Read Online Beyond the Waves (Pacific Shores Book 1) by Lynnette Bonner - Free Book Online

blonde I knew back in high school.” He said it with an air of nonchalance but cast her a sly glance and a wink.
    “Sophia?” she asked innocently.
    He snorted. “Not a chance.” His face suddenly turned very serious, and he reached over to clasp her hand. “Not a chance.”
    Taysia’s heart lurched as the warmth of his hand settled around hers. She knew she should pull away. What reason did she have to trust him?
    Marie leaned forward from the backseat and peered down at their hands. “Ooohh. Nice.” She cocked her head and looked up at Kylen. “Now that you are dating my boss, is there any chance you could do something about that ticket you gave me last week?”
    Taysia gasped and scrambled to push Kylen’s hand away. “Marie, we are not dating!”
    Kylen barked a laugh and shook his head at Marie. “No.”
    Taysia folded her arms, tucking her hands out of sight. The nerve of the girl. Maybe a dock in pay was in order!
    Marie sighed and sat back. “I had to give it a try,” she yelled over top of the wind.

    Still amused over Marie’s temerity, Kylen turned into his driveway a few minutes later. Taysia sat stiffly by his side. He glanced at her as he turned off the key, wondering what troubled her. He caught Brice’s eye in the rearview mirror. “Brice, grab the little grill off Mom and Dad’s deck out back, would you? I’m just going to grab the cooler.” He looked back and forth between the girls.
    Taysia, arms still folded, refused to meet his glance.
    Marie, on the other hand, batted her eyelashes and stuck out her lower lip in a pleading pose, still begging for him to do something about her ticket.
    He almost burst out laughing but shook his head at her instead. “I have stuff for kabobs. Does that sound good? Or should I grab hamburger too?”
    Taysia glanced up. “Kabobs are fine. Sounds good.”
    Marie sighed, apparently having gotten the message that he wasn’t going to give in to her cajoling. It was a lesson that could save her life one day. He hoped she would learn from it.
    “Kabobs are fine.”
    “Great, I’ll be right back.”
    It was only a moment before they were on their way again, heading the couple blocks to the beach. Taking in the familiar route, he tapped the steering wheel. He and Taysia had walked this path often that first summer. Until his pride and selfishness ruined their friendship.
    He sighed and pulled into a parking spot.
    Brice and Marie scrambled out of the back, and Kylen popped the trunk. Taysia sat quietly, taking in the pulsing surf as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She had fallen into a melancholy mood. He shouldn’t have tried to hold her hand.
    Brice and Marie grabbed the lunch supplies from the trunk and headed toward the beach.
    Kylen tucked his hands under his legs lest he make things worse. He looked out over the ocean. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
    She glanced at him. “You didn’t do anything to make me uncomfortable. It’s just me. I’m so…” She shrugged. “Up in the air right now. With my worries about Daddy and…when Marie said that, I just…”
    He swallowed and dug his fingers into the leather of his seat, wishing he could reach for her hand without complicating matters. “Does that mean you are at least thinking about what I said at the gym the other day?” His heart thundered in his ears as he waited.
    There was a short pause, and then she chuckled. “No. Not at all.”
    He looked at her sharply.
    She rolled her eyes and then scuttled out of the car, calling, “What do you think has made me so confused lately?”
    A slow smile spread across his face as he followed her out of the car. Thank You, God!
    The kabobs were some of the best he’d ever tasted. Maybe because his heart was so light. He savored the last piece of meat on his stick as he watched Marie and Brice across the grill. They sat on a large driftwood log and only had eyes for each other. He glanced at Taysia. She was watching