Flirting With The Enemy

by Henson, Sally

  “I’m beginning to suspect that he and your father had some kind of business dealings that didn't go well.”

  “Are you kidding me?” How many years had Dad been lying and stealing and cheating? I pounded my fist on the arm of the chair.

  “I think I knew something was going on but didn't know what exactly. Or maybe I got so caught up in that lifestyle that I didn't care.”

  “Mom that's not what happened. You wouldn’t have done that.”

  “I left Ariel just like you left Jade. We both have a lot of making up to do.”

  I couldn’t fix all the lives Dad ruined, but I might be able to mend Jade. “I want to make things up to her, but stop with the dating thing. We're not the same kind of people, okay?”

  Mom just looked at me with an innocent smile.

  8

  Jaden

  Mom placed our order at the concession stand. The waft of buttered popcorn had my stomach growling. She’d wanted us to go to the drive-in as a family, but when Tucker found out the movie was Glass Bottom Boat with Doris Day, he opted out. Ben soon followed in his lead. Watching a movie from the ’60s wasn’t on the top of my fun list either, but I didn’t want Mom to go by herself.

  After she paid, we took our popcorn, chocolate bars, and sodas to the car. The sandy lot was sparse as we crossed the patches of scraggly grass to the third row.

  “Sure is a healthy supper,” she said, grinning.

  I snickered. “Tucker is going to be so jealous.”

  A few more vehicles drove up as we got into our car. Daylight was still hanging on. We reclined our seats and got comfy while we waited for the darkness.

  I lifted a handful of popcorn to my mouth and chased it with a drink. There was nothing like buttery movie popcorn.

  “You’ve been working a lot. I don’t want you to forget that you’re seventeen.”

  “I know. I have a surfboard to replace remember?” My stomach twisted with a tinge of guilt for bringing it up. I shoveled another handful of popcorn in with a bite of chocolate.

  Her eyes weren’t as tired as they usually looked. I wondered if that had anything to do with Griff’s mom being back. They’d been talking more than I thought they would.

  “I want you to do something for me,” she said.

  Mom wasn’t in the habit of making requests. Usually, because she didn’t have to with me. “What?”

  “Give Griffan a chance.”

  “Mom,” I said in a groan. I didn’t mind her picking up where she and Clover left off, but I wasn’t her. She wasn’t me.

  “It’s been a long time,” I said. “And it didn’t end well last time.”

  She looked over at me and took a bite of her chocolate bar. “People change. You. Me. Him.”

  “You and I didn’t have a choice.” I had to toughen up. I became the name the kids teased me with. In the end, it protected me.

  “We always have a choice, Jade,” she said, smoothing down her hair and then tracing her brows with her fingertips. “Besides, if you don’t, I might have to become one of those cougars.” She winked. “That boy really grew into something beautiful.”

  I gasped. “Mom!”

  “What?” She sipped her drink as if her comments weren’t totally inappropriate. Yeah, she was pretty for a mom her age, but gross.

  I laughed. Even if what she said was ridiculous, it was good to see her let go. I smirked and added, “You should see him without his shirt on.”

  Mom burst out with a deep belly laugh that turned into a giggle fest. It had been way too long since we’d had this much fun.

  “What’s so funny?” Griffan asked, leaning on the open passenger window of the car door.

  I jumped and almost spilled the popcorn on the floorboard. “What are you doing here?”

  I glanced at Mom, who was trying to hold in her giggles. When I turned back to Griff, the reflection of dark blue paint from our car made his eyes deeper. I wanted to jump in and swim around his ocean for a while.

  He reached through the window and scooped up some popcorn out of the big tub. “Watching a movie. What are you doing?”

  “Here, Griffan,” Mom said opening her door. “Have a seat.”

  “Yeah? Thanks.” Griff shot around the front of the car.

  I reached for Mom’s arm before she slid out. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to sit with Clo.” She wiggled her fingers in a wave before she left. “Have fun.”

  Griff took Mom’s place. His clothes always fit him perfectly. Was that because he had a perfect body or were expensive clothes made that way?

  Dread, or maybe nerves, filled my belly. I didn’t know why. Okay, so maybe it was because he kept showing up where I was. And he was super attractive and he knew me but still wanted to be near me.

  Griff pulled the door shut, causing a draft of his cologne to float past me. This wouldn’t be so bad. Definitely better than my brothers farting in the back seat.

  He turned to look at me with his Griffan grin. “Hey.”

  I grinned back, but it got out of control, stretching clear across my face. “Hey.” What else could I do? His smile was so sweet and genuine.

  “Thanks for letting me sit with you. I’ve been around the girls all day. Don’t think I can handle being cooped up with them in a small space tonight.”

  Was that a slam? I dropped my chin and stared at him.

  He knit his brows together. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Hello? I’m a girl.”

  “Oh,” he stuttered, backtracking to cover his butt. “I didn't mean it like that. It’s just,” —he scratched the back of his head— “my sisters bicker nonstop, and it gets on my nerves.” A meek smile touched his lips. “Sorry.”

  I kicked back in my seat and grunted a sound that said I wasn’t quite convinced he was telling the truth. My bare feet rested on the dash—a must for summertime.

  “Fine. It’s true my sister’s drive me crazy, but I’d much rather watch a movie with you.” His eyes trailed down my legs to my feet and back to my eyes.

  I gave him a sideways glance. “Look, Griff, I have a no B.S. policy. Don’t feed me any and I won’t feed it to you. Okay?”

  He stuck his hand over in my space. “I will only tell you the truth.”

  I looked at his hand, debating if he could even speak truth.

  He had confided what was going on with his dad.

  “You’re supposed to shake it.”

  I gripped it, and we shook on it. “Deal.”

  “It wasn’t a lie.”

  I rolled my eyes, but I hoped it was true.

  “You look so different from what I remember. Your hair was so short. And now…” He reached his fingers to one of my braids but stopped. “Those braids don’t hurt?”

  “No.” I snickered. “It hurts a little when I get them done because they pull so hard.” I shrugged. “It’s not bad.”

  He leaned toward me. “Can I feel them?”

  My eyebrows shot up.

  He chuckled. “Is that weird?”

  “Uh, yeah.” Maybe it was weird, but it was probably just as weird that I wanted him to. I lifted a few and said, “Just for you Griffan.” Oh, my gosh. I was flirting again. Was that what he was doing?

  His tentative smile widened as he grasped one row and ran his thumb down to the rubber band. “It’s so silky.”

  My stomach flipped. Oh, boy.

  Darkness filled the area before the cartoon hot dog and soda played on the screen. I needed something to distract me from Mr. Ray Ban for a while and became engrossed in the movie.

  I folded my legs underneath me. We worked on the popcorn, and I shared my drink with him. We used to share everything. Kind of gross, but I tried not to think about the backwash.

  All through the movie, I stole glances of him and caught him doing the same. He wasn’t shy about it.

  His eyes were about the only thing that hadn’t changed since we were kids. It was amazing what puberty
did to the human body.

  The credits started playing, and Griff angled toward me. “I’d like to make up for being a lousy friend. Can I see you tomorrow?”

  I hesitated, about to say no, but I had to admit, he was fun and easy to be with. My lips rubbed together as my eyes traced the outline of his mouth. Friend or one of my boys of summer? “Okay.”

  9

  Jaden

  Heat reflected off the concrete as I passed the white Porsche Panamera parked along the curb by my house. Its beauty was a total contrast with everything that surrounded it. Summertime could turn everything upside down in this town. It seemed to be doing exactly that to my life this year.

  I opened the white washed side door and went inside. After smelling diner food on myself the entire long, hot walk from the diner, I was ready for a shower.

  As soon as I shut the door, I heard Tucker making a fuss, but it was muffled by music and Ben and Griffan’s laughter. I passed through the small kitchen and saw all three of them standing in front of the television. I parked myself at the edge of the island between the two rooms and watched.

  A new song began, and their bodies moved in sync. I peeked in between them and saw the dance party game on the screen. My brothers, dancing?

  Their booties moved back and forth, taking a step here and there—dancing. It was all I could do to keep from busting out laughing. Griff was smooth, though. He knew what he was doing. The only time I danced was in my room by myself or at a summertime party if I was lucky enough to find a guy who liked it.

  Griff turned to see me propped against the island with my eyes glued to his—um, him. Heat raced up my neck and into my cheeks. He already had a giant smile on his face, but it changed to something I wasn’t prepared to see. A grin that said he knew I was watching him, and he liked it.

  “Busted!” he said with a laugh that made my insides go jittery.

  The boys both turned. Tucker pointed a finger at me. “Don’t you dare tell anyone about this.”

  Thank you, Tuck, for interrupting my embarrassment. I raised my eyebrows to continue the deflection. “Who are you afraid I’ll tell?”

  “No one,” he rushed out. “Just don’t.”

  Ben cracked up. “I’ve got the moves, and Tucker’s jealous.”

  Tucker shoved Ben’s shoulder. “Whatever.”

  Ben pushed him back. “Griff’s teaching us how to dance with the ladies.”

  I adjusted my bag and took a few steps onto the tan carpet of the room. “Yeah? Looks like you’re dancing by yourselves to me. Is this a boys-only party? I can take off if y’all want to be alone.”

  “Shut up, Jaded,” Tucker grumbled.

  The flirty smile Griff was wearing fell. To my knowledge, he hadn’t heard anyone call me that.

  I wanted to say it was okay, but I figured it was best just to drop it. “I need to take a shower. You two have your chores done?”

  Tucker turned back to the TV. “Yeeesss. Now get out of here so I can practice.”

  I followed the sandy colored wall of the living room into the hall to my bedroom doorway. The heat of Griff’s eyes on me was ramping up the jitters. When I reached the safety of my room, I dropped my bag and stared at my minimal wardrobe hanging in the closet. Why were most of my clothes dark? It was summer. Apart from my bathing suits, I seriously needed some clothes that showed I lived in a beach town.

  Griff and I hung out at Luci’s after I got off work a few nights ago. He’d been around a lot. And I liked it. But today he was hanging out with my brothers? That was fine. I wasn’t jealous. Nope. Just another summer day. And summer equaled beach time. A bikini it was. I grabbed my clothes, opened the door, and nearly ran into Griff.

  He stood there with his fist up, ready to knock.

  My hand flew to my chest. “You scared me.”

  “I, uh.” He glanced down at the old, rust-colored carpeting at our feet.

  Mom hadn’t changed the bedroom carpets out yet. Griffan probably couldn’t believe the shabby furnishings. I was surprised he’d even spend time in this house after having the best of everything.

  “I’ve been thinking about what you said. You know, that first day at my grandma’s?” He shifted his weight.

  I nodded and stood in my doorway, hugging my clothes.

  “You’re so much… If things were swapped and you were the one who left me in the same circumstances…” He paused and looked over my head. “When Tucker called you…Jaded, I didn’t like it.” He reached his hand to trail his fingers down the side of my face all the way to my shoulder. “That’s not who you are. You care so much about your family. People need to see the amazing, beautiful girl I see.”

  His touch caused my body to stiffen, but I didn’t want him to take it back. Boys had called me beautiful before, but they were only words. They only said it because their vacation in Sterling Beach was over, and they were leaving. I’d never see them again.

  I swallowed down the bubbles fizzing inside me. Pull yourself together, Jade. I lowered my gaze, blinking profusely. It didn’t help. His shirt fit him too well. I shrugged. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.” I pressed my palm against his chest. That was a mistake. It took some inner strength not to drop what was in my hands, slide them around his neck, and bring us closer together. But I smelled like fried food from working at Star Diner. “Uh,” —I held up my suit— “I’m gonna wash the diner off me and head for the beach.”

  He nodded and took a step backward.

  I held my breath and crossed the hallway into the bathroom. What if these feelings going on between Griffan and me were real? So far, he wasn’t the arrogant, self-absorbed brat I expected him to be.

  After I showered and dressed, I went back to my room. Ben was sitting on my bed. He waved me in and whispered, “Close the door.”

  I knit my eyebrows together. “What?”

  “The door,” he hissed.

  I shut the door and sat on the bed, smoothing my coral colored blanket with my palm.

  He worked his jaw to the side, seeming more serious than usual. “I know you’ve had a grudge against Griffan for a long time. I did too.” He scratched the back of his head.

  Ben wasn’t much of a talker, so when he wanted to talk, it was worth listening to. “And?”

  “I think he’s legit. I’ve been watching him since the first family dinner we had. He’s been consistent. Gets ticked when his dad’s mentioned, but you do the same with our dad.”

  I shook my head. “What do you mean, ‘legit’?”

  “I don’t think he’s pretending or lying. He’s been here since this morning.”

  My nose wrinkled. “Why?”

  “Hang out. Ask questions about you.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

  I swatted Ben’s arm. “What did you say?”

  “Me? Not much, but you know Tucker can’t keep his mouth shut.”

  “Great.” A frustrated sigh came out when I fell back on top of my bed. “What did Tucker say?”

  “Everything. At least what he remembers. You know we were just kids when they lived here. I do have a memory of us all on the beach. That’s about it.”

  I leaned up on my elbows. “What about your grudge?”

  “You said he ruined your life. But maybe it wasn’t like you thought it was. Mom and Dad fighting is what I remember most.”

  “Hey,” Tuck hollered, and then pounded on the door. “Come on. We’re going with Griff to grab a burger on the strand, and swim at his private beach.”

  I dipped my chin and said to Ben, “So they’re best buds now?”

  Ben snorted.

  I gave a theatrical eye roll as I stood up.

  Ben grabbed my wrist. “Just think about what I said, okay? Forgiveness isn’t a bad thing.”

  10

  Griffan

  Jade paddled out on the body board. I trailed behind her, mostly because I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes to myself. And watching her glide through the water is poetic. Seriously. Her long braids fell
across her back, and I could see each muscle move and flex with every arm stroke. God’s creation of the female body was truly awesome.

  It was the first time she hadn’t worn a shirt over her bikini top. I’ve seen plenty of girls in bikinis. Jade belongs in one.

  She stopped paddling. I dove under the cool water and came alongside her. “Thanks for hanging out today.” I slid the board under my body.

  She chuckled. “I like the privacy of this place… and hanging out with you.”

  Her dark eyes had lost the edge I’d seen at the Pizzeria. “Does this mean we’re friends?”

  She looked across the ocean, biting on the corner of her lip.

  I waited for her to answer me, but got impatient. “So that’s a no. You hate my guts.”

  A smile lifted her cheeks before she turned my way. The sun made the beads of water in her hair, on her skin, sparkle like glitter. “If I hated you, I wouldn’t be hanging out with you, but I’m not the same little girl you used to know.”

  Could I trust her enough to say what’s on my mind?

  I took her hand and rotated our boards so that we were face to face. “What if I don’t want things to be like they were. I know you’re different.” I couldn’t control the smile overtaking my face. “I like this bad-ass version better.”

  She stared at me with her eyes wide and glued to me as if a tragic event was unfolding before her. She finally blinked, and asked, “Why?”

  I chuckled. Not because her question was funny, but I couldn’t believe I was actually going to answer with the truth. And that in itself proved how much I had changed. “This is going to sound crazy, but when I’m with you, I’m nervous and at ease at the same time. You’re real. Not fake or superficial like the people I’ve been around since I left here.”

  The energy of the ocean rose and fell beneath us a couple of times. My chest tightened. I was about to take my defeat and dunk under the surface when she said, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “You should. Absolutely.” I gave her a slow grin and considered what it would be like to kiss her.