Summer Waves Read online

  Summer Waves

  A Forever Safe Summer II Novel

  by

  S.E. Isaac

  Summer Waves

  By S.E. Isaac

  Bethany Nez has worked hard for her business. She won’t stop until she’s reached the top, which means everything else including her love life has been put on the backburner. No matter how much her family and employees insist that she find love, Bethany continues on her path to success.

  Giovanni Russo is all work and no play. But when his newest employee, Jacob Nez, decides to play cupid, Giovanni comes face to face with a woman who stops his world. She is everything he ever wanted in a woman. She is the woman who makes him realize it may be time to stop and smell the roses.

  Will Giovanni be able to get Bethany to slow down long enough to smell the roses? Will a relationship form that surfs the waves of love or will Giovanni’s hopes be washed out?

  Chapter One

  Bethany

  “Jacob, seriously?” I rolled my eyes despite the fact my younger brother couldn’t see my face through the phone.

  “I mean, you can just give me money if you want,” Jacob sighed dramatically.

  Jacob was turning twenty and thought the world owed him presents galore. I blame my parents for spoiling him since he was the only boy. They created a diva.

  “Who even said I was getting you anything?” I sat back in my office chair. He was cutting into my time for going over the financial books of the eatery.

  “You always buy me something, sis,” he laughed. “Like you always get me the best gifts. Seriously. Tatiana usually gives me a gift card to her favorite store. Serena gives me money and then asks to borrow the same amount the next day. And, Angelina gets me tickets to a concert that she wants to go to.”

  Okay. My parents created a few divas.

  “You never know. Maybe they’ll get you something different this year,” I offered with a grin. I knew my sisters just as well as Jacob did. They were going to get him the same present as always.

  “Bethany, please, I’m counting on you,” he groaned. “Give me some hope for a good birthday.”

  “Your birthday is like two months away.” I chuckled. I already knew this answer, too.

  “Hope, sis. I need some hope to know I’m going to get a real gift.”

  “You sound so petty, Jacob Waya Nez.”

  “Government name, sis? Really?” He made some sort of sound that was a mix of a huff, a groan, and a growl.

  “Someone has to give you a wake-up call. Mom called me last night,” Jacob groaned at my words, “she says you refuse to help out around the house. All you do is make messes, go surfing, and sleep.”

  “What else am I supposed to do?”

  “I don’t know...” I sassed. “Work.”

  “Work? Why? Mom and dad buy me everything I need. I don’t need a job.”

  His childish answer made me roll my eyes. I was surprised they didn’t roll into the back of my head. He was never going to make something of himself with that attitude.

  “I’ll make you a deal.”

  “Oh, lord. Bethany, seriously? What kind of deal?” He sounded miserable like I was telling him he had to get a root canal.

  “It’s simple. Get a job and I’ll get you a nice present.”

  “What!” he shouted into the phone causing me to pull my phone away from my ear. “A job?”

  “Yep. Can’t surf all day and expect mom and dad to take care of you all your life.” I sat up in my chair and slapped my hand against my desk. “Get a job, Jacob, and I’ll buy you that stupid board you want.”

  “Really?” He asked in a much happier tone. “The custom-made board?”

  “Yes. But you have to step up around mom and dad’s place and get a job. If mom and dad tell me you’re still being a beach bum, deals off.”

  “Sure. Sure. Anything. I’ll send you the details and pictures when we hang up.”

  “Fine,” I laughed at his sudden cheerful attitude. He went from root canal to kid in a candy shop. “But you have to get a job–”

  Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.

  My phone’s notifications started going off like crazy. I pulled my phone away from my ear and realized Jacob had already hung up on me. He was now blowing my phone up with surfboard pictures and details about the board he wanted.

  “Persistent little brat,” I mused then set my phone down so I could get back to work.

  “Welcome to Forks & Spoons,” Tabitha, the bubbly cashier, called out from the counter. She turned around to see me. “Hey, boss!”

  “Hey, Tabitha,” I smiled and looked around the eatery. The place was filled with tourists and such, who were enjoying their food. It made me smile to know that it was my recipes they were enjoying.

  “I didn’t know you left the office,” she laughed.

  “I needed some fresh air,” I sighed and walked over to the counter off to the side in case any customers came in.

  I looked Tabitha over. She was practically glowing. Her chocolate-colored skin glistened in the sun that shined through the windows. Her hair was braided half-way back with the rest of it loose. She was wearing a different shade of lipstick than usual. This color was a dark maroon.

  “Hot date?” I asked with a grin. She winked at me and then laughed.

  “The same guy,” she whispered shyly.

  I loved how she went mushy when she talked about the guy she had been seeing for the past month. If anyone deserved to find their happily-ever-after, it was Tabitha. She was a hard worker and the sweetest person on the planet.

  “He has lots of friends if you want him to set you up on a blind date. A few of them are doctors,” she boasted.

  “No, that’s okay. I’ll stick with being single,” I laughed. She gave me her usual frown. Anytime I mentioned staying single she lectured me. I had a feeling today would be no different.

  “Boss, seriously, why do you insist on staying single? You’re a waste of woman,” she gestured at me and I laughed. “I mean, why’d the good Lord put a beautiful, smart, kind woman on the planet if she wasn’t going to find Mr. Right and be happy the rest of her life? Hmm? Can you tell me that?”

  I went to answer her, but she simply continued on. Rhetorical questions, I suppose.

  “You’ve worked hard to get Forks & Spoons up and running. Now, look at it,” she said gesturing around at the customers. “You have tourists coming in left and right. And you have regular customers, too. I think the place can survive without you if you took a day off.”

  “Wait. How did we go from me going on a blind date to dating to me taking a day off?” My eyebrow rose and I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

  “Boss, seriously, when’s the last time you took a day off and enjoyed yourself?”

  “I left earlier,” I replied. She rolled her eyes.

  “I bet you went to the bank and then to the warehouse to do inventory,” she sassed. I didn’t bother replying. She was right. Those were the two places I had gone. “I shall take your silence as me being right… again.”

  “Okay. Okay,” I laughed. “Does it matter if I’m single and a workaholic? Is it really that bad?”

  “Yes,” Ricardo said behind me. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest, because he scared the crap out of me. I hadn’t even heard the front door chime.

  Ricardo was the delivery guy for Forks & Spoons. He was funny, out-going, and good at making sure customers received their deliveries hot and on time. Customers loved him, which gave me one more reason to keep him working here.

  “Bethany. Sweetheart. Beautiful. Listen, I know you don’t want to hear this, but what’s the point of having all this…” he gestured at me, “...if you aren’t going to share with anyone?”

  “I said the same thing, Ri
cki,” Tabitha chimed in.

  “Don’t you two have work to do?” I teased.

  “Nope,” they said in unison. They were two peas in a pod.

  “Guess I’ll have to find you two something to do then. I’ll be back with a list,” I smirked and walked off. Behind me, I could hear them groaning and blaming one another for having more work to do.

  I wasn’t going to give them more work. Hell. They always kept up on their responsibilities and usually had the next day’s stuff done, too. But, I’d figure something out for them to do. Maybe then they wouldn’t have time to think about my love life… or lack thereof.

  Chapter Two

  Giovanni

  “Look, it’s not that I don’t want to give you a job,” I said, looking at Jacob, who was currently looking at me like my mom’s pomeranian when it wants what I’m eating. “You’ve never worked a day in your life.”

  “But Tony said you would hook me up with a job,” Jacob replied.

  Tony, my younger brother, who also happened to be Jacob’s best friend, was going to get an ear full when I saw him again. Tony and Jacob were beach bums. They ate, slept, and breathed surfing. They didn’t care about anything else. Now, here’s the kid asking for a job at my high-end restaurant.

  “How are you going to work with long hair? No guy in my restaurant has long hair. They all have short hair like mine.” I pointed to my hair. It was a half-inch on the sides and one to two inches on top.

  “Cut my hair?” He paled.

  His black hair wasn’t in dreadlocks like most beach bums. His hair came down a little past his shoulder and looked brushed. However, I didn’t like long hair. Never had. I was raised in an Italian family and long hair was a big fat no, which is why Tony and his long hair weren’t allowed at my parents’ house or any family gatherings. My house was the only house family-wise that Tony was allowed to come over to.

  “Yes. I can’t have someone who looks unkempt working in my restaurant. You need to look nice. You want people to see you and want to come inside. Not look at you and worry that you’re going to pickpocket them.”

  Jacob rolled his eyes.

  “I’m not a thief,” he muttered.

  “I know that, but some upper-class couple won’t know that.”

  “Basta, basta,” Jacob said, holding up his hand.

  “I thought you didn’t speak Italian? Why are you telling me enough is enough?” I growled.

  “I don’t speak it fluently. I just know that saying because my mother and grandmother are always saying it to me.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. My mother and grandmother were notorious for saying that to me when I was growing up. Hell, they still said it whenever we did get a chance to talk on the phone or see each other in person.

  “I’m glad my misery is funny, Giovanni,” Jacob sighed.

  “Look,” I said letting out a deep breath. “Why don’t I start you off in the back doing dishes or something. Then if you decide to cut your hair, I’ll move you out front so you can be a host or waiter.”

  “Really?” he shot up out of his chair. “Like seriously?”

  “Yeah. Seriously, but I’m only giving you one chance so don’t mess it up,” I pointed a finger at him. “You mess this up and I won’t do another favor for you or Tony.”

  “You got it. Deal!” He thrust his fist into the air like he had just won the Olympics. He was jumping around like an idiot, too. I’m sure any of my nosey neighbors were watching him through my living room window.

  “You have to calm down. Seriously.”

  Jacob did one more fist thrust into the air, took a deep breath, and then sat down on my loveseat across from me. The stupid smile on his face was still there, but at least he wasn’t jumping around like a baboon anymore.

  “You can start tomorrow night,” I informed him and grabbed my phone to message Robert, the night-shift manager about the new hire.

  “Really?”

  “Really,” I nodded and typed the message to Robert.

  “Can I ask for one more favor?” he asked shyly. I groaned and lifted my eyes from my phone. He half-ass smiled at me.

  “What now?”

  “Well, I don’t know if you remember my sister Bethany or not…”

  I thought long and hard about Jacob’s sisters. I only really knew two of them, and I avoided them like the plague– Tatiana and Serena. I knew of Angelina but didn’t recall Bethany.

  I shook my head.

  “Really?” he seemed surprised. “Like seriously?”

  “Seriously,” I groaned.

  “I don’t know whether to thank you or think there’s something wrong with you because every guy knows Bethany.”

  “Oh, she’s one of those gir–” I began. Jacob pointed his finger at me.

  “No. Not in that way. She isn’t a hoe like two of my other sisters,” he snarled. It was the first time I had heard the beach bum angry. I had obviously struck a nerve.

  “Sorry,” I offered him a sincere apology. If someone had called my sister out of her name, I probably would have slugged them one. “I just assumed since you said every guy knew her.”

  “No. Definitely not Bethany. She’s too busy with her business to think about guys,” he chuckled. “But anyway, that comes back to my favor. Can you call her and tell her that I’m working for you?”

  “What?” I busted out laughing. Here was a grown man asking me to call his sister to tell her that her little brother had a job. What kind of man did that?

  “She made a deal that if I got a job, she’d buy me something I’ve wanted forever.”

  “So you get a job, she buys you the item, and then what? You quit working for me?” I frowned. Jacob’s face went from full of excitement to someone just kicked his dog look.

  “Fuck,” he groaned. “I can’t do that if you do me this favor.” He ran his hand through his hair several times while muttering under his breath.

  “Well…” I prompted.

  “What if I’m a shitty worker and you end up firing me? I haven’t worked…” Unlike the other times he had spoken, his words were quiet and full of doubt.

  “Look, give it a shot and see how things go. You never know, you might surprise us both,” I chuckled and stood up. “I need to get ready for work. Make sure you show up at five o’clock tomorrow and use the backdoor that the employees use.”

  “You got it...Boss,” he grinned and then stood up.

  I could already tell he was going to drive me crazy, but I did like his enthusiasm. I wasn’t too sure about the phone call thing; however, if he did a good job tomorrow night, I might consider calling his sister and verifying his employment.

  Chapter Three

  Bethany

  A week had gone by since Jacob and I made our deal. He had called me as soon as he landed a job, and had called me every day since then to remind me that he still had the job. My baby brother was finally growing up.

  “He’s a cool guy, Bethany. He seems like a hardass but once you get to know him, he isn’t so bad,” Jacob said, shoveling in a fork full of lasagna.

  “I believe you, Jacob,” I groaned. “Just eat your food.”

  “But I need you to believe me that I have a job.” His mouth was full of food so I had to look away as he talked.

  “Jacob, stop talking with your mouth full!”

  “You sound like mom,” he chuckled. “I’ll stop talking with food in my mouth.”

  I faced him again. He was smiling ear to ear.

  “See no food,” he laughed and picked up another fork full of food. I groaned for what was coming next. “Relax. I told you I wouldn’t talk anymore with my mouth full. I meant it.”

  “Thank God,” I sighed and then went back to eating.

  “His name is Giovanni,” he continued on about his boss at the restaurant. “He’s around your age. I know I’ve told you all this, but I really don’t think you believe I have a job. Even though I showed you my work apron, uniform, and name tag.”

 
; I swallowed the food in my mouth and sighed heavily.

  “Jacob,” I whispered. “You don’t have to tell me a thousand times. If you say you have a job then I believe you.”

  “Thanks, sis,” he smiled.

  “No problem,” I smiled. “Now can we eat in peace? I only have an hour lunch break.”

  Usually, I would skip lunch, but Jacob had insisted on taking me out to lunch. His treat since he had just gotten paid. I couldn’t pass up on an opportunity of him actually paying for something. The Italian restaurant we were at wasn’t too far from Forks & Spoons so I could always run back if I needed to. Even though Ricardo and Tabitha told me to take my time.

  “Sorry. I’m just excited,” Jacob said weakly and then shrugged. It broke my heart to see the happiness in his eyes dwindle.

  “Do you like the hours?” I asked. Jacob was all smiles again.

  “They’re awesome. I get to surf in the morning, nap in the afternoon, and then go to work. Life is good, Bethany. I have money in my pocket and can actually take a girl out on a date without borrowing money from mom and dad or one of you four.”

  One of you four was in reference to my sisters and me. Because God forbid he actually took the time to say each of our names.

  “Well, it is a start, Jacob Waya Nez,” I smirked. He rolled his eyes at my use of his full name. “What? I’m one of the four, and you’re Jacob Waya Nez.”

  “It takes too long to list all of you. None of you guys go by nicknames,” he groaned.

  “What’s wrong with our names?”

  “They’re fucking long as fu–” When I glared at him for his foul mouth in public, he shut up real quick. The few people who had heard him, he offered them an apologetic smile and then looked at me. “Sorry.”

  “We all cuss, but do you have to do it in the middle of a restaurant?”

  “I said I was sorry. Sheesh.” He pulled out his wallet and pulled out a few twenties.

  “Look at you, Richie Rich,” I smirked and he laughed.

  “Feels nice to have something in this old thing.” Jacob waved the waitress over. “We’ll take the check whenever you can.”