Page 20 of Breaking Storm

In a crumbly tone, I whisper, “North Avenue Beach.”

“With Sean?”

“Yes, Joey.” My voice finds its edge. “It was Sean’s idea. Better than sitting around here all day.”

His hand glides over his face. The blood trickles over his knuckles down the back of his hand. Joey’s breath is ragged as his eyes roam over my body. It’s intrusive, but way, way in the back of my mind, I find it titillating. This alone turns my blood cold. To find him and the way he looks at me erotic clearly suggests I need my head examined. I pull a T-shirt over my head to cut off his ogling.

His abrupt, “Put another bathing suit on,” has me seething.

“Stop fucking telling me how to dress.”

Joey stalks over, so close his anger pulses into me. “I mean it, Tea. You’re not going to the beach in a bikini for guys to gawk and slobber over you.”

My face twists and mutates into an appalling glare. “Okay, Mr. Graffiti Neanderthal.” I step to the side, but he moves in front of me. “This is ridiculous. You’re—”

Sean cuts in. “What’s going on?”

I pin my eyes on Joey, fold my arms, and respond to Sean, “Neanderthal won’t let me go to the beach.”

“I didn’t say that, Tea.”

Sean takes hesitant steps. “What’s wrong, Joe? I thought it was okay—”

Joey’s head snaps to Sean. Through a tightened mouth, he says, “It’s okay as long as Teagan changes into something more appropriate.”

Sean’s eyes move to me, giving me a once over, and asks, “Do you have other bathing suits?” I nod. “Then how about you put another one on?”

I close my mouth and trudge into the walk-in closet to choose a one-piece suit. It’s quiet in the room and I wonder if they’re in a standoff. Once I put on the suit, I return to find Sean and Joey staring at each other.

My arms flop to my sides when I ask, “Better?”

Joey drops his stern stance, nods, and on his way out, comments, “Glad to know you listen to someone.”

My mouth opens, but Sean shakes his head. I close it, finish filling my bag, and we head to the beach. Sean brought a cooler and a large beach umbrella he rams into the ground. After jumping into the water, I fall onto my towel, which is next to his. On my back, I raise myself onto my elbows, steal a sideways glance at him, and focus on the soothing water creeping and retreating along the shoreline.

I blurt out, “Why do you put up with Joey?”

Sean releases a sigh laugh. “Come on, Teagan. He’s my best friend.”

This causes me to observe him. “Best friends don’t treat each other like that.”

Our attention is on the water when he says, “You haven’t been around. Joey and I have been through a lot together. His reaction today was toward you, not me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. I bet he thinks we’re sleeping together.” Sean tenses next to me. He purses his lips, and his eyebrows sink as if it hadn’t occurred to him. “He’s a psycho.”

His head rests on his shoulder closest to mine as he says, “Joey has plenty on his plate. Like yours, his life hasn’t been easy either. Because of it, he’s protective.”

I snort at his comment. “Protective? He’s a possessive neanderthal, except it doesn’t make sense. This was a forced marriage. We don’t even know each other.” Sean’s lips crease. “What?”

He shakes his head downward and scopes out the area. The guy can’t relax. His Spidey senses splinter our time together. If he’s not surveying the area, he’s making sure I’m not too exposed to danger. There isn’t much coverage on the beach. I stand to take another dip in the lake, and he shoots to his feet.

“Where are you going?”

“Oh. My. God. You twoarebest friends.”

I run into the lake with Sean not far behind, swimming out farther. With Sean’s hands immersed underwater, I stand on them, and he flips me backwards. We’re splashing around and he chases me. Being short is a disadvantage because I’m trying to get a way while keeping my head above the water. Sean catches me, causing a ruckus of giggles. He carries me on his back, legs wrapped around his waist, as he wades into deeper water. My arms hang over his shoulders and I rest my head on them. We talk about happier times when we were younger. His stories trigger my memories of him and Joey. How we used to play in the park together, like my brother said. The corners of my mouth quirk upwards while going down memory lane. Sean was thin and gangly. That’s why I couldn’t place him. Joey had captured every girl’s heart. His pensive, melancholy persona, and fair skin that contrasts against his black hair, lured them in, but it’s his eyes the women searched. Searching for his love. Searching for his soul.

Sean plucks me back to the present, carrying me toward the shore. My head rests on his shoulder, telling him something funny, and his laugh is contagious. We’re both tearing up at my childish ways. When we approach our towels, I catch sight of Joey by the street. It’s a good distance, but there’s no mistaking it’s his rigorous build glued in place, arms folded, and eyes locked on me. My smile fades. Sean doesn’t notice him because he hasn’t said anything. Sliding from his back, I pick up my T-shirt, and when I glimpse back, Joey’s gone.

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