I gasp. “Work?!” I dramatically throw my hands in the air and turn to Ms. Tina and Gary. “Do you hear this? Work. This man is choosing responsibility over a day of immature, reckless fun, per usual, despite me telling everyone to clear their schedule for one of my favorite days of the year!”

Ms. Tina and Gary exchange glances. Then, at the same time, they both raise their hands like over-eager students. “You can still go, Ms. Kind. We’ll take the girls to their practice! You and Mr. Grimes can go together.” They volunteer.

Vic opens his mouth, probably to say work again, but just before Vicky appears out of nowhere. “What a great idea! Vic, you do need to take a day off!”

“What? Where’d you even come from? Give me my house key back.” Vic looks at her like she just sentenced him to life in prison.

She smirks as the girls excitedly embrace her. “Nope. Take the day off. Have fun. Go wild. Smile, flirt, and take selfies! Lots of them. And don’t forget to post. Y’all are trending right now.”

I grin. “Yeah, Vic! We’re trending!” I tease, knowingly getting under his skin.

He rubs his temples. “I don’t know who’s worse, you or my mother.” He grumbles, dragging a hand down his face, but finally concedes. “Fine. But I’m not wearing flippers or that ridiculous floatie contraption.”

I beam, then grab the zipper of my wetsuit. “Neither am I.”

I slowly unzip, dramatically, until the black wetsuit falls to my feet. And underneath? A hot, hot pink bathing suit, barely concealed by a thin netted cover up. It’s sexy, revealing, yet tasteful, leaving just enough room for the imagination behind Victor Grimes’ x-ray vision to now kick in.

He stops breathing. His jaw tightens, and his nostrils flare. He swipes his tongue across his bottom lip, and sweet baby teenager Jesus, this man looks hungry! No, starving.

I tilt my head, grinning. “See? No flippers.”

Vic doesn’t say a word. He just stares. And stares. And stares.

Syd nudges Ari and giggles as Ari sighs and whispers loudly, “And Daddy’s making googly eyes at Ms. Kind again.”

Vic grumbles something incoherent, turns around, and storms off toward his room.

Vicky just howls in laughter, shaking her head. “ You two are gonna have so much fun.”

~~~

After we eat breakfast, we get dressed and pack up for the best beach day ever. We choose a beach baddie of a car, a Porsche 911 Cabriolet. Vic slides into the driver’s seat, adjusting his sunglasses and looking every bit the part of a man who doesn’t want to enjoy himself.

“It doesn’t cost a thing to smile, Chef Grey Beard,” I say, throwing my beach bag into the backseat before settling into the passenger seat.