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I laughed. “I’m definitely done. And sweet. I was planning on hanging out so its nice to have some shade.”
For the first time since I saw them, I noticed all of Sicily. She was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a bikini top, her body smooth and curved in all the right places. She definitely looked different then the last time I saw her, but in a very good way. I could only assume having a kid changed a woman’s body, and it changed hers in a way that made it hard for me to keep my eyes where they were supposed to be.
I sat down on the chair next to Sicily and she leaned up, opening her cooler. “We have fruit punch juice boxes, and bottled water. Pick your poison.”
Harper looked up at me and I felt the pressure. “Uh, fruit punch, duh!”
Harper smiled as I winked at her and Sicily proudly handed me a juice box. “Do you compete a lot?”
I shook my head as I sipped the sand down my throat. “No. First time in years. I just felt like getting out and doing something around other people I guess. Though I might take up chess or something less embarrassing next time.”
Sicily laughed. “No, it was fun watching you. I wasn’t sure at first if it was you, but then you came up after the first run and I realized it was. Harper knew right away. She was chanting Danny.”
I pumped my fist. “I have a fan. My life is complete.”
“That guys seems to have fans too,” she said, motioning to the guy with all the girls.
I shrugged. “Mine is way cooler and I bet can count higher than any of them.”
“And hasn’t been molded out of plastic,” Sicily pointed out.
“Very true,” I replied, holding up my juice box. “I always wondered if they sat out here long enough if they would melt like a wax statue.”
Sicily snorted, covering her mouth with wide eyes. “I just inhaled fruit punch into my soul.”
The announcer came back on and Harper stood up, looking out at the surfers. “Ms. Josie’s up!”
We sat and watched the competition, cheering with Harper for her nanny. I was watching the surfers, but I was also watching Sicily. It felt really good to be sitting there with her, relaxed, doing normal things. We weren’t touching but we were close enough that I could feel the pull to her. I wanted to reach over and take Sicily’s hand, to feel her skin against mine again, but I kept my hands to myself. Josie ended up doing really well, moving on to the next round and placing second overall.
“I think I lost my fan,” I whispered to Sicily as Harper threw herself into Josie’s arms.
Sicily smiled. “I’ll be your fan.”
I glanced over at her, seeing her cheeks go red. It seemed I wasn’t the only one that randomly vomited thoughts from my mouth when I wasn’t watching myself. I was glad she did though, it sent a warm feeling through my chest. “I’d like that.”
Sicily stared at me for several seconds before Harper came running up. “Mommy, there’s fireworks tonight. Can we watch?”
Sicily looked at her watch. “It’s only noon. You’re gonna pass out before then.”
Harper put her little arms around Sicily’s neck and played her good. “Pwease momma.”
Sicily raised a brow. “Alright. But you have to eat your lunch and your dinner.”
She nodded excitedly and skipped over to her spot in the sand. I bit the inside of my cheek, holding back for as long as I could. I just knew there was no way I was going to tear myself away from Sicily for the day. Unless of course she told me to go, which I didn’t feel like was going to happen.
So I took a chance.
“They have great fireworks,” I said. “Do you mind if I hang out?”
Sicily glanced at me and shrugged, nodding her head with a smile. “Sure. Though I don’t think I’ll be able to sit out here all day. I will turn into a fiery ball of flames in this sun.”
“I actually know a great little bistro like two blocks away. We can grab lunch and ice cream after and walk around. They have a market the next block over with all kinds of trinkets and clothes and stuff.”
Sicily grinned. “That sounds fantastic.” Her eyes shifted to Harper. “Now I just gotta pry the child out of the giant sandbox.”
I cracked my knuckles. “I got this one. You pack up, we’ll take stuff to your car, and then head over.”
Sicily eyed me suspiciously for a second and then nodded with a tight smile. “Good luck. This child would live in a sand hut if you let her.”
