Linda’s swimsuit was too big in front. Instead of buttoning the straps in the back, I had to tie them around my neck. It was a Hawaiian suit with a sarong-skirt, not as attractive as my own sleek tank suit, and I was sorry I’d lied since it had done no good. I tucked my hair up into my rubber swim cap, a pretty one covered with multi-colored flowers.

Jack, his chest bare but still wearing his blue jeans, whistled when he saw me. “You look like an island princess. But take that ridiculous swim cap off, will you? You’re not at some American swimming pool.”

“I don’t want my hair to get wet.”

I hadn’t fastened the strap yet, and he grabbed a handful of the loose rubber flowers and yanked it off.

But he kept pulling, and I didn’t struggle, and I was soon up to my knees, feeling the froth against my legs, sand sucking under my feet. Jack let go of me and flung himself forward….

“That’s better.”

I glanced out over the beach. Nobody was wearing a swim cap. I tossed it into my basket, and followed him back to the umbrella where Simone was already reading her Nancy Drew novel. She looked a little pathetic sitting there in her street clothes, her legs extended, the sun glinting off the brace.

“Simone? Would you like to build a sand castle with me?”

She looked up. She smiled, but then she looked past me to where Jack was standing. He was just stepping out of his blue jeans, bending over. I could see the line on his buttocks where the tan stopped and the white began.

Simone lifted her book. “I want to read this,” she said.

As we headed toward the water, where small waves were lapping onto shore, threading our way among chaise lounges and family groups sprawled under the umbrellas, Jack grabbed my hand.

He pulled me forward. “Let’s run in.”

“No,” I said. But he kept pulling, and I didn’t struggle, and I was soon up to my knees, feeling the froth against my legs, sand sucking under my feet. Jack let go of me and flung himself forward into the waves. A wave hit my chest, and I ducked down until the shock of cold water had worn off. When I stood up, the water ran off me, and I saw Jack staring at me. A chill breeze warned me of what had happened. The knot had come undone and my suit had rolled down to my waist.

Quickly I ducked down in the water, squatting, and tied the straps. Keeping low, I maneuvered along the shore line until I was surrounded by splashing children. Only then did I swim out to deeper water.

I helped some noisy children with their sandcastle. Then, trying to look nonchalant, I returned to the umbrella where Jack was sitting at the foot of Simone’s chaise lounge. He’d taken off one of her shoes, the one without the brace, and was sifting sand over her toes. Simone’s shoulders were hunched and her eyes were closed.

“Don’t you think she should go wading,” Jack said. “She won’t let me take off her brace.”

Simone opened her eyes. She looked panic stricken. “No,” she said.

“I’m hungry,” I said.

“Lunch it shall be.” Jack leaped up. He grinned at me.

Simone sat up, shook her foot, and put her sock and shoe back on. I put my blouse on over my swimsuit, and we followed Jack to a table on the terrace, right at the edge of the sand. As we sat down, someone put lire into the jukebox, and Bobby Darin began to sing about Mack the Knife. Simone and I ordered hamburgers and French fries and Cokes. Jack ordered a sandwich and something else I didn’t catch. It turned out to be wine on a silver tray, and the waiter brought it first. It fizzed when he poured it out.