Page 47 of Beach Vibes

“Sometimes boys are nice to hang out with.”

Magnolia looked doubtful. “Why? Atlas can be really annoying, and we like different stuff.”

“A brother is very different from a boyfriend. Plus, when you get older, you’ll find you have more in common with boys than you do now.”

“My friend Alicia has two moms. They’re lesbians. So it’s only girls in the house. Even their cats are girls.” She sounded intrigued by the concept. “That could be nice.”

Jana felt the weight of the topic and wasn’t sure what to say. “Being a lesbian is a little bit more than having a female-only household, but it’s nothing you have to decide right now.” She pointed at the tray. “Do you think we have enough appetizers?”

Magnolia considered the question. “You’ve got the veggies and crab dip and deviled eggs. You’re going to have dinner right after. I don’t think you need anything more.”

“Thanks for your help.”

Jana eyed the colorful array of cut vegetables and thought about the rest of menu. With luck everything would turn out. She felt oddly nervous about the evening and hoped everyone would get along.

Magnolia glanced at the clock on the wall. “Dex will be here soon. I’m going to get everyone ready.” She pointed at Jana. “I’m gonna want a full report when I get home.”

Jana grinned. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll share the deets for sure.”

* * *

As Beth approached her destination, she found herself driving slower and slower. She wasn’t just nervous about the upcoming dinner. She was embarrassed by the reason it was happening in the first place. Because she could tell herself it was all in the name of fairness—she’d met the woman Rick was dating, so Teddy wanted to meet her—but she had a rock in her belly that said it was a whole lot more about her bad behavior. Humiliating but true.

“It’s one dinner. You’ll survive,” she murmured aloud as she turned onto what she thought was the right street. Faster than she would have liked, she was pulling into a wide driveway in front of a large, sprawling single-story house.

The neighborhood was nice. Older, with oversize lots and established landscaping. She was a couple of miles inland—still in the “good weather” zone of the beach but far enough away that land was at slightly less of a premium, although it was still Malibu and nothing was cheap.

She parked and looked around. She didn’t see Rick’s car, so he wasn’t here yet. Hmm, what to do? Sitting outside waiting for him seemed weird, but going in by herself was also not something she wanted to do. Why had she come on time? If she’d been a few minutes late, Rick probably would have beaten her here.

She wrestled with indecision for about twenty seconds, then grabbed the floral arrangement she’d stopped to get and walked toward the front of the house. Apprehension and nausea churned, and she nearly turned around twice. As soon as she reached the door, she pushed the bell so she wouldn’t change her mind and bolt.

“You made it,” Jana said with a warm smile. “Come on in.”

Seeing her friend allowed Beth to relax a little. “I did. Great house. I love the neighborhood. It’s like where I live, although a bit more fancy.”

Jana laughed. “Wait until you see the beams and vaulted ceiling in the living room. The 1970s are alive and well in this house.”

Beth handed her the flowers. The tightly arranged, elegant flowers were in a square glass vase. Orchids nestled with baby roses.

“Thanks for having me,” Beth said.

Jana touched one of the petals. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.” She grinned. “Now that you’ve brought me flowers, I’m going to invite you over more often.”

Beth followed her into the house. It was big and spacious, done in warm colors. As promised, the living room had a distinctive seventies vibe, but that suited the house.

“Let me put the flowers on the table,” Jana said. “Then we can sit and talk until Rick gets here.”

Just as she left the room, a tall man entered through a different door. Beth automatically smiled and took a step in his direction, only to come to a stop when her eyes met his.

He. Was. Gorgeous. Tall with broad shoulders, chiseled features and piercing blue eyes. His hair was dark, and he moved with an easy grace that took her breath away. She went cold, then hot, and her lungs stopped working. No doubt she was gaping at him like a fish, but she couldn’t help it. Her brain had shut down along with the rest of her organs. She was probably close to passing out, but none of that mattered. Honest to God, she didn’t care if the world stopped turning.

The intense visceral response stunned her nearly as much as the amazing man in front of her. Sure, she’d thought men were attractive before, and she vaguely remembered having a man crush or two in her life, but nothing like this.

Time seemed to slow as he approached, then held out his hand. She was caught up in his gaze, in her need to be near him, to hear the sound of his voice, to breathe in the scent of his body. She wanted him, wantedthemin whatever form that took.

“Hi, Beth. I’m Teddy.”

She fumbled her way through a quick handshake, ignoring the heat and tingles that danced through her body when their palms lightly brushed. She thought maybe she’d managed a faint “hello” back, although she couldn’t be sure. Not with him staring at her.

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