Page 25 of Memories By the Shore
I know it.
“So, how’s it going?” Cassie is one of the employees here at the bikini shop and the only other girl my age who doesn’t seem to pick up on my insecurities. She’s been …not overly friendly, but kind. I’m not sure if it’s genuine or just curiosity on her part.
“Fine,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.
Cassie cocks a brow. “Sorry, Francesca’s a bitch.”
“I really don’t care.” I keep my focus trained on the box of new sandals in front of me.
“Francesca has been trying to get a job here for a while, as most of the girls in town do,” she tells me like it’s some type of consolation for the way she acts.
“I don’t get what’s so special about it. It’sliterallyjust a bathing suit store.” I roll my eyes.
“It’s a hot spot around here.”
“So it seems.” I stand in front of the mirror with another black sundress over my bikini. I’m not like these blonde, bubbly beach girls who surround this town like the plague. I feel like a black fly in a glass of chardonnay.
“Only three months,” I whisper to myself, subconsciously counting down until I can return to Arizona for college.
“I saw you the other night after work with Jasper Collins.” Cassie bends over the counter of the cash wrap, continuing to speak even though I’m disengaging.
“Yes,” I respond vaguely, moving on from the sandals to the new palm tree swimwear line.
She squints her eyes, lowering her head to meet mine. “Avery, I feel like you have more to say.”
My blush deceives me, creating a burn on my cheeks. I can’t hide the flutters in my chest at the mention of him. She’s the closest thing I have to afriendright now. I might as well gush to her.
I drop the hanger and turn. “What do you want to know?”
“What were you guys doing?” Cassie’s eyes grow wide, and a grin forms on her face. “Are you into him? Your aunt and his dad have had this thing for years,” she trailsoff.
“I don’t know. Um …” I suck in a deep breath. “He pretended to be my boyfriend a few days ago when Francesca and her friends were being bitchy to me and then asked if I wanted to meet on the beach after work. So, we did.”
“Jasper is ridiculously hot. And he like never dates anyone seriously. Not even when we were all in high school,” she shares with me. I can’t lie. Her information about him makes me happy.
I chew on the side of my cheek. “You went to school with him?”
“Yeah, he and my brother were friends. I think he’s about a year or so older than us.”
“Helen mentioned that he’s going to take over his dad’s surf shop, and that’s why he decided not to leave for college last year,” I recall.
“Yeah. It’s insanely successful too. He’s inheriting a gold mine,” she says, gliding her tongue along her pearly white teeth.
I nod, more interested in what she says than ever. “Interesting. He doesn’t seem like someone who has a lot of money.”
“It’s just him and his dad. They’re both beach bums.” She laughs again. “Living the life, I guess.”
“He’s modest,” I mumble with a smile.
I respect that. I have no plans on telling anyone in this small town how much I’m worth. I’m not making that same mistake again. Growing up, people were just friends with me for my money. It’s not worth the fake friendships they used to be when I was younger.
She takes my silence as a cue to continue. “If my family had that much money, I wouldn’t want to go to school either.” She chuckles, flipping her hair back.
It’s funny because I want nothing more than to do the complete opposite.
“Avery, your raw juice is ready!” Helen’s voice is muffled from the kitchen. She juices twice a day and insists I drink at least one.
I finish changing out of my bikini from work and quickly slip into a pair of drawstring pants and a tank top. Heading down the hallway, the sea breeze from the open balcony doors dusts my face with a light mist.I could get used to this.The ocean is the best part of this town.
