Page 45 of Mr. July

“What?”

“Ugh! Just turn on your location services.”

“Here, I’m handing my phone over to someone who can help.” I pressed a hand to my damp forehead, listening as she walked in the sand, the sound of a party gradually fading…

“Hello?”

Sexy, masculine, flirty how did he manage all of that in one word?

“Hi, I’m Bunny’s granddaughter… I need the address of the party.”

“There’s no parking for blocks. Best bet is to walk the beach.”

“Just share the location service with me, okay?”

“Bossy. That’s hot.”

I rolled my eyes. “Who are you?”

“Hunter.”

“How old are you?”

“How old are you, darling?” His southern accent was thick.

“You’ll find out soon enough. How do you know my Gran?”

“I’m her boss’s BFF. Hey by any chance are you that hot chick from the picture Bunny has on her fridge?”

I had no idea what he was talking about, but I had an image in my head of some rich, preppy player thinking he was all that. “No. I’m one of the ugly grandkids.”

“Sorry, about that darling.” The call ended abruptly. But seconds later I had Gran’s location.

“Come on girl, we have a party to crash!” Daisy trotted happily into my Jeep. Twenty minutes later, I pulled over. Trying to find parking was futile. I ended up halfway on someone’s lawn praying no one would tow me. Daisy was in her harness, leash wrapped around my wrist. I hoped the fireworks wouldn’t make her freak out. I tied a flag bandana around her neck the words, “Adopt me” visible. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“Dammit. I suck at this rescue shit. I’m going to cry like a baby when someone falls in love with you the way I have.” I was off kilter, running late to the 4thof July BBQ and after that strange call not in the least looking forward to it.

The latest message from C.C. Esquire also had thrown me off.

Give Mr. July back?

Never.

The hot pin-up guy had become my make-believe boyfriend. He was the one I fantasized about late at night or when my hormones went into overdrive. He was the first thing that went on my wall in my new apartment.

I’d just have to deny it. There was nothing else to say. What kind of a Christmas gift was a male review calendar anyway? It was probably a gag gift, from one of those Christmas exchange games. He was over exaggerating the sentimental value. I was sure of it.

I didn’t respond.

I couldn’t. I was guilty as hell. But putting a lie in writing didn’t sit well. I’d just ignore it and him. Our court date was in six days anyway. I’d meet him face to face soon enough. That in itself was enough to make me feel ill.

Finally making my way past the waving beach grass with their roots firm beneath the dunes, I reached open sand. Small bonfires and beach blankets were scattered about. I mumbled a bunch of “excuse me’s” before making it to the wet part of the sand. The waves rolled in on their soft sighs of thunder. The sky was indigo. A dark purple fading to black. Stars scattered like white diamonds. It was a night for magic and romance. Or maybe I was still humming from using my toy while thinking of my Mr. July. Either way, the air was charged with something I couldn’t quite define.

Kids waved sparklers while their parents looked on. Gran said I wouldn’t be able to miss her boss’s house since he had hung red, white, and blue string lights from his roof. She also said his fire would be the biggest since he paid for some fancy permit.

“You made it!” Gran got up from her lawn chair, pulling me in for a quick hug. Just then the first rocket shot up to the sky, exploding in a burst of color. Daisy started barking and charged forward catching me off guard. Gran’s chair fell over. Daisy dashed around beach blankets and beer bottles. As I watched, my heart exploded like falling stars.

I took off, jumping over smaller fires, hurdling over chairs following the sounds of her excited barks. She was after something or someone. I got a brief glimpse of her bushy tail right before it disappeared behind an old plankboard bathhouse. A set of broad shoulders emerged from the shadows.

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