“I got a call from the aquarium. Someone called last night to report a loggerhead nest, and they asked me to come here to check it out.”
“You work for the aquarium?”
He shook his head. “I just volunteer there. I work at my dad’s brake shop. You wouldn’t happen to have seen a turtle nest around here, would you?”
She felt herself relax a little. “It’s over there,” she said, pointing.
“Hey, that’s great.” He smiled. “I was hoping it was near a house.”
“Why?”
“Because of storms. If the waves wash over the nest, the eggs won’t make it.”
“But they’re sea turtles.”
He raised his hands. “I know. It doesn’t make sense to me, either, but that’s the way nature works. Last year, we lost a couple of nests when a tropical storm came through. It was really sad. They’re endangered, you know. Only one out of a thousand live to maturity.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“You do?” He sounded impressed.
“My dad told me.”
“Oh,” he said. He motioned down the beach with a friendly wave. “I take it you live around here?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Just making conversation,” he answered easily. “My name’s Will, by the way.”
“Hi, Will.”
He paused. “Interesting.”
“What?”
“Usually when someone introduces himself, the other person does the same.”
“I’m not most people.” Ronnie crossed her arms, careful to keep her distance.
“I already figured that out.” He flashed a quick smile. “I’m sorry about running into you at the volleyball game.”
“You already apologized, remember?”
“I know. But you seemed kind of mad.”
“My soda went down my shirt.”
“That’s too bad. But you should really try to pay more attention to what’s going on.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s a fast-moving game.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Are you trying to say it was my fault?”
“Just trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Like I said, I felt bad about what happened.”
With his answer, she got the feeling that he was trying to flirt with her, but she didn’t know why. It didn’t make sense—she knew she wasn’t his type, and frankly, he wasn’t her type, either. But at this early hour, she wasn’t in the mood to try to figure it out. Instead, she motioned to the items he was holding, thinking it was probably better to get back to the subject at hand. “How is that tape supposed to keep the raccoons away?”
“It doesn’t. I’m just here to mark the nest. I run the tape around the dowels so the guys who do put up the cage know where to find the nest.”
“When are they going to put it up?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Maybe in a couple of days.”
She thought about the agony she’d experienced upon waking, and she began to shake her head. “No, I don’t think so. You call them and tell them that they have to do something to protect the nest today. Tell them I saw a raccoon last night hovering around the nest.”
“Did you?”
“Just tell them, okay?”
“As soon as I’m finished, I’ll make sure to call. I promise.”
She squinted up at him, thinking that was too easy, but before she could dwell on it further, her dad stepped onto the back porch.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” he called out. “I’ve got breakfast going if you’re hungry.”
Will looked from Ronnie to her dad and back again. “You live here?”
Instead of answering, she took a step backward. “Just make sure you tell the people at the aquarium, okay?”
She started back toward the house and had stepped onto the porch when she heard Will call out.
“Hey!”
She turned.
“You didn’t tell me your name.”
“No,” she answered. “I don’t suppose I did.”
As she headed for the door, she knew she shouldn’t look back, but she couldn’t help stealing a quick peek over her shoulder.
When he raised an eyebrow, she kicked herself mentally, glad that she hadn’t told him her name.
In the kitchen, her dad was standing over a frying pan at the stove, stirring with a spatula. On the counter beside him lay a packet of tortillas, and Ronnie had to admit that whatever he was making smelled terrific. Then again, she hadn’t eaten since yesterday afternoon.
“Hey there,” he said over his shoulder. “Who was that you were talking to?”