Chloe
God, it was hot. Summer tended to be fierce, but today was even worse than usual. I shifted the straps of my swimsuit, sure I was getting terrible lines. Then again, who cared? It wasn’t like anyone saw me naked lately, or ever. I had the somewhat predictable dilemma of being someone who flirted with casual ease but used it as a way to avoid getting close to people.
My watch vibrated, and I knew it was an important call. I had my watch programmed to notify me of calls from one number only.
“Lara, can you watch the pool? I need a bathroom break!” I called to one of the aquafit instructors.
She nodded, turning back to her phone lazily. The instructors were like superstars around here. They taught their classes, and the rest of their time was their own. Lucky bitches. Not that I was jealous or anything.
As nonchalantly as possible, I headed toward the staff toilets. I wasn’t supposed to leave the pool to an untrained staff member, but there was no one in the water, and sometimes a girl had to pee. I wasn’t that girl, but I needed to look at my phone.
I closed the door of the tiny cabana used for staff changing and storing an endless number of floats. I grabbed my bag from my locker, crossed to the bathroom, and went inside. The air was thick and hot, and I shuddered as I pulled out my phone, trying to ignore the sweat running like a river between my breasts.
I quickly called my only saved number.
“Good morning, Hill View Homes.”
“Good morning, this is Chloe Devereux. I’m returning a missed call.”
“Ah, yes, Chloe. It was Doctor Carl. He wants to up your mother’s doses, so we’ll need a top-up to the medicines account, I’m afraid.” The nurse’s voice was apologetic, but no amount of soft, pleasing tones could soften the blow.
“How much?” I croaked, my mouth suddenly dry as a desert.
“Another four hundred should cover it. I’ll let you know if it turns out to be more, okay, hun?”
A dial tone filled my ear, and I stared hard at the flimsy little blind that covered the window. A spider hung from a web in the topmost corner. The slightest breeze would dislodge its home and all its hard work. I knew how it felt. I was always an ill wind away from losing everything too.
Tears threatened to squeeze from my tired eyes, but I had no time to feel sorry for myself. I had to get back to the pool. I needed this job more than ever.
I opened the bathroom door and walked right into another person. Crap. I’d been caught slacking. I plastered a smile on my face and hid my phone behind my back as I met sea-green eyes. Double crap. It would have to be the new boss. Today was not my day. You couldn’t buy luck like mine.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at the pool?” Evan’s voice whipped at me.
“I had to use the restroom. Time of the month,” I babbled, blushing almost as red as my bathing suit.
Evan nodded. “Of course. Well, if you’re ready, you’d best get out there. I’m not sure Lara would bother to get up if someone drowned.”
I nodded and was about to scoot past when a huge, warm hand landed on my arm. “Don’t forget to leave your cell phone in your locker. You wouldn’t want it to get wet.” Mr. Sutton’s voice was gently mocking, and I couldn’t work out if he was enjoying scaring me or amused by me.
I stuffed my phone into my locker, and a bottle of sunblock fell out onto the floor. I bent over to grab it. “I’ll take this with me. Hot today,” I muttered, shoving my locker closed. I grabbed my huge value bottle of sunblock like a life ring in a turbulent ocean and hurried away.
* * *
It took aboutthirty minutes for my face to return to a normal color. I sat at the lifeguard perch and chewed my lip, stewing on the extra money I had to come up with this month and presumably every month. What about term time? I was a part-time student at the local college, studying marine biology. What a joke. What was I going to do with a marine biology degree?
I’d never even been further than a few hundred miles from Hill View, and while I loved the beach and the ocean, I couldn’t kid myself I had any kind of future in that direction. It was a ridiculous, impossible dream and a terrible indulgence. I had a small scholarship for studying, which made it possible to get by, but what was I playing at? I should be working full-time all year round at a local bar. Or maybe I could get a job at the library or something, though those were hard to come by.
I turned the bottle of sunblock in my hands and stared at the blue depths of the empty pool. Four hundred dollars? It might as well be a million for all the chance I had of earning so much extra every month.
“You do know that sunblock only works if you put it on?” A deep voice distracted me from my endless loop of negative thoughts.
I blinked down at Mr. Sutton. He was so damn tall that even on my perch, I wasn’t much taller than him. I straightened up, attempting to look a touch more professional. “Right. I knew I forgot something.”
He waited at the bottom of the ladder, and I had the feeling he was expecting me to get up and speak to him. Great, in trouble already, so what was new? I stood and carefully climbed down the ladder. The height difference was restored as I stepped to the ground, and I had to shade my eyes as I looked up at him. I wasn’t particularly short. He was just tall as hell.
“Chloe, isn’t it? Call me Rhett. I have a job for you. I need a fresh take on the staff here, and I’d love the opinion of someone who isn’t afraid to speak their mind. I’ll also have Evan’s insight, but I’d love yours too.”
“Really? Why me?”