Free Rip Current by Jill Sanders Page B

had indeed found Marissa.  
    “ Why didn’t he tell us?” Marcus sighed. “I mean, he’s taken several of these trips.” He used air quotes and looked like a complete dork doing it.  
    Cole laughed and shook his head. “Guess he didn’t want to have to see you do that.” He mimicked his brother.
    Marcus laughed. “Bite me.” Everyone laughed harder.
    “ Look, maybe he wanted some time. I mean, he’s been working his ass off the last few months.” Everyone nodded in agreement. “Just taking care of Spring Haven is a full-time job. And he’s been helping out with Paradise Construction and now with your new place.” He nodded to Marcus and Shelly.  
    They both looked at one another. “He’s been such a help.” Shelly sighed. “He deserves a break.”
    “ Maybe he’s just taking a few weeks off.” He shrugged his shoulders and started believing the lie himself.  
    “ Okay,” Marcus nodded. “We’ll keep this to ourselves. But we have to stand unified on the Fourth.”  
    “ Oh!” Cassey groaned. “What are we going to say to Dad and Julie?” She leaned her head back a little to look up at them.  
    He shook his head. “He’s in Atlanta straightening out some stuff for Spring Haven. That’s what he told me to say, so I’m sticking with it.” They all nodded.
    “ Agreed.” Marcus nodded, then grabbed Shelly’s hand and pulled her towards the door. “Night,” he called out over his shoulder.  
    Just then, two large Styrofoam containers were delivered to the bar.
    “ Ready?” Wendy wrapped them up in a bag and nodded to him.  
    “ Sure, is one of those for me?” He reached for them, only to have his hand slapped away playfully.  
    “ If you’re good.” She laughed. “Night.” She waved to Cassey, who watched them leave with a frown on her lips.  
    “ Later. We will talk about this later,” she warned as he followed Wendy out of the door. Now he had a whole other conversation in his future to dread.  
     
     

Chapter Eight
     
    T hey walked slowly along the dark boardwalk, hand in hand. He’d won the small battle about carrying the bag of food a few feet outside of the bar. She loved the coolness of the breeze that was rushing off the water that night and enjoyed the feel of his hand in hers.  
    “ Do you always walk to work?” he asked as they hit the street.  
    “ Sure, saves on gas.” She chuckled. “Why?”  
    She watched him shrug his shoulders. “It’s just the thought of you walking home in the dark…”
    She laughed. “This is Surf Breeze, not Miami.”
    “ Still, there are psychos everywhere.”  
    “ True.” She nodded. “I can take care of myself.”  
    Sarcastic laughter burst from him. “Did you learn self-defense in yoga?”
    She glanced at him sideways. “No, but I learned to shoot at gun school.” She tapped her small purse and smiled.
    “ Carrying?” He nodded. “Yeah, you would.” He shook his head.  
    “ What does that mean?” She stopped and looked at him, crossing her arms over her chest.  
    “ Nothing. It’s just smart.”  
    She looked at his face to make sure he wasn’t being sarcastic and then nodded when she saw sincerity in his eyes.
    “ What made you start?” He reached for her hand and continued to walk.  
    She shrugged her shoulders. “It was Alan’s idea.” He glanced at her and she could tell he was waiting for the story. She sighed. “Okay, it was after I’d been sort of stalked.” She felt his hand tighten in hers. “But,” she jumped in quickly, “that was back at the Flora-Bama bar. That place was crazy during spring break.”
    He stopped her just outside her door. “And now you walk to your condo every night at”—he glanced down and frowned—“one-thirty in the morning with nothing but what I can only presume is the smallest gun possible.” He glanced down at her small purse.
    She chuckled. “Yes, and I live in a town the size of a shoe box.”
    He shook his head. “This place gets