Girls' day at the beach

This morning I dragged my feet, hard. Going to the beach was never my idea of fun. I didn't tan, I burned. The feeling of sand in my toes or anywhere else is not welcomed. Sweating? No thank you. Nothing about the beach was exciting to me. Bryson had to nearly carry me to the car for us to leave this morning.
"They didn't say you needed to come," I grumbled from the front seat.
"No, I know buts it's the beach!" We clearly had different views on the location. "Plus you were well on your way to being late." Wrinkling my nose, I looked out the window.

Joe was waiting for me in the room while Gold sat in his office. Bryson cheerfully entered Gold's office and closed the door behind him. Before my brain could process it, Joe handed me a wad of fabric. Pulling the pieces apart I looked at them, then at him.
"A bikini? Are you fucking with me?" He frowned slightly.
"Kohl's had a sale, and I'm sure you'll look great in this." Sighing, I walked into the room to change. Today was severely not my day.

One of the many cons to being a ginger, you are pale. White looked dark compared to my skin color, I was nearly translucent or fluorescent, I couldn't decide. The bikini was a dark green color with palm tree leaves and flowers all over. The suit was cute, it wasn't my style.
"Joe, there is no way," I yelled through the door. I wasn't uncomfortable in my skin, I like how I looked for the most part but this wasn't in my comfort zone.
"Can I come in?" Tucking myself behind the door so Bryson couldn't see, I yelled,
"I guess." The second Joe saw me he smiled.
"Hot damn, okay girl." My cheeks felt as red as my hair. He riffled through the rack and grabbed a long black cloth. It has two handles like a bag or basket but no bottom.
"What is that?"
"A coverup. Come here." He waved me over to him. He threw the long fabric behind me, holding the two strings I thought were handles. He looped one around one arm and then the other. It made a wrap dress that crossed in the front.
"This is cute." I twirled slightly, looking at the dress in the floor-length mirror.
"Shoes." He tossed plastic, black flip-flops in front of me.

Leaving the room, Bryson was gone. Did he go home? I glanced up and down the hallway.
"He's still in Ralph's office." Joe gave me a look before going back to the kitchenette. Taking this as my chance, I ran after Joe for more coffee and hopefully some food. This morning I stayed in bed too long to eat breakfast.

Joe made me sausage links and a grilled cheese with mozzarella cheese. I sat at the table with syrup, my plate, and coffee when Bryson walked into the room.
"That does not look beach ready." He smiled at me.
"I had the gather my strength," I said with a mouth full of my sandwich.
"Are you eating a grilled cheese with syrup?"
"Yeah." He wrinkled his nose.
"Gross."
"Don't knock it until you tried it."
"No, I'm so good." He stole a sausage link and waited for me to finish my food. Gold stood in the corner of the kitchenette, watching us. He barely spoke, more in observation mode which made me uneasy.

Joe drove us to the beach in the Forestons truck. He parked in some bushes to hide the vehicle.
"Coverup." He stuck out his hand. My jaw dropped.
"I can't even wear my coverup?" Joe shook his head and handed me a thin towel.
"Towel for decoration but coverup stays with me." Sticking my tongue at him, I slowly slipped the fabric off. Bryson's attention caught on me. I felt naked. His eyes trailed down me, like mine had done on him many times. In my head, I was much more inconspicuous. My cheeks felt warm with discomfort. Licking my lips, I pushed my sunglasses up my nose.
"You are going to kill this." Joe grabbed my shoulders.
"Please don't make me do this," I begged.
"Rene, you are stunning and smart. This is just a job. Nothing more. Enjoy the sun, god knows your skin could use it."
"I burn." I snapped. Smiling, he handed Bryson the bottle of sunscreen. Another thing I hate about the beach is the smell of sunscreen.
"Bryce, can you apply this for her." My body went stiff. Bryson looked at Joe wide-eyed.
"Me?"
"Yeah, she can't get her back."

The tension between Bryson and me as he applied the sunscreen was nearly palpable. The lotion was cold but his hands felt warm.
"Can you move your hair?" Grabbing my braid I pulled it forward again and pushed up the stray hairs. "Thanks." My heart was slamming in my chest. The electricity sparkled in the wake of his hands. Joe was looking at me with a smile, proud of himself. I could smack him, and probably would later. Once I felt my back was fine, I grabbed the bottle of lotion and started to apply it everywhere else. Bryson stepped back towards to truck.

Throwing the sunscreen in the bag in the back I closed the truck door. With as little clothing, as I was wearing I couldn't even use a mic and earpiece. I was completely on my own. Bryson grunted as Joe elbowed him and whispered something to him. I watched the girls on their towels for another moment. I spun back around.
"I can't do this."
"What? Why not?"
"I don't know what to do!" Joe put his hand on his hip.
"Talk about hair, makeup, clothing, shopping, boys, other stuff."
"I don't know anything about any of that!"
"Tell your sob story. Mom is a military woman, grandma died when you were young and she was the one who taught you how to be a lady." I fiddled with a string on my bikini. "Girls love a good sob story." I scrunched my face. "Not you, you're different." Joe scrunched his face back at me.
"Rene," Bryson grabbed my attention. "If you can dance in a ballroom full of rich people and stab me with an epiPen within a few hours, you can talk to a group of your own gender on the beach." I drew in a deep breath. I could do this, right?
"Walk like thunder." Joe tried to empower me.
"How the hell do I walk like a rainstorm?" Bryson snickered behind him.
"I can go talk to them." He offered.
"Oh dear lord. We will get less than nothing. I got it, bye." I waved him off and headed over. Oh my god, what do I say?

I stood in front of the group of girls, they all were looking up at me. My entire body was sweating from nerves and the 11 o'clock sun. I was completely on my own on this one.
"I love your bathing suits," I said as I dropped to my knees, not giving them a chance to reject me. "Where did you get them?" They smiled.
"Old Navy." Said the girl with the big sun hat. I smiled wider, Old Navy will forever remind me of what I think past Bryson looks like.
"Your hair is stunning!" Said the blonde who reminded me of Bubbles from The Power Puff Girls.
"Thanks."
"I'm Cindy."
"Rene." I couldn't stop smiling in my panic.
"Since everyone else is rude," Cindy rolled her eyes. "This is Marcia," she pointed to the girl with wavy, black hair. "Lydia," she pointed to the girl with the big sun hat and baby blue one piece. Her skin was a dark tan color, I couldn't tell if she was Spanish or tanned a lot. "Summer," she gestured to the girl glued to her phone in a dark, flowery swimsuit. "And Hazel. She's getting married soon." Hazel had mousy brown hair she pulled back in a low pony. She had a bright white swimsuit she was desperately trying to keep clean from the sand. "We're all here for her bachelorette party. Too bad Kimberly and Jan couldn't make it." Cindy frowned. I made a mental note that they brought up the two I already had been suspicious of.

They told me a little about themselves. Some of the girls rave about their soon-to-be husbands. Most of the bunch was getting married, minus Summer. She was desperately single Monica stated.
"When we get married, my husband is going to open a small business." Lydia raved as she laid back on her towel. That sparked my interest.
"What kind?" I pushed.
"Oh, some financial firm thing." She waved her hand, not seeming to care much about the details. Taking inventory of everyone's facial expressions, I made another mental note and tucked that away.

The sun was hot, my skin was slick with sweat. For most of the conversation I said a few words, the rest was their playful banter. My brain was a sponge and absorbing as much as possible.
"Ugh, Hayes texted me again." Said, Summer.
"Let's get Rene's input since you don't seem to listen to any of us." Marcia gave her friend a stern look.
"Oh no. I'm not very good with guys. I can't even date the guy I like."
"Why not?" Their attention turned fully to me. My stomach knotted.
"Well, we work together and we have a strict no dating policy." They all frowned, that's how I felt too.
"Tell us about him."
"Bryce?"
"Is that his name?" I nodded. "Yes, tell us everything." Thanking my lucky stars I wasn't mic'd, I continued.
"Uh, okay." How the hell do I tell what I do without blowing my cover?! "Well, when I first started we hated each other. Couldn't stand to be within 10 feet of each other, really." I laughed a little, half out of nerves the other half out of memories. "Then one day our boss shoved us in a room and made us work it out. We screamed our heads off for a while." The girls clung to every word I said. "Then, well, I don't know. We started to get along. We are the two closest in age so it was kind of natural for us to bond but I guess for me it went deeper. I enjoy working with him. We even hang out outside of work."
"Is he hot?" Hazel blurted out.
"Extremely."
"Do you have a picture?" Cindy piped up.
"Yeah." I grabbed my phone. Joe had texted me making sure I was doing okay. I quickly sent a thumbs up and searched my photos for the picture of Bryson and me at the rich people's party. I found it and showed them.
"Girl, oh my god! Look at you!" My cheeks felt warm with embarrassment. They were supposed to be looking at him. "I mean, the guy is delicious, especially in a suit, but you are stunning!"
"Where did you two go?"
"It's a company party."
"What do you do that you looked that good?"
"We work for a security company." That wasn't a lie, completely. They seemed to have bought it and nodded their heads.
"Hot damn, okay." Hazel's nose nearly pressed against my screen.

After the question of Bryson dropped it was back to Summer and her drama.
"Since we now know my crummy luck, what do you have Summer?" I leaned forward on my hands.
"Okay, so." I stopped her.
"No, stop. Never a good sign. You are immediately going to protect him and tell me how to feel. No. Red flag. Leave. A sign of manipulation." Their mouths hung open. My nerves made me ramble and I made it weird.
"Damn she's good." Cindy grinned as she twirled the end of her pigtail between her fingers.
"Are you always that good with reading people?" Marcia asked. My palms pooled with sweat.
"Sometimes." I wiped the sweat from my hands on my towel. "My best friend dates shit men, you know the signs." Shrugging my shoulders, I tried to play it off.
"Tell me about it." Lydia smacked Summer's arm.
"Not fair." They giggled together. My heart aches for a friendship like theirs.
"Ugh, we better get going to meet up with the guys before we go out tonight." Cindy stood from her beach chair. My pulse quickened. I knew we had sat here awhile talking but I felt like I was still just as empty-handed as before.
"We're going out tonight. A hole in the wall bar. Wanna come?" Lydia invited me.
"I already have plans with my friend Joe."
"Joe?" They smirked.
"Oh no, it's not like that. Joe's gay. A circle is straighter than he is." They erupted with laughter.
"A gay best friend is always fun to have." I nodded. Joe was my best friend, I told him everything. He was the only person in my life who knew how I felt about Bryson, how I truly felt.
"Shame," Marcia said. "Well, have fun."
"Thanks, you guys too."
"Hope to run into you soon." I smiled and stood up. Pretending I got a call, I put my phone to my ear.
"Hello?" I waited a moment. "I hear you, god you're so needy." I started to walk towards the truck and waved goodbye to the group.

Bryson and Joe met me at the truck.
"You guys talked forever," Bryson complained.
"Welcome to females." Joe laughed. "So how'd it go?"
"Good. They were nice. Kind of makes me wish I had a group of girlfriends."
"Oh no. You don't want that." We climbed in. Bryson sat in the back seat.
"Why not?"
"Girls are so two-faced. They are probably all talking shit about you." My heart sank. I knew this was a job and they never could really care about me but the thought of them trashing me hurt.
"I doubt it," Bryson said from the backseat, grabbing my shoulder. "They are probably talking about how perfect you are." I gave him a soft smile before turning my attention out the window. I appreciated his attempt at making me feel better.

After a few dragged-out moments of silence, Joe spoke again.
"Did they allude to any future plans?" My attention was still focused out the window.
"Uh, yeah. They invited me to go to some bar with them."
"What did you say?" Bryson pulled my seat back.
"That Joe and I have plans."
"We need to go to that bar!" Joe thumped the steering wheel with his palm.
"I don't know what bar it is." I played with the hem on my coverup. "She just said it was some hole in the wall."
"Oh, I have an idea where they are going." What did I just get roped into?
"Can I come?" Bryson piped up again from the back seat.
"No!" Joe and I said in unison.

We got back to Forestons and unloaded the little amount of stuff we had in the truck. My skin was still raising heat from the beach, slightly pink. Someone grabbed my shoulder, I stopped, looking up at him.
"I didn't mean to hurt you," Joe said softly. "It's lonely as an agent. I have had more fun with you in this last year than I have in a very long time. I'm convinced I will die a spinster."
"I'd marry you if I could." He smiled a little. Pulling me in for a hug, he kissed the top of my head.
"I know," He whispered into my hair. "And I love you for that."