Flirting With The Enemy

by Henson, Sally

  Flirting With The Enemy

  Sally Henson

  Copyright © 2019 by Sally Henson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover design by Megan Keith, Designed by Grace

  Edited by Kelsie Stelting

  Interior Formatting by Dirt Road Press

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Sally’s Notes

  Behind the Scenes of Flirting With The Enemy

  Thank You

  About the Author

  Also by Sally Henson

  1

  Jaden

  A few boys of summer gathered at the water’s edge. It was early in the day for teen tourists to be out. I checked my phone to make sure I hadn’t been sitting there for hours. Nope. Guess they were hoping to catch some waves on their body boards. Maybe take in a show from those surfing.

  I moved my gaze away from them and watched Luci paddle out for a wave. The further away from the shore she made it, the more it looked as if she was headed straight into the fireball at the edge of the world.

  Today was her first day back in Sterling Beach this year. Summer didn’t feel official until she was here, even if school had been out for days. It didn’t seem to matter she was in college and basically on her own, she was the closest friend I had. What did that say about me?

  I dug my toes further in the cool sand and watched the handful of surfers vying for the next wave. They sat on their boards with their legs dangling in the water on either side. With their backs to me, I couldn’t be sure if they went to school with me or not. One guy separated from the pack and paddled further out as a distant swell came in.

  The boys near the water shot a few smiles in my direction, but none of them really caught my eye. Besides, it was more fun to flirt when Luci was with me. The boys of summer was a nickname we gave to our summer flings. We had three requirements. First and foremost, they had to be a tourist. Second, we went for drop-dead gorgeous but would settle for above the bar good-looking. Third, kissable lips were a must. It may seem shallow, but kissing the boys of summer was what I did for fun.

  I had a love-hate relationship with the vacationers. They were usually rich. Some were demanding, but I needed them, or rather, the money they spent. The boys that came and went were something fun to pass the time without getting attached. Never serious because in the end, the guys always moved on and so would I.

  Luci waited for a nice swell and started paddling to stay in front of the wave. At just the right time, she snapped her feet underneath her in one fluid action and cut through the water. It was art in motion.

  After enjoying Luci’s show, the body boarders waded out in the water to find their own wave.

  Luci got out of the water and hauled her board next to me, grinning.

  I looked up at her. “You don’t look too rusty.”

  “Yeah, it felt good out there this morning. Where’s your board?”

  I’d hoped to pick up some pointers from her, but I may not get any actual practice in this year. “My dad attempted to be productive around the house and busted it.” If he wasn’t drunk as usual, it probably wouldn’t have happened. And I’d be out there grabbing the next wave instead of going to work.

  “Bummer. You’re getting another, right?” she asked, drying the tuft of platinum blond hair on top her head. Every summer she had a different hairstyle. She could shave her head and still be pretty.

  “I’m working on it,” I said, waving my hand from my head to my feet. Black pants and a white T-shirt wasn’t my normal beach attire. “I had to take on the early shift at Star Diner, plus my regular job. Hope I can save enough up.” I already made pizza’s six nights a week. Surfing was the one thing I got to do for me. And I didn’t have to be a team player to do it. Luci and I had that in common.

  The alarm sounded from my phone. I took a deep breath and pulled it out of my jacket pocket to shut it off. “It’s not forever,” I said, telling myself more than Luci. Next year at this time, I planned to kiss high school goodbye and take a one-way road trip cross country. “Catch you later.”

  “Later.” Luci tucked her board underneath her arm, crossed the beach, and hit the water at a run.

  A couple of locals crossed in front of me, walking their dogs. It was their daily routine. They ignored me, and I returned the favor.

  Once I made the trek to the diner, I pulled my braids back into a ponytail, swapped my jacket for an apron, and washed up. The sweet smell of fried cake hung in the air. Not sure the protein bar I ate on the way to the beach was going to hold up against pecan pancakes.

  “‘Sup, Jade?” Hayes asked when I walked through the kitchen. Of all the jerks in the local bad boy pack, he’s the nicest. Too nice to be hanging with them, anyway. Hayes always calls me by my real name, not Jaded like the other morons at school.

  “Morning.” I busied myself with the prep work for lunch. Chatting wasn’t my thing.

  I just wanted to stay busy with my job and get out of there. It had been a week since I’d started at Star Diner, and I didn’t need nor want someone holding my hand…especially not someone I went to school with.

  After my shift, I walked the eight blocks home to make sure my brothers did their chores. Most of the time they were good about making life a little easier for Mom. Sometimes, though, they needed me to kick their butt into gear. I had to admit, making sure things got done was tiring at times.

  Now that Luci was in town, I wanted to hang out with her. And with me working two jobs and no surfboard, I needed to squeeze it in when it would work for the both of us.

  It wasn’t like we were best friends. We didn’t braid each other’s hair or anything. Okay, so, she’s the best friend I have. We were both loners, except for whatever guy she has on rotation. But when she was in town… being a loner didn’t seem so… alone.

  I opened the screen door and let it bang closed against the frame. Fair warning: Jaded was home.

  No TV blaring. That was a good sign.

  “Tuck? Ben?” I called, stalking through the house to see that the dishes were done, and the washing machine was in use.

  They didn’t answer, so I moved down the hall to their bedroom.

  I pounded on the door once before turning the knob and flinging it open. “Hey.”

  They sat on their beds, headsets over their mop hair, engrossed in a video game. Mom didn’t make enough money for luxuries like an extra television, video game player, and headsets. The boys bought, maybe swindled, the stuff themselves.

  Tucker answered first. “Jaded, sir.” He gave a quick two-finger salute without peeling his focus from the video game. “Everything’s done but laundry.”

  Even though it wasn’t
unusual for him or Ben to act like I was a drill sergeant, I flicked his neck. Which wasn’t unusual either.

  “Ow!” He rubbed the now red spot.

  “Dad been by today?”

  Tuck’s guy died and he let out a grunt. He pulled his headphones off and looked up at me. “I haven’t seen him for a few days. Ben said he has a new job.”

  Ben nodded, continuing his focus on the screen.

  I rolled my eyes. Dad holding down a job was laughable. It didn’t even bother me anymore that I had to pay for my own shampoo, tampons, and clothes. What bothered me was the fact that Mom let him use the car. The one I helped pay for and never got to drive.

  “I’m making lasagna,” I said. “You can heat it up for supper, okay?”

  Tuck shoved a thumbs-up in the air and put his headset back on. My brothers were only a year apart, but they seemed closer to the same age. Built-in best friends.

  I used to have a built-in best friend, but that was a long time ago.

  2

  Griffan

  I rolled away from the light, closed my eyes, and laid there for a few minutes, trying to ignore the weird smell of being in someone else’s home. Sleep didn’t come, though. It was the middle of the day, but what else was I going to do?

  My sister’s squeal found its way through the closed bedroom door and set me on edge. I pulled the pillow over my head, but it was no use. All they did when they were awake lately was fight.

  Shouldn’t the third story be quieter than the rest of the house? I threw my pillow at the door and shouted, “Shut up!”

  “Tyler?” Mom’s voice called from the hallway.

  I scrubbed my hands down my face and sat on the edge of the bed. Tyler. My first name. At my request, she had called me that since we moved to Florida. Starting a new school where the teachers and students both knew me as Tyler, it was just easier to go with it. Before I moved, everyone used to call me by my middle name, Griffan. Not so sure I wanted to be known as Tyler anymore. “Yeah?”

  The handle rattled before she pushed the door open and stepped in. The darkness under her eyes almost looked like bruises, but I knew they weren’t. Neither of us had slept much in the past few months.

  “Can you please take your sisters out for a while? Grandma’s not used to their kind of noise. It’s making her nervous.” Her fingers reached back and kneaded her shoulder. She sighed. “I could use a break, too.”

  I held in a groan. My sisters were already on my nerves. Not sure I could handle them, but Mom had enough to deal with. “Sure. Have them get their suits on.”

  She crossed the room with a smile that didn’t quite make it to her eyes and kissed me on top of my head. “It would be good for you to get out of the house, too.”

  “Yeah.” Not really. I didn’t want to risk anyone figuring out who I was and having the stupid news cameras parked outside Grandma’s house 24/7.

  Mom headed out of the room, stopped at the door, and turned back to me. “I doubt people here even know what’s going on with your dad.” She gave me a weak smile as she left, closing the door behind her.

  “Let’s hope not,” I mumbled under my breath and then changed clothes for the beach. Before I headed downstairs, I sat on the window bench and sent the only friend I had left a message.

  Me: Been cooped up in a house for three days. Taking the girls out for Mom. Hope no one recognizes me.

  Dev: It’s summer. Go find a hot chick while you play with your sisters. Women like that, right?

  Me: I don’t know. Will let you know if it works.

  Dev: Speaking of hot chicks. Stay off social media. Danni has totally crossed over to the dark side.

  Danni. She used to be hot until she turned on me.

  Me: Maybe she was always on the dark side.

  Dev: Truth.

  Dev: Sorry, man.

  Dev: She’s so not hot anymore.

  Hot chicks haven’t been on my mind, but I could use a distraction. What’s summer without girls in bikinis?

  I stood and let out a long breath. Probably not a good idea. I didn’t need anyone finding out I was here. The only girls I needed to be around were the ones in this house.

  My sisters and I went out to the storage room in the garage so we could dig out some stuff to keep us busy on the beach.

  “Ew,” Ashlyn whined, escaping back to the open space. “There are spider webs in there.”

  It was dark and musty. I didn’t know what she expected.

  “You’re such a priss.” Cara waded through all the stuff with me, digging out a Frisbee and a soccer ball.

  I fished out a couple of body boards and a basket full of sand castle stuff. “Here.” I held out the basket to Ashlyn.

  She wrinkled her nose. “No thanks. I’ll carry the towels and blanket.” She spun around and marched out of the garage.

  Cara rolled her eyes at me. I chuckled, draped my arm around her shoulders, and followed Ashlyn across the backyard, through the gate.

  I dropped our stuff along the fence and looked down the sandy expanse sprinkled with grass. The coastal breeze quickly erased the storage room stench. I sucked in a deep breath, letting it fill my lungs. Maybe Mom was right, fresh air was good.

  This area was supposed to be private. Somewhat private, I guessed. The beach part was public and open to non-residents. No restaurants, shops, or anything were up here on the north side, though. Only large homes owned by wealthy people lined the beach for at least a mile to the touristy area.

  I used to live in one of these houses. Learned about riptides and undertows in this ocean.

  “Tyler,” Cara called me. When we moved to Miami, the teachers called me by my first name. My life had changed, so I just stuck with it rather than keep my childhood name from Sterling Beach.

  I turned to see her holding a body board, blonde hair blowing in the wind, with a huge grin. She had the attitude to be a surfer girl.

  She nodded toward the ocean. “These waves are bigger than in Miami. Let’s catch some.”

  Virginia was not Miami. That was for sure. But Miami was the last place I wanted to be right now.

  I kneeled onto the blanket and rummaged through Ashlyn’s bag for the sunscreen. “Looks fun. Let’s get some sun protection first.”

  Ashlyn insisted on doing it herself, but I sprayed her back anyway.

  Cara shrieked as soon as she hit the water. It was a lot cooler than I expected. I’d forgotten how cold it could get here in the winter and it took until the end of July for the water to warm all the way up, but still, it was nothing like Florida warmth. One thing I didn’t miss about Florida? The sand was so freaking hot in Miami it could burn your bare feet.

  We spent the rest of the day out on the beach together. The girls only got on my nerves once. Even though other people came and went from their homes to the sand, no one bothered us.

  Cara and I stretched out on our towels to dry in the sun. The rays on my back lulled me to sleep. When I woke, I’d almost forgotten about Dad and what we left in Miami.

  At the end of the day, we gathered all our stuff and headed back to the house. Mom and Grandma sat on the deck. The tightness that’s plagued Mom’s face was all but gone.

  “Did you have fun?” Mom asked.

  “The waves are so much better here!” Cara started telling Mom about how cold the water was while I headed to the storage area to put our stuff away.

  When I came back, Mom was the only one outside.

  “Sit with me.” She patted the arm of the wicker chair next to her.

  I climbed the steps and sat down.

  Mom looked relaxed for once. She stared out at the empty ocean in front of us as she spoke, “You looked like you were enjoying yourself out there.”

  “I actually did. No one bothered us. I didn’t have to keep looking over my shoulder, you know?” I glanced over at her.

  The breeze blew the loose strands of hair from her ponytail around her face. She nodded. “You should go into town. Walk the strand or
something…get out of the house more. Be a teen.” She turned toward me and waited for me to look at her.

  I met her gaze.

  “Okay?” she asked, waiting for me to agree.

  I gave a noncommittal nod.

  She took a drink of her iced tea. “Mom is…more forgetful than I expected. The more time I spend with her, the more I see it.”

  I focused back on the white crest of the waves and let her words sink in. Is this one more thing we have to figure out how to deal with?

  “I don’t know. It could be she’s not used to us being here. Anyway,” she patted my hand, “I thought I’d make fish tacos tonight. Maybe pizza one night this week. Do you remember how good the Pizzeria was?”

  I shook my head. I didn’t remember much from Sterling Beach, but I dreaded leaving the privacy of this house.

  3

  Jaden

  Luci stabbed her board in the sand and took a seat next to me. “I thought I might see you last night.”

  I drew my knees closer to my chest. “Something came up.” Tucker sent me a message to pick him and Ben up from a party. Ben was only going to be in eighth grade. By the time I walked home and used Mom’s car to pick them up I was exhausted. Then I had to get them from a party they weren’t even supposed to be at? Pissed wasn’t even close to the level I was at on the Richter scale.

  She nodded, and we watched a few people wander into the water and a couple locals walking their little ankle biters.

  Luci’s eyes locked on a nice work of art jogging across the sand. “Hello gorgeous.”