Wild Child

“Then it’s time you learned how.” Ellie handed her the flyer. “Tomorrow morning, you’ll go down to the Surf Shack and sign up for the tournament. And you’ll tell Drew you want a private lesson from him.”

Ellie made things sound so simple. “What if he says no?” Sara asked.

“You wear that orange bikini and a big smile and I guarantee he won’t say no.” She patted Sara’s hand again. “Come on. A woman who can handle million-dollar real estate transactions ought to be able to persuade a guy she likes to spend time with her.”

Sara nodded, still unsure, but she was determined to overcome her doubts. She was tired of being a bystander in life, and never a participant. If she didn’t do something, she was going to waste the best years of her life working all the time and end up alone. “Okay,” she said. “Tomorrow I’ll do it. But let’s not talk about it anymore.” She didn’t want to risk talking herself right out of this crazy idea. “I want to hear what you did today. How did it go with Matt and Candy?”

“When I left the two of them Candy was playing nose-to-the-grindstone—going on about work and some computer presentation and needing his input. Matt was looking as if he didn’t know what hit him.” Ellie grinned. “If Candy would only open her eyes and really look at my brother, she’d realize how crazy he is about her. I mean, come on—she’s every red-blooded man’s dream babe. But she’s so convinced he sees her as an airhead. She can’t believe he might be interested.”

And Ellie obviously couldn’t see that she might be a little prejudiced in her brother’s favor. “Matt is a great guy,” Sara said. “And of course you love him. But maybe he’s too serious for a woman like Candy. The girl does like to party.”

Ellie shook her head. “I have a sense for these kinds of things. I have a feeling this vacation is going to be very good for Matt and Candy.”

It was just like Ellie to always be worrying about others’ problems. She’d turned her coffee shop, Dark Gothic Roast, into therapy central for their office complex. But what did Ellie want? “What did you do after you left Candy and Matt?” Sara asked.

“I walked along the beach and checked out all the stuff set up for the festival. There’s a huge carnival, all kinds of games and attractions and the film set where they’re going to be taping a special episode of the show.” She squirmed and glanced at Sara out of the corner of her eye. “They’re even going to be auditioning for extras tomorrow morning.”

“That’s awesome,” Sara said. “You should try out.” She didn’t know anyone who was a bigger fan of Sin on the Beach than Ellie, and though she probably would never have admitted it, Sara sensed an inner diva in her friend dying to get out.

“Oh, I could never do that,” Ellie protested. She glanced down at her black shorts and shirt. “I don’t exactly have the Sin on the Beach style they’re looking for.”

“So we give you the style,” Sara said. “You’ve got a gorgeous figure. You’re young and hip. All you need is to lighten your hair a little, add a little color to your wardrobe and voila! Instant beach babe.”

Ellie looked doubtful. “I don’t know….”

“You know you want to do this,” Sara said.

“Yes, but… There is one other problem.”

“What is it?”

“I know the director.”

“That’s great!” She studied Ellie’s pained expression. “Isn’t it?”

Ellie shrugged. “His name’s Bill. We were next-door neighbors when I was a kid. I doubt if he even remembers me.”

Something in Ellie’s expression helped Sara read between the lines. “But you remember him,” she said.

Ellie nodded. “I had a huge crush on him back then.” She paused, then added, “When I saw him today, it was as if nothing had changed.” She smiled. “He is so hot, and he has this awesome tattoo.”

Sara laughed. Ellie had a thing for guys with tattoos. “This gets better and better,” she said.

“What do you mean better?” Ellie said. “I can’t think of anything worse than blowing it in front of my old crush.”

“Who says you’re going to blow it?” Sara said. “And I’m not so convinced he doesn’t remember you. You’re not exactly an easy woman to forget.”

“I was just a kid,” Ellie said. “Nothing like I am now.”

“All the more reason to show him how grown-up you are,” Sara said. “Think about it. Candy and Matt are bound to end up with something going on this trip. You’ve convinced me to see how far I can get with Drew. Now you need to go forward with Bill.”

Ellie grinned. “When you put it that way… I mean, I wouldn’t want to let the two of you down.”

“That’s the spirit. If I can work up the nerve to sign up for surfing lessons, then you can find the courage to go to that audition.”

Their eyes met and Ellie nodded. “Okay, it’s a deal.”

They clasped hands. “Beach babes unite,” Sara said.

“The men won’t know what hit them,” Ellie echoed. “This is going to be the best vacation ever.”

DREW COUNTED the last of the change in the register and shut the drawer with a bang. Time to start another day in the salt mines. Of course, running a surf shop wasn’t the same as hard labor, but it wasn’t the carefree surfing lifestyle he’d once enjoyed. His conversation with Sara yesterday afternoon had reminded him how much was missing in his life.

And in hers, too, by the sound of things. Too bad she’d had to leave when she did. Of course, he knew where to find her, but maybe it was better to end things before they started. For all they had in common, neither one of them seemed to have room in their lives for a relationship.

“What are you so glum about?” Gus spoke from his customary place on a stool at the end of the front counter. Dressed in red board shorts and a worn T-shirt that proclaimed Surfers Stay on Longer, Gus still wore the long sideburns and handlebar mustache that had been his trademark in his surfing days, though his hair was now white instead of blond. Seventy years and two heart attacks had hardly slowed him down. If anything, Gus seemed more determined than ever to go at life full tilt.

Between the stress of managing a booming business and worries about Gus overdoing it, it was a wonder Drew slept at all. “I’ve got a lot on my mind, that’s all,” he said.

“You’re too young to be such a sad sack,” Gus said. “You need to get out and have some fun.” He picked up a bright-orange flyer from a stack at the end of the counter. “This Sin on the Beach festival has all kinds of things you could get involved in.” He took a pair of glasses from his shirt pocket and put them on, then read from the flyer. “There’s limbo dancing, a pool tournament, volleyball, body painting—hmm, now that sounds interesting. Oh, and look—surfing.” He grinned at Drew over the edge of the paper. “It says here the surfing competition is sponsored by Beach Babe Bronzer and the Surf Shack. Guess that means you’re disqualified from entering.”

“Guess so,” Drew said. He’d signed up months ago to sponsor the contest, thinking it would be good publicity. Everyone who wanted to enter the competition had to sign up in person at the Surf Shack, and he was offering special deals on equipment rental and lessons.

“Just as well.” Gus laid aside the paper and took off his glasses. “I hear the judge for the contest is really tough. Some former surfing champion or something.”

“Is that right?” Drew grinned. “I hear he’s just some old geezer.”

Gus joined in Drew’s laughter. “I may be old, but I can still out-surf three quarters of the young dudes on this beach,” he said.

“Maybe so.” Drew’s expression sobered. “But you don’t have to prove anything to them. Remember what the doctor said.”

“Doctors!” Gus’s voice was filled with scorn. “They may know a lot about medicine, but what do they know about living? The only reason I’m in as good a shape as I am at my age is because I’ve stayed active. How many of those doctors do you think could hang ten on a monster curl? I could do it with my eyes closed.”

Drew knew the old man was telling the truth. Back in the day, Gus Jamison had been a three-time world surfing champion. Two generations of surfers had learned to shred waves under his tutelage. But his heart attacks had ended all that—if only Drew could get his grandfather to accept it.

He picked up the clipboard that held the entry forms for the surfing competition and ruffled through the papers. “You’re not going to have time for surfing anyway,” he said. “I expect we’re going to be really busy during this festival. I’ll need your help here in the shop.”

“Sure, I’ll help out as much as I can,” Gus said. “But I’m going to be spending some time down at the Sin on the Beach set.”

Drew had a good idea why his grandfather might be attracted to the television production. Gus might be seventy, but he still had an appreciation for pretty women in bikinis. “What business do you have down there?” Drew asked. “Are you hoping one of those actresses will need help with her wardrobe?”

Gus sat up straighter. “For your information, I’ve been hired for a role in the series.”

All the breath rushed out of Drew and he stared at his grandfather. “What?”

“Some producer from the show came in here yesterday afternoon while you were out. He was looking for props to use on the set. We got to talking and the next thing I knew he asked if I’d be interested in a small part in the episode they’re filming.” Gus stroked his mustache. “I guess he recognized star quality when he saw it.”

Drew shook his head. “Grandpa, you never cease to amaze me.”