankle or wrist,” Triston explained. “Then come closer to shore so you can feel the waves going under you.”

I did as he said and was smiling like a fool as I floated over the waves, up and down and up and down. “This is fun!” I shouted to them.

The three of them had moved to the shore to watch Caleb try to ride the body board.

I turned so I could face them and still ride the waves.

Caleb ran towards the water, threw the body board in front of him and tried to ride it across the water. He went barely a foot before falling and rolling in the waves.

Triston and Riddick laughed, but Caleb just grabbed the board and got up to try again.

He managed to do it for a bit on his tenth attempt and finally gave the board to Riddick for him to try.

Grabbing the board, I swam until I could touch the ground, then walked out of the water and handed the board to Triston. “That was fun.”

He smiled. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“I’m going to build a sandcastle now,” I said and walked over to Branson. “Want to help me build a sandcastle?”

He lowered his arms. “Sure.”

We walked closer to the water, and started by digging the moat for the castle. Triston soon came over to help, building up a mound for the main part of the castle.

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