Page 68 of Rebel Summer

“Okay, I’m leaving, then. See you tomorrow, and be prepared to subtract fifty hours, buddy.” My dramatic exit toward the door was halted when I realized my purse was still sitting behind the counter. I stalked back, grabbed it, and was halfway to the front door again before I remembered I needed to clock out. Dax’s eyes trailed me with growing amusement while he held open the door for me to enter his garage.

“I’m doing it,” I told him again.

“I can see that,” came his reply as I stalked toward the calendar. I scratched in 8:00 pm for my time out and was surprised to find my hand shaking.

With excitement.

The lights in the shop went dark. I turned to see Dax waiting for me at the door. He had a bottle of Gatorade in his hands and something else. The warm yellow light from the lobby highlighted his silhouette in a way that had me catching my breath.

“You coming, Caroline?”

A relieved smile crossed my lips.

“Yeah.”

The island ferry was located a few minutes south of Sunset Repairs. Dax didn’t bother to take us in his golf cart, so we walked. The sun had almost met the horizon, and the creamsicle streaks of oranges and pinks lit up the sky. I couldn’t take my eyes from the scene, breathing in the salty ocean air. There was nothing like sunsets on the island.

There was nothing like being on the island.

“Here,” he said, handing me the drink and a granola bar. “Eat this. You don’t want to get a tattoo on an empty stomach.”

“Thanks,” I said, accepting his offering. “Why not?”

“You don’t want to pass out.”

My steps slowed. “Why would I pass out?”

“From the needles? The pain? The smell? Take your pick.”

I didn’t answer him. Because it didn’t matter. Each step toward the ferry brought me more clarity. I had never felt so good about a decision in my life. A tattoo was exactly what I needed right now. Something different, something…a little wild. At least for me. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. My heart drummed in excitement. Nothing Dax could say would take that away.

He walked quietly beside me, my steps sure and strong as we made our way down the path. Every so often, my shoulder would brush against his, igniting trails of sparks down my arms.

“Do you want to talk about this rash decision?” Dax asked, slipping his hands into his pockets. His legs kept up with my determined stride easily, as though he were going for a light stroll in the park.

“Nothing to talk about. I’ve never been more sure of anything.” I pointed to the road. “Is that a slug?!”

We bent down and examined a slimy, brown, oversized worm lounging on the dirt before continuing on our way.

“That reminds me of biology,” I said.

He stopped short while I kept walking a few paces before my body knew to halt.

“What are you doing?”

A wicked gleam crossed his face. “Let’s go grab him. I’ll get a scalpel while we’re out.” He turned around, a man on a mission, striding toward the creature. “I’m adding him to the list.”

He walked three steps before I grabbed his arm, laughing and pulling him back. He resisted only a minute before allowing himself to be guided again toward the ferry ticket counter. After a long moment, I realized my hand was still clutching his arm.

I removed it.

We’d been tracking the ferry’s movements from the road, and now it was almost here. We jogged the rest of the way to the ticket counter. I reached into my purse, but Dax waved me away.

“This one’s on me. I’m just happy to be here.”

For that comment alone, I allowed him to pay for our twelve-minute passage to the mainland.

We boarded the ferry along with at least ten high school kids wearing hoodies and flip-flops with cameras strapped around their necks. It wasn’t unusual to see people on the ferry at sunset, catching the golden hour. We even saw Judge Baylor in one of the seats on the top deck, but he only waved, his crinkly eyes taking us in.

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