Episode Twenty Nine

The Deck

By sunset, the party was in full swing, and Jamie, Summer, Aaron, Maria, Matt, and Diego were spread around on deck chairs and on the railing, all soaked from swimming in the lake. They were chatting randomly, when Jamie spotted Drew approaching. "Drew's here with your camera, Ria," he reported.

"About time!" Maria replied. "I can't believe I forgot it.

Drew dangled the camera in front of his niece. "Now, where's the 'Thank you, uncle Drew'?"

Maria rolled her eyes. "Thank you, uncle Drew," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice, grabbing the camera from him.

Drew shook his head. "Funny. Now I better go back to the bodega to convince your mother that your fine here."

"Why don't you stay?" Aaron suggested. "I mean, my brother Richard and two of his friends are chaperoning. You can hang out with them."

Drew shrugged. "Better than dealing with Pilar," he said.

"Hey, watch it, that's our mama you're talking about!" Diego said in a mock threatening voice.

"I'm terrified," Drew replied dryly as he left the group.

"He could at least pretend to really be concerned," Diego muttered.

"Don't be a baby," Aaron said with a grin. "At least he didn't out and out mock you."

"Yeah, I guess it could have been worse," Diego agreed.

The Lodge's Kitchen

Drew walked into the kitchen in search of a soda and stopped short when he saw the rear end of a young woman sticking out of the fridge. He couldn't help smiling as he enjoyed the view. The woman straightened and jumped when she saw Drew.

"Who the hell are you?" Jenny asked, trying to regain her composure.

"Andrew Sanchez," Drew replied. "And you are?"

"Jennifer Harris."

Drew thought for a minute, then raised an eyebrow. "Jenny Harris? Jamie Bowen's stepsister?"

"Yeah," Jenny said. "You know Jamie?"

"Maria and Diego Montoya are my nephew and niece. I've known Jamie for years."

"I see," Jenny said, licking her lips. They don't come any hotter than him, she thought. "Aren't you a little old for this party?"

"Aaron Grant himself suggested I stay and have some fun," Drew replied. "Aren't you a little young for this party?" he added. I am not flirting with Jamie's little stepsister. I'm not, he thought.

"Jamie told me to come," Jenny replied.

"I see," Drew said, echoing Jenny's earlier words. "So, are you having fun, Jenny?"

"Tons, and it's Jennifer."

"Trying to play grown-up?" Drew teased.

"You're the one who introduced yourself as 'Andrew' and when I know everyone calls you 'Drew'," Jenny replied with a smirk. "So who's playing grown-up?"

"Good point."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you having fun?"

"Yeah, so far it's been a pretty good evening."

"Good," Jenny said. "I heard something about some night swimming, are you going to join in?"

"Didn't bring a suit."

"You can swim in shorts," Jenny said flirtatiously. "Or boxers. I'll bet you're a boxers man."

"Maybe," Drew said, smirking as he walked away.

Outside

Toria, Richard and Hannah were making their way down to the dock, Richard intent on reminding his brother and the other teens getting ready for some night swimming to be careful and keep an eye on eachother. As they approached, the lights over the dock clicked on in response to the darkness, and the three adults saw the group of teenagers clearly.

Toria's gaze rested on Jamie and Summer, who were standing off to one side with their heads together. "Young, gorgeous, hot..."

"Please tell me you're not gonna come on to one of them," Hannah joked.

"No, I'm just thinking I may have found two models," Toria replied.

"Who?" Richard asked.

"Brunette guy in red trunks, blonde girl in purple bikini," Toria replied. "There's a chemistry there."

"I'd hope so, since they're dating. That's my nephew Jamie and his girlfriend, Summer."

"Jamie Bowen? The son of the cop who died a couple weeks ago?" Toria asked.

Richard nodded. "Yeah."

"Poor thing," Toria said. "Do you think they'd be interested?"

"I hardly know either of them. Summer might be, I think it's every girl's dream, but Jamie... who knows," Richard said.

"Are you suggesting all girls are pre-occupied with their looks?" Hannah asked.

"Not at all," Richard rpeleid. "Just the pretty girls."

"I was never pre-occupied with looks," Hannah said.

"Exactly my point," Richard joked, jumping out of Hannah's reach.

"Knock it off, Richie, and introduce me to your nephew and his girlfriend so I can offer them the jobs," Toria said.

Richard rolled his eyes, but did as told, leading the women out to the teens. "Hey guys, having fun?"

"You know it," Diego said.

"What's up Richard?" Aaron asked.

"I just wanted to introduce you guys to my old friend, Toria..."

"Oh my God!" Summer said, looking over. "You're Toria Edison! Of EdiSigns! You are like my favorite designer!"

Toria smiled. "Thank you," she said. "I actually wanted to talk to you, Summer. I saw you, and you Jamie, and knew I had found 2 of the models I need for my new line."

"Models?" Jamie asked.

"Us? Me?" Summer asked.

"Yes, models. And yes, you," Toria said, smiling. "I need five models, and I was completely stumped on what I was going to do, since I wanted natural, 'real' kids. But you two are absolutely perfect. So, what do you say?"

"Yes!" Summer said instantly, then blushed. "I mean, I'd love to."

"Great. And you, Jamie?" Toria said.

"No way."

"Jamie, come on," Summer said. "It'll be fun!"

"Just because I'm not Mr. Jock doesn't mean I don't have some masculine dignity," Jamie replied.

"Lots of tough guys are models," Toria said. "Antonio Sabato, Jr. models. You wouldn't call him a wuss, would you?"

"No, but..."

"But nothing."

"It's bad enough I'm an artist, I don't need to be a model, too," Jamie argued. "I'll never live it down."

"Yeah, but you'll have your own huge income coming in," Toria said. "Who in their right mind, would make fun of the guy, who'll have all the girls begging to be with him?"

Jamie snorted. "The girls wouldn't stand a chance since there's only one girl I want," he said, wrapping his arms around Summer from behind.

"All the more reason. You two can work together. And the natural chemistry will shine through into the photos," Toria said. "Come on, it's not like it's... underwear or something. It's everyday clothes, but more natural than the preppy stuff other people are peddling for teens. And the occasional fancy clothing."

"Come on, James, it'll be fun," Summer said, turning her head to look up at Jamie. "But if you'd rather I was around some hunky male model other than you all day..."

"I'll do it!" Jamie blurted out.

"Great! I'll get the info for you ina couple days!" Toria said before turning and walking off quickly, not giving Jamie a chance to change his mind as she pulled Richard and Hannah with her.

"That was good," Maria said to Summer.

"That was sneaky," Jamie corrected.

"But it worked, Mr. Model Man."

"You're whipped," Matt said.

"No, I'm not."

"Yeah, he's just easily manipulated by a cute girl," Maria teased.

"Whipped," Diego and Aaron said simultaneously.

"Shut up!" Jamie said, laughing.

"Completely and totally whipped," Matt said, shaking his head in mock sadness.

"If you ever manage to get a girl you'll be whipped to, Matt," Summer said. "Now stop picking on him."

"You say that like I've never had a girlfriend!" Matt protested.

"Yeah, that's right, there was Lyndsay McCullough in the 4th grade," Summer mocked.

Matt moved quickly and shoved Summer and Jamie, since his arm's were still around her, off the dock and into the water. And a moment later Matt found himself in the water as Maria shoved him in, then jumped in herself, leaving only Diego and Aaron on dry land.

"I'm not jumping in that water, it's gotta be cold," Diego said with a snort.

"It is. Mid summer it'll be a nice temprature for night swimming," Aaron replied, sitting down on the end of the lawn chair Diego was stretched out on and watching the other have a water fight.

Diego let his gaze go over Aaron, looking away when the other teenager glanced at him. The last thing he needed was Heaven Falls' richest and snobbiest teen realizing he had a crush. Especially when said snob was dating his little sister.

Summer stopped splashing as she caught sight of the way Diego was looking at Aaron. She raised an curious eyebrow, but got distracted by Jamie dunking her under the water. When she came back up she turned to him, glaring. But her gaze softened when she saw the glimmer in his eyes. "I'm gonna get you for that!" she declared.

"You and what army?" Jamie taunted.

"The one behind you," Summer replied, just as Jamie felt four hands shove him underwater.

When he came up for air, he saw Summer, Matt, and Maria laughing. "No fair! Three against one!"

"Get Diego and Aaron to help you," Maria said.

Jamie looke dup at the pair, only to be greeted by the shaking of heads. "Come on, guys!"

"No way," Diego said.

"Not happening."

Maria rolled her eyes. "Wusses," she told the guys on the dock before swimming over to Jamie. "Me and Jamie against You and Matt," she told Summer.

"What's the game?" Matt asked.

"War," Jamie replied just before he and Maria both took deep bretahs and disappeared under the water.

"Where'd they go?" Matt asked right before gasping and ducking under the water.

A second later Maria popped up a few feet from him, laughter bursting out as soon as she did. "Gotcha!" she said as Matt popped back up, sputtering for air.

"What?" Summer asked.

Diego started laughing. "Oldest trick. They've been pulling that since they learned to swim."

"What?" Summer repeated.

"She pulled down my trunks!" Matt said, his eyes narrowing.

"Maria!" Summer said, laughing. Then she frowned. "Where's Jamie?" No sooner did the words leave her mouth than she felt someone grab her legs under the water and hoist her upwards. Screaming slightly, she tumbled over Jamie's shoulder and went head first into the water. When she popped back up, she saw Jamie and Maria pulling themselves up on to the edge of the dock, laughing like crazy.

"That was mean!" Summer said.

"Ask Diego, we used to pull that on him all the time," Jamie said.

"Except we had to both dive under to flip him," Maria added.

"They're terrors," Diego agreed.

The Deck - Later

Jenny got a good view of Drew's body as he leaned over with his elbows on the railing. She screwed up her courage as she approached. "Nice ass." she commented.

Drew jumped and turned, a smile forming on his lips when he saw Jenny. "Well, well, if it isn't the teeny bopper Jenny."

"Jennifer," Jenny corrected, leaning against the railing herself. "And I am not a teeny bopper."

"You're what, 15?"

"I'll 16 in 2 weeks," Jenny said.

"Almost all grown up."

"Damn straight."

Drew couldn't help laughing as he gazed at the girl who, though only a teenager, had caught his attention when almost no one else could. "You're a kid."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are," Drew said, shaking his head as he straightened. "Why don't you grow up some, then we'll talk," he added as he started to walk away.

Jenny didn't know what she was doing until she did it, but she grabbed Drew's shirt and yanked him down into a kiss that lasted several long moments. Finally she let go and backed off, turning and walking away quickly, shocked at what she had just done. "I'm so stupid," she said to herself.

Drew, meanwhile, just stood there and watched Jenny walk away, a surprised and somewhat horrified look on his face. "I just let a 15 year-old kiss me," he muttered to himself.

End of Episode Twenty Nine