What Happens Over the Summer

Apparently there was nothing for me to worry about. I spent the remainder of my shift without a single glimpse of R.J. The rest of that day, hell the rest of the week. Maybe he'd gotten the message and given up. Yeah right.
My one day off, the next Tuesday, I was laying out on my grandparents' private beach, soaking up as much sun as my skin would tolerate when a shadow fell over me. I opened one eye to see my grandmother standing over me.
"Jesus give a girl some warning," I exclaimed, sitting up and reaching for my bikini top. I didn't like tan lines.
"Don't take the lord's name in vain," she amonished. "And it's a good thing I came down here first. Your friend wanted to come down and surprise you."
"What friend?" I asked suspciously. Zeke knew I sunbathed topless.
She smiled. "I'm not sure. Tall, not-so-dark, handsome. The most adorable little boy..."
I mentally cursed. "Tell him to go away," I said and laid back down.
"He seems like a nice boy Jo."
I mumbled something incoherent. "Tell him you couldn't find me. There was a shark swimming offshore and I offered myself as a sacrafice to save the innocent people of the Jersey Shore."
"You're hiding."
I glared at her from behind my sunglasses. Damn but the woman knew me.
"Fine. I'll scare him off myself." I got up, secured my towel around my waist and preceeded her to the house. We scaled the stairs that led up the side of the cliff, directly to the patio and in-ground pool. Through the double doors to the kitchen, where Max was sitting at the island, eating cookies. R.J. was on the stool next to him.
Painfully aware that my grandmother was directly behind me, I asked, "what do you want?"
"Josephine!" my grandmother scolded. It was all I could do not to wince at her tone.
I tried for a less severe tone. "Can I help you? I'm off duty today so any problems should probably be reported to the nearest guard station. I can point you in that direction."
"No, I wanted to talk to you."
"I've said everything I want to say to you."
"Well I haven't," R.J. said, looking like he was getting frustrated.
"That's too bad," I hissed. "I'm also done listening."
He was opening his mouth to retort when Max spoke, "are you mad at my Daddy because of me?"
The question deflated me like a balloon. I looked over at Max. "No Max," I said because I couldn't think of a better response.
"But my Daddy says you used to like him lots. Before I was borned."
If looks could kill I would have been charged with the murder of one Ryan James Montgomery at that moment. How dare he blame this little kid for something that was his fault? Max seemed like he'd gont through enough in his short life.
"Max why don't you get Grams to show you the rest of the house. We have a muesum with a shipwreck in the front."
"Really?! Could I Daddy?" Max asked, earlier questions forgotten as he looked pleadinly at his father.
"Go ahead. As long as it's okay," he said, looking to Grams for approval.
"Of course," R.J. said, resigned.
Max hopped off the stool and eagerly took my grandmother's hand. As soon as they were out of the room and the door to the front of the house clicked shut, I lit into R.J.
"How dare you blame a little kid for your mistakes?" I demanded.
"I didn't. I told him that we used to be friends, he asked when and I said before he was born. The kid's smart, he jumped to conclusions. But while we're on the subject, do you not like Max? Is that why you won't talk to me?"
"Do you think I'm completely heartless? He's adorable. It's not him I have a problem with: it's you. I'm not mad that you have a kid, I'm mad that you never told me."
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm sorry?"
"You've said it enough. It doesn't make any difference. We're over. We never even really were."
At that, R.J. stood and stalked towards me.
"You don't want to mess with a security guard-"
He grabbed me around the waist. "I'm not messing with you. I'm proving a point." And then he kissed me.
And all I could think was...hell I couldn't even think.