An hour later, I heard the bustle and laughter of the girls coming back from the beach. I sighed, not really wanting to talk to them, and gathered up my things to go inside, when I spotted the hottie from the diner walking with them.
I swore under my breath. Did he belong to one of them? If not, he was surely going to be scooped up faster than a mint chip cone. Snippets of their conversation drifted my way as I stood on the porch.
“So anyway, Jason, we’re having a huge party this Saturday. Promise you’ll come?” Kim said.
“You’re so lucky we bumped into you so we could invite you.” Nia snorted.
Yeah, that’ll impress him
.
He scratched his head. “Um, sure. That sounds fun. This Saturday.” He was headed down the road when he spotted me and smiled. “Summer!”
“Hey, Jay,” I called, waving.
The girls stopped in their tracks, jaws dropped. Until Sarah piped up. “His name’s Jason. Jason Henry from the Celtics?”
He looked back at her. “Yeah, but my friends call me Jay.”
Score one for the outcast on the porch
. I had to bite my lip to hold back a Cheshire cat grin.
Nia jutted out her hip. “How do you two know each other?”
He winked at me. “We go way back. Are you coming to the party, Summer?”
“Uh, well…” I stammered, not wanting to explain that the cool girls who summer on the Cape hadn’t invited me.
Kim piped up. “We’ve actually got a pretty big guest list.” She shrugged. “Sorry, Summer.”
Jay shrugged, looped his towel around his neck and walked down the street. Then he looked back with that smile of his. “See you tomorrow, Summer.”
A girl could get used to that flirty over the shoulder move. I flapped my hand. “Bye, Jay.”
And while I really wanted to see their outraged looks, that someone like me knew someone like him, I waltzed into the house instead, and fell onto the couch, stifling my laughter with a lighthouse-shaped pillow.
But then it was time for dinner and more serious matters. Like how to help Dell. I sat at the kitchen table with a pen and pad, and started doodling as I ran ideas through my head. Dell had let some local businessman stock bright orange party hats in her store. Clever idea, the Port-A-Party, and they were selling well.
I wrote down my first idea: “Install shelves behind register to stock more gift items.”
I tapped my pen on the table, staring out at the marsh behind the house. A giant heron flew up out of the reeds. I wished my camera were nearby, it would have made a great photo. I snapped my fingers and wrote: “Feature local artist’s work, hold art show.”
Then the ideas started rolling in. I’d paint the picnic tables with fun, nautical themes. The boring wooden door would get a new coat of green. And we’d be featuring a new ice cream flavor each Monday, available that week only. I couldn’t wait to tell Dell all about it the next day.
It was eight o’clock, and the sun was starting to set—my favorite part of the day. I grabbed a sweater and headed to the beach for my nightly walk.
Kim’s house was quiet; they must’ve gone out to dinner, I thought. I kicked off my shoes and left them by the wooden boardwalk that led from the road to the beach. The dune grass grazed my legs and I plucked a bright pink rose growing along the path. I tucked it behind my ear and headed for the shoreline.
I saw a familiar figure jogging my way. “Working off that ice cream?” I called.
He stopped running, and walked up to me, not even winded. “I’m building up a calorie deficit for those clams casino tomorrow.”
Right. Do not forget to stop at the fish market early.
“I didn’t realize you’re a basketball player. I wouldn’t have guessed it.”
He cocked his head. “Why’s that?”
“You’re not basketball-player tall. You couldn’t converse with the giraffes or anything, is all.”
Laughing, he gave me a look. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“I’m just surprised. I thought you had to be ridiculously tall to be a basketball player. You’re just moderately tall. Not that I’ve ever met any basketball players before.” Sometimes, a girl should just shut up and smile. But, I’d never put much stock in that idea.
“I’m six foot four. Tall enough for a guard.”
And not too tall that I wouldn’t be able to reach him for a kiss, that’s what I’d been thinking.
“Did you eat dinner yet?” he asked. “We moderately tall guys get hungry often.”
I looped my hands behind me. “No, I was busy sketching out some ideas for the diner. Things have slowed down a bit, and I want to help turn things around for Dell.”
“I was headed to The Shore side after my run. Want to join me?”
“Sure, I’m starving and I’ve got nothing in the house.” Plus, I could check out the competition.
“Let me shower and I’ll pick you up at your place in half an hour.”
“Sounds good.” I thought about dashing home to get fixed up, but being something other than me for a guy? Those days were over. I’d been exactly what I thought Vince wanted, and look how that’d turned out.
So, I went home, brushed my hair, slipped into sandals, and grabbed my purse right before Jay showed up. He was wearing jeans and a gauzy white shirt and looked even hotter fresh out of the shower.
Yikes
. I sucked in a breath.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
I held up my hands and shrugged. “What you see is what you get.”
His eyes swept over me and he smiled. “Good.” He led me to a gorgeous little white corvette just as Kim and crew pulled up in her Navigator. I ignored them but Jay waved as we drove off.
“They’re really going to hate me now.”
“Why?”
“You’re the highlight of the season and they want you all to themselves.”
He laughed. “You’re not friends with them?”
“They haven’t exactly invited me into their group.” I shrugged. “That’s fine. But I really don’t think I’ll be going to that party. I’m seriously not welcome.”
“So, you’re just going to let me go alone and feed me to the wolves?”
Ah, so that was it. I was good cover for him. A buffer from the babes he didn’t want to deal with. Well, I could handle that. Having a hot, funny friend would be cool, especially knowing how outraged the girls would be.
I reached over and patted his leg. “From the looks of you, I think you can handle four skinny women. I think you’ll do just fine at the party.”
Frowning, he pulled into the parking lot.
Dinner was great, and we had fun talking about childhood memories at the beach. He preferred beach football to my favorite, beach volleyball, but we both loved flying kites when we were little.
“I haven’t done that in years,” I said, walking out of the restaurant. Then my eyes went wide. “That would be an awesome thing for Scoopy’s! Go-Fly-a-Kite Fridays! Scoopy’s has a huge parking lot; there’s lots of open space. People could bring kites to fly and get half off an ice cream.” I actually twirled around just thinking about it.
Jay caught me in his arms, and my vision spun. I giggled as he held me.
“That could work,” Jay said. “Why not start it this week? I’ll be there. And you can even let that be known.” He nodded at me.
“Seriously? You’d let us advertise that super-awesome, moderately-tall Celtics guard Jason Henry is going to be flying kites at Scoopy’s?”
“Can’t have my favorite ice cream joint closing.”
I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed without realizing what I was doing. I felt his hands on my back, but I quickly stepped away. I didn’t want to scare him off, making him think I was just another groupie. Especially not if he was going to help Dell and the diner. “Thanks,” I said, shyly. “That’d be great.”
***
I picked up the ingredients for the clams casino, and got to the diner early. I told Dell about my plans as I chopped up the clams.
“It all sounds wonderful! I’m going to leave it all to you darlin’. You just let me know how much all this is going to cost.” She patted my shoulder with her soft hand.
“Practically nothing! Just some paint, and the cost of flyers, really. Less than a hundred dollars, for sure.”
I made twelve dozen clams casino, and had some of the filling left over, but not enough shells. I racked my brain, trying to figure out what to do with it. Then I started chuckling to myself. I couldn’t, could I? It would surprise the heck out of Jay, that’s for sure.
I checked my watch to be sure I had enough time and got to work on the first official Scoopy’s Kooky Ice Cream Flavor.
Jay showed up at twelve-thirty, looking for his Clams Casino.
“I set aside an order for you. We sold out at lunchtime like that.” I snapped my fingers.
He sat down at the counter. “Well, bring ‘em on over, woman. What’s the wait?”
I rolled my eyes, and dished up a platter of the clams along with a lemon and some French fries. “Bon appetit, and save some room for dessert. I’ve got something special just for you.” I winked at him, and he widened his eyes.
I scurried away, blushing and realizing that must have sounded like the lamest line ever. But I figured he’d forgive me when he saw what I’d made.
After he gushed over the Clams Casino and insisted we make it a permanent item on the menu, he pushed away his plate. “Now what about that dessert?” He waggled his eyebrows and I snapped my dishtowel at him.
“Be nice or you won’t get any.” Good Lord, that sounded sassy too. Couldn’t help it around him, I guess. I scooped out a dish of ice cream, and sprinkled a bit of parsley and buttered breadcrumbs on top. I set it in front of him and smiled. “Voila! The world’s first Clams Casino ice cream.”
He laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope. Wanted to give you your two favorite things at once.” Oh, I was so, so pleased with myself.
He stared at me for a moment, then shook his head. “Wow. I can’t believe you did this.”
I shrugged. “You’re helping us out this Friday.”
He took a spoonful of ice cream, looked at it, then shrugged. Sliding it into his mouth, he closed his eyes. They popped open. “It’s actually really good. Seriously. People would come here just to try this.” He poked his spoon in, digging more out of the bowl.
Planting my elbows on the counter, I leaned toward him. “You think? I was going to offer it as this week’s joke ice cream, but you might be right.”
“You guys are going to have to hire more help soon.”
“I’ll tell the girls across the street.”
He laughed and finished his ice cream, then asked for another dish.
Once the lunch crowd cleared out, I brought my painting supplies out to the picnic tables.
“Need some help?” Jay asked.
“If you want. I figured jazzing these up a bit might help. You paint three of these yellow, I’ll paint the others pale blue. Then I’ll embellish them with designs tomorrow.”
It started out innocently enough, but soon we were chasing each other with the paintbrushes, and he had a big splotch of blue in his hair, while my neck was now bright yellow. “I seem to remember doing something like this when I was ten.”
He narrowed his eyes and walked toward me. “You’ve got a little…” He brushed his thumb along my cheekbone, and then dabbed my nose with paint.
Shrieking with outrage, I tried to grab my paintbrush to get him back, but he held on to my arms. Turns out, basketball players have really big, strong hands.
It’s a pity he’s only using them on my arms
, I thought. I looked up into his devilish brown eyes and got caught in a stare.
“Let me go,” I said, breathless, from giggling.
“I don’t know if I trust you.”He held me tighter and pulled me closer.
My early-dating instincts were rusty, but I thought this would be the right time for a kiss. However, Dell thought it was the right time to come out and check on our work.
“Lordy, look at the two of you. Stay out of my diner with all that paint on you. It’s a wonder you got the tables done.” Her eyes twinkled as she scolded us.
“Sorry, Dell. I won’t come in. I’m going home to work on the flyers.”
“Thanks, doll. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She went back inside, shaking her head.
I looked down at myself. “Ugh, I’m a perfect mess thanks to you.”
He took my elbow in his hand. “You’re right. It’s all my fault. So, let me clean up the mess I made,” he said, raising a thick black eyebrow. “I’ve got an outdoor shower; we can wash off there.”
My dating instincts were humming again, but I couldn’t trust them. I seriously doubted an NBA star was interested in me, not with a beach full of beautiful babes who made it a second job to look perfect. I knew my limitations: B-cups that longed to be Cs, legs that appeared to come from peasant stock, and solid, child-bearing hips. A more conscientious woman would also schedule a bi-monthly eyebrow wax.
Jay stared at me, waiting for an answer. “Shower. Um, sure. Good idea.”
I followed him to his place, and was surprised it wasn’t one of the big new mega-mansions that had sprung up around the old weatherworn cottages. It overlooked the ocean, but it was on the smaller side. “This is cute,” I told him, as he led me into the side yard.
He grinned. “Good, I was going for cute.”
I slugged him in the arm, and it hurt my hand. The man packed some serious muscles. “You know what I mean. Quaint, nice, lovely. Pick your adjective.”
“It’s really just a getaway for me. I wasn’t planning on having big bashes like your buddies across the street.”
I rolled my eyes.
“My parents would bring me down to the Cape for a week every summer. We stayed with friends; we couldn’t afford more than that. I always wanted to buy a place for them some day, but they passed on a few years back.”
I reached for his arm. “I’m sorry. I hope being down here brings good memories at least.”
He smiled. “It does. Some new memories, too.” He walked over to the shower, pulled off his shirt and turned on the water.
Whoa
. And now I was forming some very nice memories.
Good golly,
I thought, grateful his eyes were closed under the blast of water.
After shampooing his hair and rinsing off, he crooked his finger at me. “Your turn.”