The Beach House 🌸Rachel

 

"Just what were you expecting?" Cobie knew what was on Rachel's mind. "You had no idea how boring it could get here." His smile was more of a smirk. Rachel did her best to be indifferent. After all, she'd gone through so much inventory this past week. It wasn't all that different from her job back home. Still, there was a lot to learn and as of yet she hadn't really gotten to the beach, either.

"Things will look up, you'll see," he hugged himself with a shrug. "Of course, I plan on being on vacation for most of it."

"Vacation?" she gave him a wrinkled look as she sat on the stool behind the counter. She'd been doodling. How dare he bother her whimsical creativity of flowers and fat hippie letters.

"I need some days off," he told her.

"Does Huck know?" She was serious.

"Hell, no."

She sighed. "What am I, your go-between?" She was tired of playing nice. What was the point? Would they kick her out, or something? After all, she was the one who hauled all those drinks in that usually one would buy when they came in. Hard lemonade was now the number-one favorite of all the old dudes who dropped by. She couldn't say it was a bar they ran, but these guys liked their Jack Daniels and Coke which they could buy in a can too.

"You could be my assistant if you were nicer to me," He laughed.

She sighed and went back to her flowers and butterflies. Although, a part of her wanted to write in big letters SUCK IT UP. But she didn't. After all, she was that nice girl from Iowa they kept referring to. After all, there had been a catastrophe in Davenport where the regulars thought she was from ( Des Moines was where she was from) when the old apartment building collapsed. People seemed to remember where Iowa was now. Of course, everyone was glad they weren't from there.

Of course, Huck was out. 

"Where did he say he was going?" Cobie wanted to know.

"He didn't say," Rachel shrugged. They didn't really talk that much to each other even if they shared the beach house. They stayed out of each other's way. But they usually ate meals together and sometimes grocery shopped.

"Well, aren't you two love birds yet?" Cobie winced and even in his stance she knew he thought that would be funny. 

She only sighed, thinking if she checked her phone he was sure to go away. About then the door jingled and there was Huck with a dark-haired girl hanging on to his arm as if she'd nabbed him and planned on taking him home. He really looked uncomfortable, but he was silent.

"Serena, what in the hell do you think you're doing?" Cobie shot her a look as if she needed to keep her hands to herself. "Don't you know his girlfriend works here?"

Of course, that didn't stop her from wanting to latch on to Huck.

"What are you doing here?" He wanted to know as he came near and she let go of Huck. "Damnit, you know how your mom feels about me at the moment. You're gonna get me in trouble."

She pulled away in a fret and left before he could say another word.

Cobie chased after her.

"Who's that?" Rachel wasn't sure what was going on.

"She's his daughter, thirteen going on thirty." Huck told her.

Rachel was in shock. How was that possible? She looked so grown up. For a second, she was a bit worried about what Cobie had said about her and Huck. Of course, who would believe that?