Page 17 of A Shore Fling

TRAVIS

T he sun’s low enough that the sand isn’t burning my feet anymore. Drew’s pulled out the bocce ball set he bought this week. I’m surprised it took him this long.

“We need teams,” he shouts, waving us all over to him.

“Dude, I’m gonna pass,” Jordan says. “That cute blonde has been giving me the eye, and I’m going over to introduce myself.”

“Your loss,” Drew says.

“Yeah, sure.” Jordan smirks and walks off.

“That’s typical,” Ginger huffs, watching him.

“What do you expect? He’s never going to change,” Willow says.

“Are you and Jordan a thing?” Nina asks Ginger.

“God, no. I don’t meet his criteria: big tits and a small brain.”

Nina snorts. “Sounds like what most men want.”

“Not me. I want big tits and a big brain,” Reed says.

“Your body count tells a different story,” Willow drolls, and everyone laughs.

“Are we playing or what?” Drew asks.

“I’m game,” I say.

“The teams are me and Ginger, Travis and Nina, and Reed and Will,” Drew announces.

Reed squints at him. “I’m with Will?”

“You’re welcome,” Willow replies, cracking her knuckles. “I throw to win.”

Reed sighs, punching the air a few times. “I throw to survive.”

Nina walks over to me. “Are you sure about teaming up with me? I’ve never played.”

I hand her one of the balls. “Just do your best. That’s the only requirement.”

She snorts. “Wow. That’s inspiring.”

“You want a pep talk? Join Drew’s team. He gives motivational speeches with eye contact and everything.”

“I heard that,” Drew calls out.

“Oldest goes first,” I say, picking up the white ball from the sand.

“This is the pallino, which will become the target we’ll all aim for,” I explain to Nina, tossing it.

“Whoever throws the pallino gets to go first.” I take the opening shot, and it drops within a foot of the target. I glance at Nina. “See? It’s easy.”

She gives me a look like she’s weighing whether to roll the ball or throw it at me.

“Underhand,” I say. “Low and smooth. It’s a little like bowling.”

“David said driving a boat was like driving a car, and we know how that turned out.”

“I’m not David. You can trust me.”

Nina throws her ball. It sails dramatically to the left, rolling straight into the waves.

Reed claps slowly. “And the ocean takes the lead.”

Willow sputters out a laugh. “Nice form, though.”

I shake my head and jog down the beach to fish it from the water. When I get back, I hand it to her, dripping. “The sea thanks you for your donation.”

She lifts one shoulder. “I like to keep things interesting.”

“Mission accomplished,” Drew says, clapping.

She lines up again, more focused this time. “Any of you have actual tips to offer or just sarcasm?”

“Sarcasm is the Thorne specialty,” Reed says.

Ignoring him, I make some suggestions. “Less arm. More finesse. If you throw while standing up straight, you should lead with your throwing foot. If it’s easier for you, you can crouch down, but make sure your throwing knee is down and lead with the opposite leg.”

“That’s a lot to think about,” she says.

I nod. “Yeah, but most of what I told you will happen instinctually. Don’t overthink it.”

This time, she rolls it smoother, closer. Not good enough to score, but it’s a significant improvement.

I clap my hands a few times. “There you go.”

The game goes on with Drew critiquing technique and doing commentary like he’s auditioning for a hosting gig. Reed’s surprisingly decent. Willow is aggressively trying to knock everyone else’s balls out of play.

Between turns, Nina leans down next to me. “Drew’s really into this.”

“He gets like this when there’s an audience. And when there isn’t.”

She rolls her eyes. “The Thorne men seem to have a flair for the dramatic.”

“I prefer to think of it as a flair for entertaining whomever is around.”

It’s her turn again. She holds the ball, hesitant, eyes narrowing at the pallino like she’s trying to hypnotize it.

“Try aiming like you’re knocking the smug look from Reed’s face,” I say.

That gets a grin out of her. “Now that I can do.” She rolls the ball and it lands closer than any of her earlier throws.

I let out a low whistle and nudge her shoulder. “Look at that. We might even score this decade.”

She nudges me back. “I have a great teacher.”

I shrug. “I didn’t want to state the obvious.”

Drew walks over, arms crossed. “Are you two having a moment, or are we playing a game?”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “Did we interrupt your one-man performance?”

Ginger’s reclined in her chair, sunglasses on, holding a bag of chips like she’s at the movies. I think she drank too many margaritas. “This is way more fun than I thought it’d be.”

Reed throws another solid shot. Jordan follows it by knocking his ball halfway to the water’s edge.

By the time we wrap up, we’re all a little sunburned, a lot sandy, and nobody knows who won. Nina brushes the sand off her hands and walks over to help collect the balls.

“Not bad for a first-timer from the city,” I tell her.

“Not bad for a grump,” she says, walking toward Drew.

I watch her for half a second too long before I snap out of it.

Each day I find something new to like about her.

As good-natured as she is, she doesn’t let anything slide.

She called me out when I overstepped, and made me realize how wrong I was.

I respect that. Probably more than I should.

She drops the balls near Drew and then laughs at something he says. The wind stirs up a lock of her hair, dragging it across her face, and she brushes it away.

I catch myself watching again, but not like a guy checking out a girl.

Okay, it might be a little like that. But more than anything, I’m trying to figure out when the dynamic between us changed.

Because it’s obvious it did. Somewhere between the sarcastic jabs and the allergic reaction and her throwing that first disastrous shot into the ocean, it shifted.

She’s not just getting under my skin anymore.

She’s under it, staying there, and I have no idea what to do with that.

I drag my hand through my hair and turn back toward the cooler, pretending I haven’t just had this epiphany. I pretend Nina is just some girl, and today was just an ordinary day.

But the truth is, nothing about her feels ordinary. And I’m starting to think this summer isn’t going to be either.

The fire crackles lazily in the pit while my brothers and I sit around it watching the flames with our feet up and drinks in hand. We do this every few weeks, if not more often during the warm weather months. It’s a way for us to check in with each other and let off steam.

Reed tosses a bottle cap into the fire and watches it sizzle. “Jordan, are you gonna tell us how things went with the beach blonde or just keep looking smug all night?”

Jordan leans back, grinning like the answer’s already obvious. “Gentlemen don’t kiss and tell.”

“Good thing you’re not one of those,” Drew says, raising his beer.

“Right,” Reed adds. “I think you meant to say ‘screw and tell.’”

The two of them erupt into laughter. Jordan flips them both off without looking fazed. “You’re just mad I get attention that doesn’t involve people asking if I’m lost or offering me sunscreen.”

“Hey, I tan fine,” Reed says defensively.

“Yeah, after the second-degree burn fades,” Drew mutters.

I sit back, letting their bickering wash over me like background noise, until the fire pops and someone shifts the target to me.

“Sooo,” Drew says, dragging the word out. “What’s going on with you and Nina?”

I lift my beer, take a drink, and say nothing.

Reed leans in. “Oh no. That pause was too long. That’s a guilty man pause.”

Jordan smirks. “He's got it bad. He’s been weird all day.”

My eyebrows pinch with a scowl. “I haven’t been weird.”

“You watched her walk away like she was the last lemon bar in the pan,” Drew says, bursting into laughter along with the other two knuckleheads.

I shake my head. “You’re all idiots. And who the fuck told you?” I hold up my hand before anyone can answer. “Let me guess… Willow.”

“Of course she told me,” Reed says. “Will tells me everything.”

“I should’ve known something happened when you didn’t come home. Stupid me, I thought you were getting lucky,” Jordan says, shaking his head.

Reed scoffs. “Yeah, you’re stupid for thinking that.”

There’s a beat of silence while the fire crackles again, and I feel all three of them staring.

“What now?” I ask.

“You never told us what you think of Nina,” Drew points out.

Jesus. I guess I’m not getting out of answering.

“She’s cool and smart. She doesn’t take shit and doesn’t hand it out without a reason. She’s different than I thought.”

“Different how?” Jordan asks.

I look into the fire, as if I’ll find the answer there. “She makes me think.”

Drew whistles low. “Damn. From you, that’s basically a love declaration.”

I roll my eyes, but I don’t deny it. What would be the point? I haven’t spoken with my brothers about any woman. Not even my ex. They know that means Nina is special.

“Trav, don’t mess it up,” Reed says, in a heartfelt tone.

I glance over. “You think I will?”

“Not necessarily. But you like her more than you’re used to, and that’ll scare the hell out of you.”

For once, I don’t argue. Because he’s not wrong.

“I haven’t decided if I’m going to pursue anything with her,” I say.

“Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?” Drew asks.

I drop each foot from the stool and sit up straighter. “No. Nothing’s happened yet. We haven’t even gone on a date.”

“Feelings develop between people during the strangest circumstances. And you’ve played the hero a couple of times now. You’re just asking for that girl to fall in love with you,” Drew says.

“No way. She can barely stand me most of the time.”

“So?” Jordan throws his hands up. “We can barely stand you all of the time, but we still love you.”

I remain silent and shoot my middle finger up at Jordan.

Jordan grins, not at all bothered. “See? That’s what love looks like.”

Reed chuckles. “That’s Travis’ style to a T. Silent brooding followed by an obscene gesture.”

I shake my head, but the corner of my mouth twitches. I hate how well they know me.

The fire crackles louder for a moment as one of the logs splits, sending a spray of sparks into the night air. No one says anything for a minute. It’s one of those rare silences where nobody feels the need to fill it, and that doesn’t happen often when the four of us are together.

I lean back in my chair again, eyes on the flames. My brothers go back to their drinks and their half-hearted arguing about whether it’s necessary to cut the net lining out of board shorts. But my mind’s still on Nina.

I haven’t decided what I’m going to do. But I know how off balance and alive I feel around her, like something’s shifting within me whether I’m ready or not.

Taking a slow sip of beer, I let the heat from the fire settle into my skin, and stare into the glow, hoping for the answers I need.

Unfortunately, I don’t get them. But I know one thing for sure.

She’s not just some summer distraction. And if I’m not careful, this thing I haven’t decided on might decide for me.