Free Beach Season by Lisa Jackson

happy, June?”
    “My family, as odd as we all are, as imperfect as we all are, they make me happy. What makes you happy, Reece?”
    “Right now.”
    “Yes, right now. Anything. What makes you happy?”
    “I just told you. Right now I’m happy. I’m happy talking and watching the waves with you. Thanks for being honest, June.”
    “You’re welcome. I probably should have told you the second I was dragging seaweed out of my mouth, so please forgive me.”
    “Forgiven.”
    So quick, without a second thought. The man did not want to play games. “Thank you. So, Reece. If you want, we can be friends. Ah ... good friends. I’m still technically married, so I don’t feel it’s right to date. I don’t think I could handle being involved with anyone, it’s too stressful, I’m not a whole person yet, and I especially could not date you.” I shifted in my seat. “Not that you would want to date me. I’m not trying to be presumptuous, I know you probably wouldn’t want to date me, but—”
    “June, I want to date you. But why would you not want to date me if you were free?”
    I bent my head, wrestling with my thoughts, then looked up again. “You’re sexy and too much of a man to get wrapped up with. I think I’d lose my head around you. There. I said it. More honesty for you.”
    “I don’t want you to lose your head. You have a pretty head.”
    His mouth tilted at the corners; nice lips. Such nice lips. I tried to put myself back together and not think about his lips. “I’m a fast-moving train wreck, but if you want to be friends with a wreck, sign me up.”
    “I’ll sign you up. I’ve always wanted to be friends with a wreck.”
    I smiled at him. He was such a cowboy/rancher sort of true man.
    “I can do it,” he said, almost to himself. “I can control myself. I can resist. I can stop myself from pulling you into my arms and kissing you on our midnight walks along the beach, counting stars together lying in the sand, hot tubbing ... yep, I can control all those thoughts. But maybe, June, when this is all over, and you’re ready, you and I can start as an us. We can be an us. Going slowly .”
    My stomach flipped and flopped in a happy, skippy way. “I think we might could do that. I haven’t scared you off?”
    “No. Not at all. To the contrary.”
    We sat in silence, my brown eyes on his green, neither looking away, both smiling like silly goons, my heart galloping about.
    “It’s an incredible day, isn’t it?” he said, his voice carrying over the gentle ruffle of wind.
    “Yeah, Reece, it is an incredible day.” And, June, you will not fall in love with him! You won’t! “Okay, I’ll try not to,” I said out loud.
    “What?”
    “Nothing. Oh, nothing.”
    He reached for my hand, yes he did. His hand was strong and muscled. Even though I believe in treats and chocolates, my body would seem small underneath the stroking of that hand. At the thought of that strong hand slipping over my entire body, I felt myself heat up again, as if a match had been lit right under my feet and the rest of me was now engulfed in flames.
    I placed my hand in his.
    “Now I’m even happier, June.”
    He winked at me.
    Oh, for heaven’s sakes.

C HAPTER 6
    “It’ll be a disaster!” she screamed. “A disaster of epic and long-lasting proportions!”
    “What? Who is this?” I pushed blond, messy curls out of my eyes. It was six o’clock in the flippin’ morning. A horrid hour to be awakened by the phone. “August? Is that you? Why are you screaming?” I’d had four hours of sleep. I had worked on August’s wedding dress until I fell asleep and my head slammed on my work table.
    “The vision! Them, and us, altogether! We could be a nightly television reality show! A reality show about two families who go to war with each other ... the loons on the fringe of society against the uptight, snooty rich people.”
    “August, calm down, honey, please.”
    “How can I?” she moaned. “How can