''Maybe you'll get it, then.''
''Carl, mate, I get it. I'd rather not touch her than play her. And it's got nothing to do with the fact her brother promised to break my legs.''
''Already having run-ins with the brother?'' He chuckles.
''I may or may not have imagined what her ass would look like bent over in front of me whilst he was in the room.''
Carl shakes his head and we ride the wave to shore, the wind blowing against us. Out here, on the water, I'm free. It's an escape, something to throw myself into. Something I need whenever Alexis Edwards is around me.
''You asked for it then,'' Carl says in response to my last comment.
''Thing is, if I did hurt her, I'd probably deserve broken legs. She's too good to hurt.''
~
ALEXIS
''Lexy?''
I hear my brother's voice calling my name and groan. I sit up and push my sunglasses to the top of my head, squinting.
''What do you want, Bing?'' I yell at him.
He jogs over to us and his eyes rake Jen's body.
''Just thought I'd come and spend some time with my baby sister,'' he says without taking his eyes off her.
I snap my fingers. ''I'm here, not on her chest, moron.''
Jen lowers her sunglasses and glares up at him.
''Who is your friend?'' he says, clearly struggling to keep his eyes on me. And people wonder why I don't spend time with him. Really.
''You remember Jen.'' I smirk.
''No way!'' He slaps his thigh. ''Well, you got hot, gorgeous.''
''I also got taken, Sam, so control yourself,'' she quips.
''Always the hot ones.'' He shakes his head.
''Bing, you've had more girls than most people have Sunday dinners.'' I look at him pointedly.
''Oh, shut it,'' He sits down.
''I guess you're hanging around, then?'' I sigh.
''Why not? It's a beautiful day,'' Bing grins and lies back, resting against the rock.
I huff and roll over onto my stomach, set on ignoring him.
''Hey, sis?'' he asks.
''What?'' I snap.
''Where's your guy?''
''I don't have a guy, Bing.''
''Sure ya do, Alec. I saw the way you were looking at each other yesterday.''
''Bing?'' I lift my head and look at him.
''What?''
''Go and f**k yourself.'' I look away and rest my head back on my arms, shutting my eyes.
''I was just sayin', sis. No need to get so defensive.'' He laughs. ''Gram seems to think you're well in there.''
''Gram would. She's the bloody instigator in this,'' I grumble.
Jen laughs. ''Your gram is a legend, I swear.''
''She's at home drinking Baileys and ice,'' Bing chuckles.
''I left her two hours ago.'' I shake my head. ''Can't leave her alone for ten minutes, she's like a child.''
''She's awesome, but very flighty,'' Jen comments. ''Kinda makes her, her, though, if you get me.''
''No.'' Bing shakes his head.
''Whatever, Bing.'' I mumble and wriggle, getting comfy.
''Lover boy's coming,'' he teases.
I swear, I'm gonna kill him one of these days.
CHAPTER FIVE
ALEXIS
''Fish and chips,'' Jen argues.
''With curry sauce,'' I add. ''Mmm.''
''Yes! That's what I'm talkin' about.'' Jen high fives me. ''Finally, someone on my wavelength!''
''You always want fish and chips, and that means going to Ilfracombe. Do you know how much effort that takes?'' Carl groans, trying in vain to wipe sand off his wetsuit.
''That's because I like sitting up there and eating. It's such a nice view. Plus, I need to get rid of my 2p's in the arcade.'' Jen leans against the car and folds her arms across her chest.
''Jen..''
''What do you wanna do, Princess?'' Alec appears from behind his car, fully changed.
''I wanna go to Ilfracombe for fish and chips, then get rid of 2p's in the arcade.'' I grin.
''Ilfracombe it is.'' He shrugs.
''Oh Jesus,'' Carl mutters. ''You're getting soft.''
''A girl wants what a girl wants.'' Alec winks at me and I roll my eyes, turning away so he won't see the slight flush in my cheeks. How does he have the power to turn me to a pile of mush?
''Yes!'' Jen punches the air and pulls open the car door. ''2p machine, here I come.''
I laugh at her excitement. It's so childlike, so refreshing, and so different to what I'm used to.
''Can we stop off at Gram's? I knew I brought my pig for a reason.'' I poke my head out the window and look at Alec.
''Anything for you, Princess.'' He beams at me, and I can't help but smile back.
''Bing isn't coming, is he?'' Jen asks me.
''No. He's leaving to spend a few days in Exeter with some friends. Thank god.''
''You don't mean that,'' Carl teases me. ''You love the banter.''
''About as much as I'd love a kick in the teeth,'' I snort. ''Yeah, I love him, but he drives me damn crazy.''
''That's siblings for you,'' Jen sighs. ''Talking of older siblings, my sister gets married in two weeks and she told me to invite you to the wedding. Your Gram is going.''
''Sure, I'd love to come.'' I smile at her. ''I can't believe she's getting married. I remember her screaming at us because we were chasing her with a lobster once.''
Jen bursts out laughing. ''Oh my god, I so remember that!''
Alec and Carl share a look from the front seats as Alec pulls away. After a quick stop off at Gram's involving helping Mum hide the Baileys and Vino, finding Gram's reading glasses and grabbing my pig, we head out of the Bay and towards Ilfracombe.
It's cooler in Ilfracombe than in Lilac Bay when we arrive, and Jen's stomach makes itself known as the smell of fish and chips drifts past us. I can hear the chinking of coins in the arcade, the happy shouts of children as their parents win stuffed toys out of the machines. The noise increases as we pass the Landmark Theatre and approach Tunnels Beaches.
Jen spies the fish and chip shop and grabs Carl's hand, dragging him towards it.
''I need food,'' is the only explanation she's willing to give.
I stop by Tunnels Beaches and lean on the wall, looking out to sea. The beach is small, rugged, and covered in pebbles. Even from my higher position I can see how gritty the 'sand' is.
The sea breeze drifts up towards me, teasing my hair gently, blowing it away from my face. I stand there absently, lost in a world of calm.
I remember coming here for days out - visits to Combe Martin's Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, Watermouth Castle, and the aquarium. Sometimes, we'd just sit on the beach and I'd listen to Westlife until my ears began to bleed. I smile slightly to myself at the memory, wishing I could plug myself into my iPod and listen to them.
ALEC
I watch her as she rests her arms on the wall and looks out to sea. The wind teases her hair, tiny locks of it blowing away from her face gently and I know I've never seen anything more peaceful. I've never seen anyone more beautiful.