“I can try,” Grace said. “I didn’t sleep well last night. Could you maybe loan her a baseball bat or something?”

“She’s a survivor, Grace. She knows it’s a bad neighborhood. She’s raised a sick kid on a nurse’s salary without any family support. She’s had to be a survivor and she can take care of herself. Don’t offend her. Let’s just see if we can throw some better options her way. But you have to go slowly.”

“Right. Slow. Not my favorite speed.”

“I know, honey.”

* * *

Charlie waited on the stairs near the beach, backpack beside him. Frank finally came into sight. He hadn’t seen Frank in three days. When he got close, Charlie stood. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and Frank mimicked the gesture with a grin. Frank wore his glasses instead of his contacts on the beach because of the wind and sand. Except that when Frank did it, he didn’t look like a little nerd. He looked more like Clark Kent.

“Where’ve you been, man?” Charlie asked.

“Mostly hanging out with Ashley, bud. Gals before pals, pardner. What’s up?”

“I’ve been waiting to tell you. I’m going to Thunder Point High this year. At least while my mom works for Winnie, which I hope will be a long time, but it’s not supposed to be.”

“Fantastic. I think. Did your mom make that happen?”

“Nah. My mom would never ask for anything. Winnie suggested it, since I come over with her every day. And Troy said it wouldn’t be a problem because of her job. I’ve been dying to tell you. I didn’t want to freak out my mom but I’m really glad to get out of that other school.”

“Charlie, you’ve got my number. If you want to hang out just call me. Or text me. Don’t sit around waiting.”

“I figured you were busy,” he said shyly.

“I was. But not too busy for a call or a text. Let’s establish something, Charlie. You have any questions or run into any trouble at school, get in touch with me right away.”

“What good will that do? You’ll be at college!”

“I still know people,” he said confidently. “I still have a brother at Thunder Point. He’s a good guy. When it comes to problems at school, especially if you’re picked on, you gotta let someone know.”

“I know people, too,” Charlie said.

“Good. Troy and Spencer are both good to know. And there are tricks, like making yourself indispensable as a tutor. But whatever you do, don’t try to outrun it or fix it alone. I speak from experience.”

Charlie gulped. “Was it bad?”

“When I was about your age and the smallest kid in the class, it wasn’t great. I had to depend on my big brother, the football star. I always resented him, except when I was getting backed into a corner. But then the strangest thing happened...I grew. I used to paddleboard a lot in the summer and I grew shoulders. I woke up one morning and I didn’t have to look around to see where my brother was to keep from getting knocked around.” He grinned. “I’ll loan you my younger brother, Lee, yet another athlete. Before I head back east, I’ll make sure he knows to introduce himself.”

“As my bodyguard?”

“If you need one, let me know,” Frank said. “I have a few markers to call in.”

Nineteen

It was only seven in the evening when Matt tapped lightly on Ginger’s back door. She filled his arms at once.

“This is what I like,” he said. “I love to feel you against me.” He looked over her shoulder and saw a take-out bag on her little table. “Oh, honey, you cooked,” he joked.

“You made very good time,” she said with a laugh. “We could have gone out but I get so little of you these days. I didn’t want to share you.” She gave his shirt a sniff. “You’re clean,” she said.

“I had time for a quick shower before I left the farm. But if you feel like a shower, I can get cleaner.”

“You like that shower business, don’t you? Would you like to eat?”

He nodded. “In the bedroom.” She grabbed the sack. He grabbed her wrist. “We won’t need that.”

“I thought you were hungry,” she said.

“Oh, I am.” He led her to the bed and got her out of her clothes quickly. He discarded his own and pulled her down on the bed. He began kissing and before long he was making a feast of her entire body, from her lips to her knees. There wasn’t a spot he missed—the inside of her elbows, her earlobes, her thighs, her belly and breasts. He finally opened her legs, burying himself in her until she was begging for him to stop. But by that time, he’d become famished for more and he fumbled for the condom so he could get inside her. Once there, he remained still and luxuriated in the feel of her. His eyes were closed and there was a smile on his lips.

“Matt?” she whispered. “Are you going to fall asleep on me like this?”

“I might,” he said. “I could stay here forever. This is like home for me.”

She moved her hips a little. “Forever would be too long. It would make walking difficult. Take care of business.”

He opened his eyes. “You do have a bossy side.”

“And a needy side,” she said.

“My aim is to please you, my lovely girl.”

As he began to move in a way that had become familiar to them, he thought about the great comfort it was to have this kind of love—dependable, trusting, fulfilling, holding such promise for a lifetime of the same. He tasted her on his tongue, filled his head with that special scent of her, a combination of flowers and a musk that intoxicated him and belonged only to this woman, this soft, consuming, perfect woman. He moved rhythmically, deeply, searching for that crazy erotic place deep inside her that awaited him. When he felt that she was getting close, reaching, pushing back, gasping a little in anticipation, he smiled to himself. He knew her body as well as she did, as well as she knew his. And she came, the spasms so hot and tight his vision briefly clouded. And then, giving in to the ache of need, he let go and throbbed with the greatest pleasure he’d ever known.

When he could unclench his jaw, he covered her mouth in a deep and passionate kiss, licking her lips, sucking on her earlobe, kissing her neck and then her breast.

He was made for this, secure in the love of one woman, a woman who knew him and would let him know her completely. He had a strong libido so there had been women, but they’d been so briefly satisfying. What he had with Ginger was different. He was not just in love with her, he was eager to commit his life to her. It felt like the perfect union, like it was meant to be. He’d never had anything like this even when he’d been married.