Page 1 of Shameless With Him

Chapter 1

Zoey

Zoey & Caleb – Age 8

Hawaii was everything. I mean, where else on Earth could you wear a grass skirt and go to a pig roast, where they gave you pretty flowers to wear? I loved it here, and I never wanted to go home.

We’d been in Hawaii for four days, and I knew we needed to go to the airport tomorrow. I didn’t care. All I wanted to do was play in the sand and the waves today, and my mom was finally letting me do it. We’d had to stay away from the beach for most of the trip because Lacey hadn’t been feeling well, even though the doctors said the cancer was gone.

I rubbed my hip, remembering the big needle that had made me throw up. My mom said I wouldn’t have a scar from giving my little sister my bone marrow, and I didn’t know if she’d lied to me or not. She lied to me lots of times, though. Like when she said it wouldn’t hurt. And that Lacey would get all better because I had to go through the procedure, too.

It had taken Lacey forever to get better, and my mom still watched her every move and wouldn’t let me do fun things because she was afraid I’d get hurt, too. Sometimes, I thought Mom only cared about me because I could help Lacey, then I remembered the times it was just our time and no one else’s. When we’d plant flowers and then put together pretty vases with the flowers we cut later.

Mom was up in the room with Lacey now. Today was all about me and Dad. We wouldn’t stay long since I didn’t want them to be sad they weren’t outside, but for now, I got to play in the waves. Finally.

Sand tickled my feet, and I looked over at Daddy.

“Having fun, Z-baby?”

I smiled wide. I wasn’t a baby, Lacey was the baby. Though I liked being Daddy’s baby sometimes. “I love it. Thank you.”

He looked sad for a moment, then he smiled back at me before he turned and jumped into a wave. I laughed. I loved swimming and followed him into the ocean, letting the waves slap into my back, trying not to drink too much salty water.

There were other kids around us, all of them laughing and playing with each other rather than their families. I wanted this time with Daddy.

Then someone slammed into my back, and I slipped. Sand smacked into my face, and water surrounded me. I twisted and turned, trying to get up. I couldn’t find the top of the water. My heart beat fast, and I tried to put my feet on the ground. I didn’t know where it was.

Before I could scream or think about anything other than the burn in my eyes, hands were on my shoulders, lifting me up. I coughed and sputtered, trying to wipe at my face. Another wave hit me, but the hands never let go.

“Are you okay? Wait. Zoey?”

I blinked away the saltwater and looked into the eyes of Caleb Carr. Caleb? “What are you doing here?” I blurted.

“Rescuing you, of course. I didn’t know your family was going to be in Hawaii, too.”

Caleb went to school with me, and I loved him. Not that I’d ever say that out loud. I totally loved him and knew that one day I would marry him. He was everything I loved in a boy. With that sweet smile, big, blue eyes, and hair he always flipped back that made him look so cool. Once, he’d even shaved the sides to make a kind of mohawk. The teachers weren’t happy, though Caleb and his family hadn’t cared. I’d loved it, because I’d loved him then, too.

Now, this was officially the most perfect vacation ever. I had the ocean, sand, and Caleb Carr.

“We came because Lacey isn’t sick anymore.”

Caleb’s mouth turned down a bit in a frown, and I wanted to kick myself for bringing up Lacey. No one liked talking about sick kids, even if you were a kid. Caleb let go of my shoulders as the waves slapped into our sides.

“I’m glad.” He paused. “Anyway, sorry that Laura almost drowned you. She screamed when she saw a fish and hit you.”

“Laura?”

He nodded towards the shore, and I looked over at the girl in the pretty pink bathing suit currently staring at me and Caleb like I was evil.

“She’s here on vacation, too. She’s from England.” Caleb’s mouth tipped up in a little smile that I hated.

Hated it because it wasn’t for me.

No, it was for some girl named Laura.

“Zoey? Are you okay? Damn it, Zoey, don’t go off with strangers.” Daddy pulled me towards him and away from Caleb, and it was all I could do to keep from blushing. As Laura waved at Caleb from the shore, and he nodded at me before going to her, I told myself I was okay. Just fine.

I wasn’t.