Page 88 of This Could be Love

“You bet I am,” Vince answered, causing everyone to laugh.

“I’ll be nice,” I said with a wink.

“Yeah, yeah, what was that aboutslammingballs over the net?”

“I don’t see any nets around here,” I replied innocently.

“Don’t be such a tool.” Pili chuckled.

Grumbling, he gave in and let me put one of the neon green rackets in his hand.

“In case it makes you feel any better, I haven’t played in ages.”

I tossed the pink ball into the air and caught it effortlessly with my hand.

“It doesn’t.”

I laughed and put enough distance between us to start playing.

* * *

“Game, set, match!” I said with devilish joy when less than a quarter of an hour later Vince was lying on his back in the sand.

“Since when has this game been so stressful?” He gasped.

“Since you decided to play against someone who competes at Wimbledon.” With a wink, I held out my hand, but instead of letting me help him up, he pulled me to the ground.

“Pretty sneaky,” I said once I was on top of him.

“Wearing this bikini was pretty sneaky too,” he whispered.

I wanted to kiss him when a scream made me stop. I turned toward the water. Disoriented, I squinted against the sun. Another scream. A woman calling for help.

“Fuck, that’s Laurie!” Pili yelled.

After a brief moment of shock, Vince and I jumped up and stared out into the ocean. It was indeed Laurie. She had drifted off quite a distance, flailing her arms wildly and making panicked noises, while huge waves piled up all around her. From one second to the next, I was frozen stiff with fear. Someone called for the lifeguard, but I knew no one was there. Only after a delay did I realize that Vince had long since started moving. Following right behind him, I ran for the water. A huge wave crashed over Laurie’s head. Someone else screamed. Me.

“Is that Chip?” I heard Pili call as Vince dove into the waves.

Someone was swimming toward Laurie. From where we were I couldn’t tell if it was Chip or not, but whoever it was, he was swimming toward her with powerful strokes. I held my breath, becoming acutely aware of all the worried mumbling around me.

“He’ll be by her in a second.”

Pili had come up next to me, her eyes fixed on the water. She was obviously referring to Chip, as Vince was still far away and was having a hard time withstanding the waves.

“He’s got this,” Pili reassured me, and a part of me wished she was talking about Vince. Because whereas Chip had almost reached Laurie, Vince’s body was repeatedly being swallowed up by the waves. My stomach tightened with fear, and it seemed wrong somehow when an unknown voice behind me sighed. “Thank God!” Chip had reached Laurie, and they’d exchanged a few words. Then he began pulling her in with an underarm grip. Someone cheered. Someone else clapped. But I still didn’t feel any relief.On the contrary. My heart felt like it was in a vice whenever I saw Vince’s head flash among the gigantic waves and disappear. Flash and disappear. I was as afraid to look as not to look.

“Vince!” I cried. “Come back!” I knew my voice wouldn’t make it through the sound of the waves, but I didn’t care. “Vince!” In a panic, I turned to Pili and Milo. “He’s got to get out of there!”

“Vince!” Milo yelled, and I joined in.

Chip and Laurie, for their part, had made good progress and were getting close to shore.

“I’ll swim out to him,” Milo said, but was held back by Pili’s arm. Only for a second, but enough for him to see the fear in her expression. For him.

Over the next few minutes, so much happened all at once that it was hard to keep up. Chip brought Laurie safely ashore, helped her out of the water, and wrapped her tightly in the towel that Pili had at the ready. Milo told Vince that Laurie was fine and swam back with him. As he waded out of the water, I couldn’t hold back any longer and ran toward him.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said as I threw my arms around his neck. “All good,” he whispered. But I could feel him trembling. Could feel his heart hammering against his chest. And mine against his. “You okay?”