Page 64 of Nights at Seaside
Roach shook his head, then rubbed his chin. “Worried about what the doc said?”
“They’ve been telling me that garbage since I was nineteen.” He knew Roach was just feeling him out. Making sure he was solid, and as he assured him, he realized he was also assuring himself. “No one can touch me, man. I’ve got this.”
SKY AND AMY carried food for a spur-of-the-moment barbecue over to Bella’s cottage, while the guys set up tables and chairs in the quad and began making a fire in the fire pit. The sun was setting, promising a cool evening for their gathering.
“I still can’t believe the renovations on my apartment will be done soon and in a few weeks I can move in. I’m going to miss living here,” Sky said to Amy.
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you want,” Amy said.
“Thanks. I’ll have to really think about it. There are benefits to living above the shop, but there’s no chunky-dunking.” She laughed. Chunky-dunking was what Sky and her friends called skinny-dipping, which they did in the pool at Seaside when they could get away with it.
“Where’s Jenna? I didn’t see her car when I drove in.”
“She and Pete went to get something from their beach house. They’ll be back before dinner.” Amy stopped walking and pressed her hand to her belly. “Sorry. Baby wants out.” She blew out a breath. “Okay, I’m good.”
Sky held the gate to the deck open for Amy to walk through. “Your baby looks like it has dropped. Are you sure about the due date?”
Amy rubbed her belly. “As sure as I can be. The doctor seems to think I have another few weeks. But I have no idea how they really know. We were going at it like rabbits, making up for lost time.” She stopped talking as Caden walked out the door.
“Hey, girls. Let me take that.” Caden smiled as he took the groceries and they followed him inside, where Bella was busy seasoning chicken and steak. Evan hovered over Bella, watching her every move.
“Don’t touch the raw chicken. It’ll get you sick.” Evan’s voice had deepened over the last two years, and he’d filled out since he’d begun college. At almost nineteen, he no longer looked like a teenage boy, but a young man.
“Ev, I’ve been cooking longer than you’ve been alive,” Bella said.
Evan patted her head as if she were a child. “But you weren’t carrying my baby sister or brother.”
“Evan, come over here and give Auntie Amy a hug hello.” Amy opened her arms. “Let’s give your stepmom a break from all the nagging.”
Evan laughed. “Auntie Amy?” He embraced her, then hugged Sky. “Gotta love a womanwithouta baby in her belly. How are you, Sky?”
“I’m doing well, but when did you turn into aman? Gotta love a woman…?”
“College does that to a guy,” Evan said. He’d completed his first year at Harborside University, which was about an hour away from the Cape.
“I take it you’re enjoying college life,” Sky said. “Why are you home? I thought you were working down there this summer.”
“I am. I’ve made a bunch of friends and I’m working at Endless Summer Surf Shop. It’s owned by this supercool guy, Brent Steele. You should see the place. There are tons of hot girls thereall summer long.” He smiled at his father, who shook his head. “I came home to grab a few things from the house, but I’m heading out now. I’ll be back when Bella has the baby.”
“In other words, he came to make sure I wasn’t doing anything I shouldn’t be while carrying his sibling.” Bella patted Evan on the back, then kissed his cheek. “You’re going to be a great big brother.” She leaned toward Sky and teased, “I hope we don’t have a girl.”
“Can you imagine Evan around a baby sister?” Sky teased. “He’ll be as protective as all of my brothers wrapped into one.”
“She’ll be one lucky sister,” Bella said. “At least we’ll always know she’s cared for.”
“You can count on it.” Evan picked up his keys from the counter. “I’ll teach him or her to surf, like Tony taught me.” He hugged Caden and Bella, and with one hand on the door said, “And if it’s a boy, I’ll teach him how to pick up girls.” He took off out the door, laughing.
“Geez.” Bella laughed. “Are all nineteen-year-old boys like that?”
Caden kissed her with a wide grin. “All teenage boys think about is sex. But I think he’s all talk.”
They heard Evan’s car pull away as Caden walked out the door with the food.
“Hehopeshe’s all talk,” Amy said.
“We’re going chunky-dunking tonight,” Bella said quietly. “You in, Sky?”
“I’m hoping that Sawyer is going to stay over, so…” She wasn’t about to leave him to go skinny-dipping.
