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Beckett said, “You need one yourself.”
“No,” she said. “I’ll get that one back from you in a minute and change out of this.”
Ryan thrust his towel at her. “You can do it now. I’m leaving, since you seem happy enough to talk to this guy. Sorry I can’t compete with an Australian who looks like some kind of ranch hand, probably earning about thirty thousand a year and sleeping in a bunkhouse. I’m just an orthodontist who owns his own practice and cleared three hundred twenty thousand last year.” He began loading gear into the boot of his bright-red car, which had exactly no scratches, and then stood as the two gull-wing doors opened as if the car were about to fly away.
Quinn said, “That’s a nice car. Obviously very expensive,” as if it were an apology.
Ryan said, “I know,” and climbed in.
No noise, because the car was electric. It just glided away.
“Well,” Quinn said into the silence that followed, “that went well.” She handed Beckett her towel. “Hold that for me a second?”
He did, and she came back without the PFD but with a fabric bag, wrapped the towel around herself with a few deft movements, then wriggled around inside it. The red swim costume fell to her feet, and she reached for a pair of black satin-and-lace bikinis that looked like they’d be fairly spectacular, got them over first one long, tanned foot and then the other, and was wriggling themupher body.
This time, Beckett watched. Not something he’d ever be looking away from, because next, she grabbed a bra of the less-constructed type, also satin and lace and black, and managed to get herself into it, clasp and all, under the towel.
He said, “You’re good at this.”
“I know, right?” She reached for a pair of track pants and pulled them on. “And I’m sorry, but I’m going for it here. Too awkward.”
He was going to ask what she meant, but she pulled the towel off, pulled on the matching top to the gray trackpants, and said, “Barely a flash of bra. All good.”
He said, “Nice. The bra. The undies as well. That bloke’s a fool.”
“I bought them for tonight. That’s the stupid thing. Oh, well, five more chances to wear them.”
“Five?”
“This dating thing I’m doing.” She still wasn’t looking at him. She was stuffing her swim costume and towels into the bag instead. “Tonight was the first one. It was supposed to be going out to dinner. I had a date outfit and the whole works, and I’m not even putting it on. Not my fault if the guy decides he’ll trip me up by changing the activity, is it?”
“Not your fault a bit. So—five dates?”
“Six dates. But five now. My friend Martin is setting them up. Well, if he manages to find another victim after tonight’s disaster.” She didn’t seem bothered by it, though.
He didn’t know he was going to say it until the words came out of his mouth.
“Go out with me instead.”
9
MY SHOUT
Quinn laughed.
Unlike Ryan, Beckett didn’t get mad. He smiled a little and said, “Why not? Here we are, both needing a feed.”
At that moment, a little form came running over and threw his arms around Beckett’s legs, upon which the dog—Bacon—jumped up onto his hind legs and danced around joyfully. Troy dropped down and began to pet him, saying, “I’m hungry, Dad. And Janey and her friend don’t want to play. They’re justtalking.”
Beckett said, “I noticed. Did you say hello to Ms., uh, Judge, uh …”
“Quinn,” she said. “Hi, Troy. Here you are at the beach. That’s good progress.”
“I’m not at the beach,” Troy said. “I’m at the playground. You’re not at the beach unless you go on the sand, and I don’t go on the sand.”
“Actually,” she said, “just going close enough to see the water is something lots of people can’t do. That’s brave, if you’re scared of it.”
Troy looked uncertain. His twin cowlicks were standing up, and Quinn longed to smooth her hand over them. She liked kids, but you couldn’t touch them anymore unless they were your kid. She understood why, but still. She smiled at him instead and said, “I mean it, and I’m an expert, right? I’m your swim teacher. That makes me an expert.”
