AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re here anyway.” He has a point, but I’m not going to discuss this over the phone.
“Can we talk about this later? I’m running late as it is.”
“Sure, but that isn’t the reason I called. I forgot to ask you something last night.”
“Oh?”
“Remember my friends from Davis, Nathan and Amanda?”
“The one’s I’ve never met?”
“Yes. Their wedding is this weekend. Can you take tomorrow off? The ceremony is Saturday and the pre-party is Friday. We can fly out tonight.”
“Tonight!” I shriek. “I haven’t even unpacked from the Key West trip!”
“Well, the climate’s the same, that should make packing quicker,” Chase quips.
“Chase!” I roll my eyes, knowing he can’t see me. Breathing deeply, I try to regain my composure. “You should have given me more notice than this,” I murmur, displeased.
“Sorry. It’s been a trying few days.”
“Look, I’ll call my boss when I get to the site. Let me call you back later.”
“Okay, I’ll take care of things on my end in the meantime.”
“Fine,” I say and hang up. Fly out tonight? To freaking Turks and Caicos? Ugh, what am I getting myself into?
Twenty minutes later, I arrive at the west end of the boardwalk stretching across much of Long Beach, right along the Atlantic Ocean. Ever since Super Storm Sandy had most of this town under water, NOAA has been trying to figure out how to prevent another flood like that from happening again.
Before I get out of the Jeep, I call my boss, Jake—the son of the investor Chase called when he went behind my back to get me this job. Although I didn’t interview with Jake, when he heard I wanted a field job, he immediately put me on his team. I’m not sure who’s idea that was, Jake’s or Chase’s. He picks up on the second ring.
“Hey, Liv. What’s up?”
“Hi, Jake,” I start quickly. “Listen, I just got off the phone with Chase.”
“Oh yeah, where are you going this time?”
“Turks and Caicos tomorrow?” I say, more as a question than a statement. He laughs.
“Geez, I was kidding. Tomorrow, huh?” He sounds more amused than anything else.
“Jake, it’s a wedding. I promise, I’ll work over a weekend or two to make up the time I’ve missed.”
“You know I’ll hold you to that,” he chuckles. Thank God my boss isn’t an asshole.
“I know, and I’m good for it. I’m really sorry it’s last minute, I just found out this morning.”
“Will you be able to finish up your report today?”
“Yes, absolutely. I’ll make sure I do.”
“Okay, then. I guess I’ll see you on Monday. Make sure that report is on my desk today.”
“Thank you, Jake.”
I monitor the beach as quickly as I can, recording how high the high and low tide come up the beach. I’m momentarily mesmerized with the waves, fascinated by the way they softly crash against the beach, their curling fingers brushing each grain of sand with a gentle caress as the wind ushers them toward the shore. I’m amazed how the sun shines off the rippling water, its golden light warped in the glassy waves. There isn’t a more peaceful or tranquil place for me, and it helps me clear my thoughts.
Bringing myself back to the present, I finish my notes and head to the west office to type
