Hand In Glove

Chapter 50

Soon enough, they were back on the road, heading southeast. They weaved through mountains and tunnels, stopping only for gas, food, and bathroom breaks. Chloe snapped as many pictures as she could. Nick was all too happy to pose, making up for Jamie, who preferred to avoid the camera. She did manage to get a few good shots of each of them. They'd be glad for it later.

The terrain began to change from mountains to hills and soon enough, sand dunes began to appear. The air changed too, the smell was distinct. The ocean was near. As they approached the outer limits of Virginia Beach, there were billboards with all the cheesy sayings you could imagine, boasting the best restaurants, the best hotels. When they finally turned onto the main strip, Chloe's eyes couldn't register all the restaurants, crab shacks, bars, souvenir shops and mini-putt parks.

She squealed and pointed at all the colorful places along the way. Ashton laughed at her enthusiasm. Honestly, for the first time in a long while, he too couldn't help but be excited.

They drove down a road lined with hotels, motels, and oceanside resorts. Chloe thought she would drive him crazy, pointing and asking, Is this it? Are we here?

They would be staying in Virginia Beach for a few nights, and doing several shows throughout the week in different bars along the strip. Chloe was curious to see where she would spend the next few days.

Finally, they pulled into a smaller two-level seaside resort. The parking lot faced the street so it was hard to imagine what to expect. More excited than concerned, Chloe practically jumped out of the car.

"Slow down, Chloe," Ashton called out. "Let's wait for the guys," he said, just as the van pulled in behind them. "Let me grab our reservation info." He reached for some papers in the glove box.

Chloe stood just outside the car door, frantically waving at Nick. As soon as he was able, he hopped out of the van and ran toward her. Together they jumped up and down, squealing like schoolgirls.

"Come on, guys, settle down or they're not gonna let us check in," Ashton said laughingly. He could see the source of their excitement just beyond the hotel. The ocean, it was so close and Chloe's eyes grew large as she took it in. "Oh, go ahead you two dorks. I'll check us in." Chloe hesitated a moment, glancing from Ashton to the ocean. "I said get out of here. Just bring her back in one piece, Nick."

"Cool, let's go!" Nick grabbed her by the hand and darted across the parking lot. "Come on, Chloe, it's right there." They wove their way through the public access area and onto the sand.

Chloe thought her heart would explode as she ran to keep up with Nick. He was just as excited as she was. Running past disgruntled sunbathers, she smiled apologetically. The sky was blue and the sun was hot and the water beckoned.

"Wait..." she said, pulling back on his hand just as they were about to go in.

"What is it?" Nick asked as he waited, watching Chloe quickly remove her sandals. "Right, good idea," Nick said, kicking off his sneakers. "Now, let's go."

Chloe started to walk in slowly but that wasn't going to work for Nick. Swiftly lifting her up in his arms, he charged straight in as wave after wave hit them head on. Chloe could only hold on for dear life. She tasted the saltwater on her lips and smiled.

"Nick, this is crazy cool. I can't believe we're here," she said as the cold waves tossed them mercilessly around. Nick held her tight, taking full advantage of her dependency on him out on the surf. He was going to take what he could get, even if it was only crumbs. "I should go back, get my bathing suit," she said, between breaths as the waves splashed all around.

"Why? You look great," Nick said.

"Easy for you to say. You're wearing board shorts. This denim skirt I'm wearing is getting pretty clingy and uncomfortable," she said, struggling to move her legs under the water.