Unbreakable Together: A New Adult Romance Novel (7 page)

Devon and Erin had completed their CPR and other required certificates by the spring. They both had already been working out and swimming laps together and passed the physical fitness and swimming prerequisites with ease. They submitted their applications in April, took a rescue skills test in May, and were ready to start their summer jobs on Memorial Day weekend when the summer season officially started. The job paid almost sixteen dollars an hour, almost twice as much as other entry level jobs in the area.

Devon celebrated by taking Erin out to Sachen’s, one of the best restaurants in the city.
Both Erin and Devon had been placed on a waiting list for Columbia University. “Waiting lists typically mean rejection at a college like Columbia,” Erin said. “Should we take a year off and apply to more colleges, or accept the ones we got into?”

“
Let’s just make sure we enjoy this summer together first,” he told her. “Someone told me not to try to do so much, but enjoy my life now too.” He narrowed his eyes as a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“I fully intend
to enjoy this summer…with you,” she said with a sensual smile. “But these colleges with a waiting list may not let us know if we are accepted until July or even August.”

“Then we’ll wait,” he said. “Or take a yea
r off. We’ll stay together either way.”

Devon was already assigned to watch the beach on his first day under the guidance of one of the supervisors.
He had grown another inch and stood at six feet two inches. His powerful lean body stalking the beach was a visual treat for the young ladies arriving at the lake to sunbathe. Crystal Lake was open for the summer season.

Erin was in the office taking an inventory of supplies, first aid equipment, and organizing paperwork and daily logs.

The most excitement that occurred on the first day was a dog pooping on the beach and running off. Devon grabbed a poop bag and cleaned it up.

“I guess you were right about having to clean up dog poop
.” Erin grinned.

“You’ll get your turn
.” He returned her teasing grin. Summer was working out just the way he had wanted.

On the second day of working the beach
, the weather warmed with the temperatures reaching the high eighties. Crystal Lake had a small lagoon separated from the larger three hundred acre area. Stronger swimmers would venture out into the larger lake area.  On more crowded days, a lifeguard would row out into the deeper water for routine patrols to check on adventurous swimmers.

Only a few swimmers
ventured out into the deeper water today. Devon was still sweeping the beach, picking up cigarette butts, and occasionally scooping dog poop, to Erin’s delight. When he glanced to see whether she was looking, she would stick out her tongue at him and crinkle her nose.

Devon would be allowed to patrol the beach from the chair in a couple of weeks. In the meantime
, he stood ashore and cleaned up. Towards the end of the second day, a group of teenagers carrying bottles of alcohol and smoking a joint lumbered across the beach. Each of them had black dyed hair and pale skin except for one kid with lighter hair, a crew cut, and a leather jacket with cut-off sleeves. He appeared to be the leader of the pack. He smoked a cigarette and flicked it onto the beach.

Devon shook his head as Erin smiled at him.
Devon approached the kid with the crew cut. “Good afternoon.”

The kid jerked his chin at him, propping his hand on his belt loop and signaling for the bottle of whiskey with his hand.

“There’s no drinking allowed in the park,” Devon said with a mild, deep tone.

“It’s after hours
—the park is closed.” The kid took the bottle and took a swig of whiskey, handing it back to his friends.

“The park is open until
eleven p.m., and when it’s closed, it just means no one is allowed in at all,” Devon explained to him.

“I suppose you’re going to tell us
that we can’t smoke pot either.” The kid squinted at Devon.

“Actually that’s legal, if you’re twenty one, and you don’t look twenty one.” The state had passed a law permitting recreational use of marijuana at the beginning of the year.

The k
id clicked his fingers and one of them with painted black hair handed him a half-lit cigarette. He inhaled and flicked the butt onto the ground, blowing smoke in Devon’s face.

“Pick the cigarette up, and gather up your stuff and get out of here.” Devon’s steely stare backed up his words.

“What’a’
gonna do, call the cops?” The kid looked over at his friends and snickered, and turned his attention back to Devon.

“We don’t need to call the cops. I’m telling you to get your stuff and get out of here. Problem solved.”

“Fuck off, dude,” the kid sneered.

Devon
waited for him to get his stuff and go.

The kid looked up at Devon again. “W
hat the fuck are you looking at?”

“Kick his ass, Jake
,” one of the other kids barked.

“Get your stuff and get out of here,” Devon said with an icy tone.

The kid looked around and took a step towards his friends, and then rotated around and threw a punch at Devon. Devon caught his arm and pressed him onto the ground. The kid was no match for Devon’s power. “Pick up the cigarette, get your stuff and get out of here. I’m not going to tell you again.” The kid slumped over and picked his lit cigarette off the ground, and mumbled a few profanities before slouching off with his friends. He became louder and more vulgar with each step away from Devon.

“Nice underwear,” Erin said as she
slunk up next to Devon.

The kid’s
pants hung down, showcasing the crease of his behind with a full view of his red patterned underwear. Devon exhaled a laugh.

“It might be a long summer
.” He smiled.

“
I hope so.” She grinned up at him.

~~~

The next day was cloudy and cooler, so they would have plenty of time to get their workout in and even review and compare their college response lists. Devon had brought in some catalogs from various schools to remind them of the strong business and visual arts programs to compare. They decided to fill out a few more applications and send them in during the summer break.

A few weeks later
, Devon returned from swimming his required twenty-five laps early in the morning, and came into the office. Erin smiled at him and handed him a stack of letters from the University of Wisconsin, the University of Iowa, Arizona State, and the University of Oregon. “All schools we both applied at.” She smiled.

“But there is one more for you.” Erin handed him a large envelope. Devon scanned over the return address, and his mouth
fell open. He flipped the envelope over, glanced at Erin, and took a double take at the sender:

Stanford Football

Stanford University

“You didn’t apply here
.” Devon raised his hand to his mouth.

“Neither did you
.” She lifted her brows and smiled.

“What are we going to do?”
He stared at the envelope.

She bit her lip.
“Open it.”

The End of Unbreakable Together

Book Four of the Unbreakable Series

UNBREA
KABLE FOREVER

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