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The man laughed. “Hey, it’s no big deal. I’m sure I’ll find another shell just as nice that won’t be so dangerous to my life. I’m Brandon.”
“Ashlyn.” Ashlyn wasn’t sure if she should shake hands or just leave the ocean. After all, she wasn’t wearing a swim suit, and the water was really weighing down on her shorts.
“It’s nice to meet you. You are very kind to have come out to the ocean when you clearly weren’t dressed for swimming today.”
Ashlyn looked down and saw that her pale pink blouse was now clinging to her, clearly showing the lines of her bra. Ashlyn blushed and tried to pull the shirt away from her body, but the water wouldn’t let that happen.
“Well,” she said, trying to turn the attention away from her shirt. “I guess I have served my purpose here. You are saved, whether you wanted it or not, and I had a refreshing swim.”
“Whether you wanted it or not,” Brandon finished off. “Hey, I’ve got a towel on the beach. It’ll be nice and warmed up by the sun right about now. I insist you use it.”
“No, really, it’s okay,” Ashlyn said. “My house isn’t a far walk from here. I don’t mind. In fact, it feels rather nice to be cooled off.”
“Do you have a vacation home then?” Brandon started leading the way into shore, and Ashlyn instinctually followed him. After all, she needed to go back to the house anyway.
“No, no, no,” she quickly denied. “Nothing of the sort. I’m actually. . .well, I’m working with a film crew. We’re filming a movie in the area, and everyone is put up in a beach house while we’re working.”
“Wow! That sounds nice! What movie are you filming?”
“It’s called Firebird. It won’t be out for at least another year, though. It takes a crazy amount of time to cut and produce a movie.”
“Will your name be in the credits?”
“I don’t know,” Ashlyn replied. “So, what are you doing here, spending time diving for seashells?”
“I know this may sound crazy, but I’m house sitting.”
“You’re house sitting? At the beach?”
“Yes, it is a thing. The house is actually a half hour drive from here, so I’m not as close as you might think. Anyway, the family is going to spend the summer in Europe, and they wanted someone to take care of their house while they were gone.”
“So you take care of the house?” Ashlyn just wasn’t getting this idea.
“Yes, I’m not paid to do it, but I get a place to live for a few months. Meanwhile, it gives me time to work on my music. I’m hoping that if I get good enough, I can do more than just perform at birthday parties or ladies’ luncheons.”
“Do you play an instrument or do you sing?”
“I play acoustic guitar,” Brandon answered. “I sing too. I guess there are a thousand guys out there my age trying to become famous for doing something like this, but I can always hope I’ll get a chance at the big shots.”
For some reason, his easygoing way of approaching life appealed to Ashlyn. He wasn’t ruled by someone else’s clock, nor was he worried about reaching a certain career goal. He was just enjoying life as it came to him.
“Here’s my towel,” Brandon said, holding the bright yellow cloth out to her.
Ashlyn shook her head one more time. “I’m really fine, thanks.”
“I insist. Please.”
Ashlyn reluctantly took the big yellow towel and wrapped it around her. It was warm, and it felt nice. It also gave her a chance to fix her clothing from clinging to her. She waited a few minutes, taking her time drying off. She wasn’t quite ready to see the last of this gentleman.
“Maybe you should come and be an extra on set,” Ashlyn suggested, her stomach feeling fluttery. It was not as though she was asking him on a date, but that was sure what it felt like. She didn’t know how to handle a rejection or an acceptance. “They will take pretty much anyone if you come in about two days around nine in the morning.”
“Where would I go?”
Ashlyn gave Brandon the directions. “I don’t really know the requirements, but I know that they like to have a good mix of people.”
“It sounds like a fun opportunity. Do I get paid?”
Ashlyn shook her head. “No, extras just get the fun of being in the film.”
