The only shorts I have are the ones Lauren gave me at check-in that sport the resort logo, so I say, “I’m comfortable in this skirt.” She shrugs and we head down the steps.
“Do you work here?” I ask.
“Yeah. I’m a recreational therapist.”
“Oh. What does a recreational therapist do?”
“I put together treatment plans for the kids. Brett and I consult with one another, usually one or both of us with their therapists at home so we can provide the best care for them possible here for the week or two, however long they’re staying.”
I nod as if this all sounds normal. But I’ve got to admit, I’m confused. “And you do that here?” I say, pointing at the ground.
She looks at me funny. “Yeah. Are you familiar with what this resort is set up for?”
I clear my throat. “Maybe not.”
“Families who have kids with disabilities or who need accommodations come here for vacation. The resort is set up with them in mind.”
“Oh. Wow,” I say, feeling ridiculous for having missed this in my two minutes of research I did for the job I applied for. I simply searched Jobs in Florida Panhandle with employee housing and thought the stars had aligned when these people responded. “Shouldn’t all resorts have them in mind?”
“I imagine most all resorts are ADA compliant, but we go past the minimum requirements. Kids Company is a place where parents can drop their kids and feel completely comfortable that they’re in the hands of trained professionals who have made an effort to get to know them before they even arrive.”
“That’s amazing. Truly. And Brett…is he also a recreational therapist?”
“He’s an occupational therapist.” She eyes me. “What job did you take here?”
My neck heats up. “Pool attendant?” I say, like I’m asking permission.
She shrugs as if accepting my fate and takes a sip of her beer as we walk down the sidewalk.
“Tori!” shouts a guy from a porch at one of the housing units that looks exactly like Brett’s. “Skip the bonfire. Bring your friend here and hang with us.” Tori simply holds up her middle finger and we keep walking.
She leads us to the end of the street, where we cut through the backyards of some condominiums and make our way to the top of a flight of stairs. Down below, a bonfire swells with flames licking up toward the sky. People our age swarm around laughing, dancing, and hooking up. I haven’t been to a party like this since college. The get-togethers in our friend group back home involve expensive bottles of wine, hors d’oeuvres, and couples sitting around debating Turks and Caicos versus Tuscany.
Tori grins at me. “Come on, pool girl. Let’s find some boys who can hold our interest.”
We scurry down the beach access stairs, and when we reach the bottom, Tori kicks off her flip-flops near a pile of shoes, so I follow suit. My toes melt into sand as fine as powdered sugar. “Wow, I’ve never felt sand like this before,” I say.
Tori grins. “Welcome to the panhandle.”
I follow her into the party, where a cute guy grabs her and pulls her to him like he’s going to kiss her. She pushes him away and then pulls him down to her by his T-shirt, kissing him on her terms. She turns to me, smiling. “This is Logan. He bartends at Big Fish Pub at the Circle. So if you ever need a free drink, he’s your guy.”
I nod, my neck going warm, because he’s super cute. Do they breed them cuter in Florida? “The Circle…that’s where they have all the restaurants and games and stuff?”
“Yep,” he says, wrapping his arm around Tori’s waist.
“Kylie’s new,” Tori says. “She starts Monday.”
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“I’m starting at the lagoon pool,” I say, avoiding the inevitable.
“Lifeguard?” he asks.
The pit of my stomach sinks. “No, pool attendant.”
He shrugs. “That’s cool. Your drinks are definitely free.”
“Like she wants to hang with the tourists.” Tori covers the side of her mouth and points at him, whispering, “Weak.”
Logan picks her up and tosses her over his shoulder. “I’ll show you weak.” He runs off with her as she squeals at him, pounding on his back.
I take a deep breath, realizing I’m totally solo. I knew I should never have left Brett’s room. I look around at all the people, feeling like a whale in a river.
My eye is drawn to a couple. The girl is leaned up against a WaveRunner and the guy has his legs spread apart, leaning in toward her. She grins up at him like she’d rather be nowhere else on the planet. He runs his hand across her cheek, resting it on the back of her neck, smoothing his thumb over her jawline. My stomach fizzes like I can understand what she’s experiencing.
I’ve never once had a guy make me feel that dominated. My relationship with Joshua has been so settled from the beginning, so ordinary…predictable.
My heartbeat pounds for her as he takes her hand, so confident, knowing she’s totally ready to surrender herself to him. They start to walk away when he turns his head toward the fire, and heat rushes through my whole body as I realize it’s Brett. I thought his shaggy hair was brown, but now that it’s dry, I see it’s dirty blond.
He catches my gaze and smiles at me like the dog that got the bone.
“Hey.” I turn to find a guy who has come up to me, tall, dark-haired, and so gorgeous I think I might need to step backward to take him in. His hair is cut short like a business guy, but with just enough wavy length to keep him youthful. His body’s tall and broad like a tight
