Lauren's Lighthouse Love(Lea Sheryn) Lauren’s Lighthouse Love
By Lea Sheryn

Prologue

When Lauren and Eric announced they were going to honeymoon on Long Beach Island, the young couple received looks of astonishment from their friends. Naturally, the islands were perfect places for the newly married. Hawaii was a romantic spot for the newlyweds. There were plenty of beautiful places in the Caribbean. For those who were more adventurous, Thailand would provide an exotic taste, and there was always Paris, where love is said to bloom year-round. So why Long Beach Island of all places?
Their friends' quizzical glances didn't deter the young lovers in the very least. A secret smile between the two promised their choice was secure. Even if presented to them free of expenses, they wouldn't have chosen another place. LBI was their choice, and it was going to remain their choice.
The engagement party was throbbing along at full speed. The attendees raised their glasses to toast the upcoming nuptials, followed by a string of lewd jokes. The private dining area of Dmitri's Pizzeria thronged with guests. Loud voices and laughter drowned out the Frank Sinatra tunes that played in the background. Patrons in the main room of the restaurant could overhear the merriment. Due to many salutes to future happiness, Lauren and Eric were beginning to feel comfortably numbed by the many glasses of champagne they had already consumed. It was only the beginning of the happiest event of their lives. Both were ecstatic over their choice to spend their lives together.
When Lauren found herself cornered in the lady's restroom by her two best friends, Chloe Field and Emerson Delacroix, it was nearing midnight. They had been hovering, one on each side, at the stall door the bride-to-be was positioned behind. As soon as she exited, the two women pounced.
"Why LBI?" Emerson demanded as she thrust her overly made-up face into Lauren's. Chloe closed in to voice her command, "What gives? C'mon, tell us." Although both women were beautiful enough in their spaghetti strap sheath dresses with their long blond hair swooping over the right sides of their faces, they were both far on the other side of tipsy.
“It’s no real mystery,” Lauren sighed as she leaned back against the stall door. It was getting late, and the party was going into overtime. She had told Eric she was only going to be a moment, but there was a story to be told. "When we were six years old, Eric and I met in the shadow of Barnegat Lighthouse."

Chapter One

Sitting in the sand at the water's edge, the little girl built a sandcastle. The sand was damp. However, it was just wet enough to hold together as her small hands patted it into a mound. Although it was only a rough shape, Lauren viewed it as the most beautiful fairy tale castle she could imagine. A princess lived there with the king and queen. She dreamed of a handsome prince who would come to rescue her riding a winged red dragon. Even at six years of age, Lauren had a wonderful imagination.
The beach was a happy place. Lauren was a pretty little girl with honey-colored blonde hair. Her two pigtails, tied up with pink ribbons, matched her white bikini with a hyacinth pattern. Perched on her head, a cloth hat of the same floral material kept the hot sun from beating down on the fair skin of her face. Before her, the waves crashed against the shore. A few feet behind, mother and father sat in beach chairs chatting comfortably. A Styrofoam cooler sat between the two chairs. Dad could reach for a beer or mommy could have a bottle of spring water. It was their first visit as a family to Long Beach Island.
Their summer rental cottage, hidden behind the dunes, stood amongst a line of similar ones. The Cabot family had rented the same ever since Lauren's grandparents had married. It was, as daddy stated, a tradition. Now, the newest generation had come to spend their week at the shore for the first time.
A great year was ahead of the little trio. Evan Cabot had received a huge promotion and raise in salary from his advertising agency. Finally, after years of struggling, Janelle's arts and craft store began to thrive. Someday soon, they would leave their apartment behind them. The small family planned to move into a house in the small town of Trevose to the north of Philadelphia. But their long-overdue vacation had to come ahead of all else. On a bright and sunny summer Saturday, they were Long Beach Island bound.
As they headed east toward the Jersey shore, Lauren's excitement grew. Long Beach Island (commonly known to the locals as LBI) is one of several barrier islands along the Jersey shore. To the north of Atlantic City and south of Seaside, the island is roughly eighteen miles long. The towns of Barnegat Light stood at the tip and Holgate at the other end. Approaching their destination by a causeway that terminated in Ship Bottom, the Cabot's blue Ford Edge made a left-hand turn at the Boulevard and headed toward Surf City.
Lauren immediately fell in love with the small towns they passed through. The name Harvey Cedars fascinated her. Next came Loveladies—how fascinating! Her heartthrob as she imagined a village full of ladies ready to be loved. Finally, at long last, the red and white lighthouse came into view. Tall and straight, Old Barney stood as a beacon of hope to the people who fished the Atlantic Ocean along the Jersey shore. For one whole week, the Cabot family was going to live in the shadow of that majestic obelisk. Sitting in the backseat of the SUV, the little girl clapped her hands with joy.
Their two-story rental house stood on the dunes facing east toward the mighty Atlantic. Weathered white clapboards with a slate shingled roof gave the dwelling an authentic beach feel. The seashore feeling penetrated the house. The open living room/kitchen setup was decorated with a nautical theme. A highly varnished ship's wheel hung above the whitewashed fireplace. Figurines of ships’ captains stood along the mantelpiece. Lauren particularly loved the white-bearded man wearing a yellow rain slicker, blue jeans, and hip boots. Lovingly, mommy took it down to place it in her eager outstretched hands. The bright little girl went to sit on the blue cushioned couch. Studying the little man, she embed him in her memory.
After exploring the nautically decorated cottage with its downstairs and two second floor bedrooms, the little family spent the evening sitting in deck chairs on the upstairs beach facing veranda. When night fell, the sound of waves crashing outside her screened window rocked Lauren to sleep. The scent of the salt sea air caused her to peacefully drift off into the land of nod.
The following morning found the Cabot family on the beach. Mommy and Lauren each had their beach badges pinned to the tops of their bikinis. Daddy wore his on the waistband of his swimming trunks. On Long Beach Island, everyone who used the beach had to buy a small plastic oval badge proclaiming their privilege to swim, build sandcastles or paddle along the shore. Daddy said it was an LBI tradition.
After they ate a hamburger lunch and roasting marshmallows over the small hibachi, the family returned to the beach. At the water’s edge, Lauren began to build her first sandcastle. The little girl was happy to play in the surf. Hanging onto to her parents’ hands, she jumped the waves that rolled onto shore. Pulling her body up out of the water, she pretended she was a great athlete leaping over the huge whitecaps. However, they were only the small ones that lapped at the edge of the water.
Deeply into her imaginations about the beautiful princess and the dragon-riding prince who loved her, Lauren missed the sound of boys' shouting voices. Suddenly, their feet crashed through her majestic building. Hurtling themselves into her fantasy, the three boys stomped and kicked at each other.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she shouted as she jumped to her feet and pushed the closest boy into the sand. “You ruined my castle!”
With tight tiny fists pressed deeply into her sides, she slowly turned so she could face the three intruders.
"What castle?" questioned the boy she had pushed. With his feet stretched out in its remains, its demise remained lost on him. He was about the same age as Lauren. His plump baby cheeks showed signs of thinning into boyhood. His brown hair was lightened to blond on top by playing out in the summer sun. His expression as he asked, "What castle?" was studious bordering on serious. As Lauren sized him up, she noticed his sparkling blue eyes.
"Aw, don't pay attention to her, Eric," his dark curly-haired companion laughed. "She's just another shoobee."
"What did you call me?" Lauren coolly asked as she turned toward the second boy.
“A shoobee, a shoobee, a silly little shoobee,” chortled the second and third boys.
"What?" Now the little girl was perplexed.
"A shoobee. It means you're not a local; you're a tourist," the boy called Eric stated. "Someone who eats their lunch on the beach out of a shoebox or a tourist who wears shoes and Bermuda shorts, get it? Whichever one, I don't know. It's just what they call summer people around here."
“Oh,” was all Lauren could say, more puzzled than ever.
"C'mon, Brad, Kieran, let's go play somewhere else," Eric decided as he turned away from Lauren. "Who wants to hang around with girls."
Without a backward glance, the three boys walked on toward the lighthouse. Plunging into the ocean, they dove into the oncoming waves, and body surfed back to shore.
The fun had gone out of sandcastle building for Lauren. Instead of rebuilding it, she plunked down on her purple and pink paisley beach towel. When the ice cream man rang his bell, Evan gave her enough money to buy a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake. She stood in a group around the man clad in his white uniform and cap. Eric, Brad, and Kieran were also amongst the gathering of popsicle hungry children. She chose to ignore them.
Later in the evening, the Cabot family showered and dressed to go out to dinner at the Starboard Inn.
Janelle looked beautiful in a white eyelet summer dress sprinkled with delicate blue flowers. A light lace shawl surrounded her shoulders. Her pretty blonde hair swung across her back as she reached to unbutton the top fastener of Evan's polo shirt. Although he wasn’t wearing a tie, he had buttoned up to the neck. Laughingly his wife chastised him for forgetting they were on vacation.
Checking her daddy over, Lauren noticed he had donned navy shorts and tan boat shoes with socks. “Daddy’s a shoobee,” raced through her mind.
Lauren wore her favorite pink dress with a yellow belt and small white sandals. Looking over her parents, she thought they looked like a lovely family on a summer vacation. Inside, she was proud to go out to eat with her parents.
The Starboard Inn was a popular restaurant in Surf City. Outside, crowds of people waited to be seated while, inside, others enjoyed their meals. Finally shown to their seats, Lauren felt chagrined to find ‘that boy Eric’ sitting a couple of tables away. Although she attempted to ignore him, she couldn't help stealing glances in his direction and noticing him looking back at her.
As the waitress set plates of peach pie ala mode in front of them, Eric appeared to stand beside Lauren's chair. Clearing his throat loudly, he finally stated, "I'm sorry about your sandcastle. I didn't see it."
“It’s okay,” Lauren answered, almost in a whisper. She was still sore about it.
“I’m Eric Henry Holbrook,” the boy stated as though being Eric Henry Holbrook meant something special. “Can we be friends?”
"Sure, okay," Lauren answered with the smallest of small smiles. "My name is Lauren Cabot." She almost said Lauren Elizabeth Cabot but stopped herself. She didn't want to use her full name as he had.
Secretly Lauren was pleased to have made her first friend on Long Beach Island. Maybe she would make other friends as the week progressed.

Chapter Two

"Daddy, Eric wants me to climb the lighthouse with him," Lauren stated as she stood before her father's beach chair. "Can I go with him? Please?" Her little voice trembled as she asked for permission. At nine years of age, she felt as though she were old enough to go places without her mother and father.
Throwing a glance toward his wife, Evan Cabot wasn't sure how to respond. Although they had attempted to give their daughter a little brother or sister to play with, all their endeavors had fallen short. Sure, they had tried everything possible, but nothing worked. The Philadelphia doctors they visited claimed they were healthy enough to produce more children. Still, Lauren was the only one. As it was, both parents were overprotective of their sole offspring. Other than school, they barely allowed the honey-haired little girl out of their sight.
At nine years of age, Lauren was steady and reliable. As with most children, there were times when she found herself in over her head with certain situations. However, she soon straightened herself out. Both Evan and Janelle knew they couldn't keep a hold on her all her life. Little girls should be surrounded by their friends and join in with the same activities their peers enjoyed. Besides, LBI was a safe place for children to play. Eric had been a steady companion ever since their first summer vacation. If she wanted to climb Old Barney--a nickname for Barnegat Lighthouse--there was no reason to hold her back.
Digging her toes into the sun-warmed beach sand, Lauren stood before her father. Eagerly, she awaited his answer. Her one-piece bathing suit was navy blue with a wide diagonal red stripe crossing from the top of her left shoulder to the bottom of her right hip; a thinner white stripe lay inside the red one. A single braid of tawny hair swung down to her waist. Her nose freckled by the summer sun. At the edge of the shore, Eric anticipated a long climb to the top of the lighthouse. Wistfully, she threw a smile in his direction.
"Okay," Evan finally responded. Reaching into the multicolored beach bag that hung from the arm of his chair, he drew out his wallet. Then, he handed his daughter the money she would need to pay for the expedition to the top of Old Barney. "Treat Eric to an ice cream when you come down, honey, and don't forget your 'please and thank yous’."
“Oh yes, daddy,” Lauren squealed with delight. “Thank you, daddy.” Flinging herself at Evan, she joyfully hugged him and kissed his cheek. Bouncing off in the direction of her closest companion, she checked herself to run back to hug and kiss her mommy also.
The sight of the two children running along the edge of the shore caused Evan and Janelle Cabot to share a reassuring smile. They were proud of their daughter; they liked Eric Holbrook. If they were thinking of the future, they were already hearing church bells ringing to announce the nuptials of the grownup version of the two youngsters.
Together Lauren and Eric gazed up at Barnegat Lighthouse. The tall structure reached up into the blue sky from where it stood at the tip of Long Beach Island. Paying the admission charge, they began the 217-step climb to the top. At 172 feet tall, there was a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay. Breathtakingly, Lauren took in the entire sight.
Grasping Eric by the hand, she traversed the circle around the light. Ecstatically, she pointed out everything that caught her attention. As a wide grin spread across the young boy's face, he found himself caught up in his little friend's enthusiasm. Before long, the little girl's imagination had them soaring with the birds and riding the surf. After half an hour, they descended at a much slower pace than the one that had taken them upwards.
“It’s always harder coming down,” Eric complained as he threw himself down onto the sand to catch his breath.
Lauren sat beside him and tucked her legs beneath her bottom. Although their friendship had a rough start when Eric had knocked down her sandcastle, she soon found herself growing fond of her companion. To her young mind, they seemed to go together. He was intelligent, witty, and sometimes a little sarcastic, but that was perfectly fine with her. She liked the sand that seemed to perpetually cling in his sun blonde hair and the way his eyes snapped when he was excited about something she said. As much as she wanted to tell him she enjoyed being with him, the words stuck between her mind and her lips.
“Let’s go in the gift shops,” the boy suggested as he stood to his feet. Casually, he wiped sand from his orange bathing trunks and legs.
Together, they walked along the promenade until they came to the quaint shanty-style shops at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park entrance. Dreaming of the ice cream surprise she had for Eric, Lauren secretly smiled to herself. It pleased her to have the money to treat her friend to a cold, creamy treat.
“You still hanging with the shoobee?” a voice called from behind them as they were nearing the Good Humor cooler. It was Eric’s cousin, Kieran McIntyre.
“Who are you calling a shoobee?” Lauren exclaimed, turning on the dark curly headed boy. She wished he hadn’t shown up. She didn’t have enough money to buy three popsicles.
“You. You’re only a summer person. You don’t live here,” Kieran responded as he advanced on the girl. “I have every right to call you a shoobee.”
“Leave her alone, Key.” Eric stepped in, using his cousin’s nickname. “You forget I’m a summer person too. Mother and I may have lived with your family while mom and dad were getting a divorce, but we live in Willow Penn now. We only come down here for the summer.”
Lauren's mind raced as Eric spoke. Willow Penn wasn't far from her own home in Trevose, Pennsylvania. All the time she had known him, she never knew he didn't live on LBI. His hometown was so close to her own. Making a mental note to ask daddy about it later, she determined to visit her friend during the winter months.
However, uppermost in her mind, she had to figure out how to offer ice cream to Eric while Kieran was hanging around. If she were rude to either boy, her parents would be distraught by her behavior.
The dilemma was solved when Eric stated, "Let's get ice cream. It's my treat." Digging into the inside pocket of his bathing suit, he pulled out a wadded-up ten-dollar bill. Determinedly he headed toward the popsicle cooler.
Although Lauren was disappointed about not offering her friend, she was glad her embarrassment was resolved. She was just as happy to have her Strawberry Shortcake Good Humor bar as the boys were with their Chocolate Eclairs.
“What are you guys doing?” Kieran inquired as they walked through the large Barnegat Lighthouse parking lot toward the beach.
Eric shrugged his shoulders to indicate they weren't doing much of anything. "Swimming, I guess, or maybe we'll build a sandcastle with a moat, then fill it with water."
Lauren beamed at the idea. In her imagination, the prince and princess she dreamed about had married and moved into a castle of their own. Together, they were breeding dragons to compete in fire-breathing competitions.
“Aw, that’s nothing,” Kieran jeered. “Baby stuff. Let’s go down to Ship Bottom and play miniature golf.”
"Sure. Let's go," Eric exclaimed, the excitement showing in his voice. Hanging around on the beach was fun, but sometimes a boy wanted to do other things. Together, the two boys put their heads together to plan their golf strategies.
"How are we going to get there?" Lauren asked. She was always the logical one in the group. She was a little girl who had to know everything.
The little blond boy and his curly-headed companion stopped in mid-sentence to stare at their female friend. They hadn't thought of the distance between Barnegat Light and Ship Bottom; they just wanted to play golf. After a couple of shrugs and a few "I don't know," Kieran finally suggested: "Go ask your dad if he can take us."
Slowly Lauren walked toward where her mother and father were relaxing in their beach chairs. As much as she didn't want to disturb them, she wanted to play with the boys. Digging her feet in the sand, she stood before her parents and asked her question. Much to her surprise, Evan immediately agreed. Smiling, Janelle told her daughter to take a shower and change out of her bathing suit.
Before her parents could change their minds, she rushed off toward the outdoor shower. Before long, she was standing in the living room dressed in a pair of blue denim shorts with white daisies printed all over. A yellow halter top with an oversized daisy on the front completed the outfit.
It wasn't long before three boys strolled in through the beach-facing door of the rented summer cottage. Believing the miniature golf plans had only included Eric and Kieran, Lauren was surprised to find Bradley Andrews with them.
'Well, the more the merrier,' the little girl thought to herself as she looked them up and down. All three wore their LBI tee shirts over their swimsuits. Brad's proclaimed: "LIFE'S A BEACH" in bold orange lettering. Lauren rolled her eyes upwards in exasperation. Then, she turned to watch her mother and father walk downstairs together.
Three children and two adults packed into the family's Ford Explorer to make the journey to Ship Bottom in the middle of LBI. Lauren enjoyed watching the scenery as they drove along. In some places between Loveladies and Harvey Cedars, she could see both the beach and the bay. Where the island widened at the beginning of Surf City through to Ship Bottom, shops and restaurants lined both sides of the road. Summer activity surrounded her as she watched groups of people on their way to the beach or mingling on the sidewalks.
The Sand Trap, a miniature golf course, was the first place they stopped. There was a moment of confusion when Evan Cabot discovered none of the boys had brought any money with them. Exchanging worried looks with Janelle, he finally drew his wallet from the pocket of his Dockers shorts.
Lauren bit her lip as she realized her father would have to pay for each round of golf at all three courses they intended to play. However, it wasn't long before they were all laughing when Brad hit his ball hard enough to send it sailing high into the air and out of sight.
Stopping at T-Burger on the Boulevard in Ship Bottom, Evan ordered hamburgers and fries with soda for lunch. Since it was only a counter service stand, they stayed in the parking lot and ate in the SUV. Lauren was glad to sit in the backseat with Eric and steal his fries when hers were all gone.
At Flamingo Golf, a team member cautioned the boys for being too rowdy. Kieran had accused Brad of knocking his green ball out of the way. Then accidentally picking up Eric's red ball, he threw it off the course. Evan stood in the midst of the battle. Janelle held Lauren back although her daughter was itching to get into the melee.
Island Golf was the last stop on the list. Threatening to take the foursome home if they misbehaved, Evan reluctantly pulled in and let the children out. By this time, weary of all the excitement, Janelle decided to stay in the SUV to rest. Fortunately, the worn-out youngsters played the course with no interruptions. Finally they piled into the vehicle for the trip back to Barnegat Light. As they passed the Trampolines in Surf City, Lauren declared that she wanted to jump. When Evan refused to stop, she whimpered.
"But I wanted to jump, daddy," Lauren whined in her most petulant voice. Visions of children having fun on the trampolines danced in her mind. Wistfully, she contemplated bouncing up and down or turning a somersault or two. Slumping in her seat, she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.
"We're going back to Barnegat Light, sweetheart. We're going to relax on the upstairs sundeck for an hour or so," Janelle explained as she turned in her seat to view her slouching daughter. "The McIntyre's invited us to a cookout at their place tonight. We'll come back and jump another time."
Immediately brightening up, Lauren sat taller in her seat. Since they'd been vacationing on LBI during the summers, the Cabot's and the McIntyre's had become good friends. Along with Eleanor Holbrook, who was Eric's mother, they created a pleasant group.
When the sun went down, the children roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire pit. In the background, the grownups chatted amiably. The sounds of the crackling of the fire and the crashing of the waves along the shore were delightfully cozy sounds. They were part of the mosaic that made Long Beach Island Lauren's favorite place. She knew the memories she made there would always be the best ones of her life.

MIDDLELOGUE

Sitting atop the vanity in the bathroom of Dmitri's Pizzeria, Lauren Cabot was deep within her story of meeting Eric Holbrook during her first LBI vacation. Her girlfriends, Chloe Field and Emerson Delacroix were enthralled as they hung onto her every word. The crashing of the ladies' room door startled them as Kieran McIntyre, and Brad Andrews stumbled in.
"What's the tie-up?" Key exclaimed as he swayed to catch his balance. "You've gone and left the groom stranded at his engagement party."
“It’s a girl thing,” the pretty blonde-headed Chloe responded as she turned fierce eyes toward the young man who was leaning against a stall door.
“You girls spend way too much time in the john,” Brad quipped, spinning around to face Chloe.
"You two macho men are spending too much time in the girls' room for my comfort," Emerson responded. Together, she and Chloe began to push them out. "We're busy, so get out."
“Aw, c’mon, Em, don’t take it out on Mercury,” Kieran rebutted as he swung around to face the two girls. “Apollo summons his lovely bride-to-be. We barged in to hustle you along.”
“All right, all right.” Swinging her long slim legs down from atop the vanity, Lauren sashayed toward the door. Playfully tapping Kieran on the cheek, she marched past him with her girlfriends in tow.
As the three girls re-entered the pizzeria, loud cheering and clapping greeted them. They located their partners for the evening. Joining Eric at the bar, Lauren lifted a glass of champagne in his direction. Clinking their long-stemmed vessels, they sipped the bubbly wine while their blue eyes sparkled over the rims.
"So are you going to let us in on the story, Lauren? Or is it going to be a secret between the three of you?" Kieran shouted from the back of the group. Slinging his arm across the shoulders of a well-stacked brunette, he leaned against her to keep on his feet.
“It’s a secret, Key,” Lauren called back, “and you’re drunk!”
“I thought you came with Chloe,” Emerson called over the clatter of voices filling the banquet room. “That’s Amber you’re hanging onto.”
“Oh…I beg your pa…par-Doon,” the dark-haired boy slurred as one of his curls descended over his forehead. With shuffling steps, he moved away from Amber to sling his arm comfortably over Chloe’s shoulder.
“Get away from me,” Chloe snapped as she lifted Kieran’s arm away. “Lauren’s right; you’re drunk.”
“I am not!” Key empathically exclaimed as he attempted to stand upright. “C’mon, Lauren, we want a story. Don’t keep it all to yourself! Share it with the rest of us.”
Glancing toward Eric as he mouthed, "what story?" Lauren quickly explained how Chloe and Emerson had caught up to her in the ladies' room. Their indignation concerning the honeymoon choice prompted the story.
“Well, go on and tell us, sweet thing,” her intended husband encouraged.
Moving from the barstool onto the bar itself, Lauren crossed her long slim legs, brushed her honey-rich blonde hair over her shoulders. Then she began to describe her meeting Eric in the shadow of Barnegat Lighthouse. Swiftly, she had caught up to where she was when Brad and Kieran interrupted the girls in the restroom. The crowd of well-wishers attending the engagement party gathered around the pretty young lady and her fiancé.

Chapter Three

On a bright and sunny summer morning, three little girls emerged from the Cabot cottage on Long Beach Island. For two of them, this would be their first stay at Barnegat Light at the rented a beachfront bungalow. Twelve-year-old Lauren was pleased that her two companions, Chloe Field and Emerson Delacroix, had been able to join. She was eager to share her home away from home and introduce them to her longtime LBI friends: Eric Holbrook, Kieran McIntyre, and Brad Andrews.
Chattering excitedly, the trio stood on the front veranda to survey the scene in front of them. The white sand beach spread before them like a freshly laundered sheet. Here and there, summer visitors began to spread towels, plant umbrellas and unfold beach chairs. At the water's edge, a small boy and girl tentatively poked their toes into the saltwater to test the temperature. The little girl shrieked and ran away from the surf as a wave crashed a little further out. Believing it must be the child’s first visit to the shore, Lauren smiled to herself.
Clad in neon-colored bikini bathing suits, the three girls clattered down the veranda steps and through the dunes to the beach. Lauren made sure to spread their beach towels and plant their multicolored umbrella within sight of the nearest lifeguard. Her father, Evan Cabot, had made it clear to her to stay close to the guard if she were on the beach without them. Wisely, she understood the dangers of swimming unaccompanied and was sure to be safe under the protective eyes of the beach attendant.
Placing her raft beneath her arm, Lauren led the way toward the water's edge. Carrying a float, Emerson Delacroix ran alongside her friend. Together, the two girls began to paddle into the surf. Reaching a spot where she could catch a big wave, Lauren positioned herself correctly to catch it. Em copied her friend's movement. Only when they were facing the beach did they notice Chloe Field hadn’t joined them. The third girl of the trio was busy chatting with the lifeguard. Rolling their eyes at each other, the two swimmers shared a wink and a grin. They were each becoming aware of the opposite sex, but Chloe was absolutely boy crazy.
Forgetting her friend's obsession with boys, Lauren spread herself flat across her raft. The swell of a wave lifted her then carried her in a rush toward the shore. Skidding to a stop as the raft reached the sand, she sat up. Immediately, she found herself face to face with her longtime friend, Eric Holbrook. A smile spreading widely across her face, she leaped up to greet him.
“You’re late,” Eric exclaimed as a way of salutation. With his fists firmly planted against his hips, he continued: “I expected you last week. What happened?”
"I brought my friends, Chloe and Emerson, with me this year. Em couldn't come last week because her aunt from California was visiting. We had to wait a week so she could come too," Lauren explained. Standing up, she brushed her long honey blond hair away from her eyes.
"You coulda let a fellow know," Eric responded with a stern tone edging his voice.
“Why should I?” the little girl demanded as fire filled her light golden eyes.
“Who’s your friend?” Emerson broke in as she strolled up with her raft beneath her arm. The wave had swept her further up the beach, so she had to rush over to rejoin her companion.
"This is Eric. He's not my friend; apparently, he's my keeper," Lauren flared—more toward Eric than to Emerson.
“Hey! I just wanted to know where you were!” the young boy commented in return. “I was worried when you weren’t here last week.” After a pause, he added, “I missed you, Lauren.”
"I missed you too," Lauren replied, her voice turning from the offensive to that of a sweet little girl. She wasn't furious at Eric about being possessive. It was simply how they spoke to each other. Together the trio walked toward the red lifeguard stand. Lauren introduced Chloe Field as her other companion.
“Oh NO! Now there are three shoobees instead of one!” Kieran McIntyre exclaimed as he and Brad Andrews jogged up to join the group. “What is this world coming to?!”
“What’s a shoobee?” Chloe exclaimed, turning her attention from the beach attendant to the newcomers.
“It’s a long story,” Eric stated in a dismissive tone.
“It’s what we call the Summer Crowd around here,” Brad stepped in to explain. “Someone who wears shoes and Bermuda shorts—you know, a shoobee.”
"Well, I'm neither wearing shoes nor shorts," Chloe responded as she posed to model her bright green bikini.
"I should say not," Kieran exclaimed, whistling beneath his breath. Always the clown of the group, he continued: "Where have you been all my life?" Hooking his arm in Chloe's, he announced in imitation of Charles Boyer, "Come with me to the Casbah; We'll make beautiful music together." Steering his new playmate away from the group, he made an exaggerated gesture about being alone together.
On the other hand, Chloe wanted nothing to do with Kieran’s foolishness.
“What are you doing?” she cried as she struggled to release herself from the thirteen-year-old boy’s grasp. Immediately sprang to the rescue, Eric and Brad rushed in to free the attractive girl from their friend’s clutches.
“Very funny, you guys,” Lauren called out from her place near the lifeguard stand. “Knock it off. We came here to swim, not to get molested by a bunch of sharks.”
Faking a death scene, Kieran let his knees buckle as he fell into the sand. Eric and Brad plopped down near him. The three girls sprinted over to join them.
"So, what are we going to do?" Eric asked, spinning on to his stomach and propping his chin in his hands.
“We came here to swim,” Lauren answered as she noticed Chloe’s eyes wandering back toward the lifeguard. “Well, some of us came here to swim.”
“Someone else came to ogle the lifeguard,” Kieran muttered as he rolled his eyes into his head. Chloe turned toward him with daggers in her eyes.
“We can swim this morning and climb the lighthouse after lunch,” Eric suggested. “What’s your mom making for lunch, Lauren?”
"I don't know, and who invited you?" came the quick reply.
"I thought I had a standing invitation to lunch," the boy quipped in return. "Isn't that the way it is? You come to my place sometimes, or I go to yours."
"Yeah, I guess," Lauren responded as she smoothly shrugged her shoulders. Usually, kids on LBI ate lunch at the friend's house they were closest to. Since they were closest to the Cabot residence, the whole gang expected to eat there. Over the week, they would be in and out of each other's homes as though they were their own.
After a meal of fresh crab salad and large glasses of lemonade, the group of six made their way to the top of Barnegat Lighthouse. Chloe and Emerson squealed with delight at the views of the surrounding beach and bay fronts. Brightly imaginative, Lauren pointed toward a charter boat in the distance. Describing the people traveling on it, she fantasized a picnic on a far shore. As she wove her tale, the others began to chime in with their ideas of a romantic tryst—attributed to Chloe and Emerson—or a fishing expedition—from Eric, Kieran, and Brad. When they returned to ground level, a debate was going on concerning which group had the better idea. Finally, Lauren decided to incorporate both storylines to save everyone's feelings on the subject.

"When are we going to Bay Village?" Lauren asked her mother and father one morning as they were eating breakfast on the beachfront veranda. The week was quickly drawing to a close, and they still hadn't made the promised trip to the southern end of Long Beach Island. So far, their beach days had been interspersed with trips to Ship Bottom and Surf City to play miniature golf or jump on the trampolines. A trip to Beach Haven, the location of the small shopping village, was considered an LBI tradition to the small family.
“Well, why don’t we go this morning?” Evan suggested as he lifted his coffee mug with a picture of Barnegat Light on the front. “That is if you girls can get ready before lunchtime.” His smile included his wife, Janelle, along with the trio of pre-teen youngsters.
“Can the boys go too?” was Lauren’s next question.
"Of course," her father responded. It seemed they never went anywhere without Eric, Kieran, and Brad in tow. Crossing his finger's behind his back, Evan hoped the boys would bring a little spending money with them this time. It seemed he was always getting stuck with the expenses of the whole gang.
“I’ll run and tell Eric,” Lauren exclaimed, jumping from the table and dashing onto the beach. The McIntyre cottage, where her friend stayed with his cousin, was only three doors away. In not time, she burst through their door.
"Get ready in a hurry," she announced without any form of introduction. "We're going to Bay Village this morning."
Neither the McIntyre’s nor Eleanor Holbrook was surprised by the outburst. They expected the pretty little girl's exorbitant announcements.
Both Eric and his cousin Kieran bounded from the table and headed toward the door. As far as they were concerned, they were ready for a day out with the Cabot’s.
“Put something on your feet,” Eleanor Holbrook called out before the screen door banged closed on the boys.
Re-entering, they each slid their feet into the flip-flops they habitually left near the beach entrance. Simultaneously Lauren and Eric’s mother exchanged looks of amazement then shrugged aside the boys’ behavior. As far as they were concerned: boys were going to be boys.
While Kieran ran to collect Brad from his home, Eric accompanied Lauren to the Cabot’s beachfront cottage.
“Key and Brad will be here in a minute,” he announced as he reached for a blueberry muffin from the platter on the breakfast table. Stuffing it all into his mouth, he grinned at his companion.
“Really, Eric? The whole thing?” Lauren quipped in disgust. BOYS in big capital letters flashed across her mind.
Before she could think another thought, Kieran and Brad stepped onto the patio and grabbed muffins. Dressed for the day excursion, Chloe and Emerson reappeared as she was about to speak up again.
While Em donned a comfy pair of plaid shorts and a red halter top, Chloe showed off a black sundress with pink hibiscus flowers and a plunging neckline. A pair of high-heeled pink sandals and a pink sunhat completed the outfit. Plunking herself next to Kieran at the table, she adjusted her skirt until it was just above the knee. Key and Brad jostled each other when she crossed her legs.
“Your feet at going to kill you by the end of the day,” Lauren wisely stated.
“I told her that,” Emerson responded with a cross look on her face.
“There might be guys there,” Chloe responded as though the thought hadn’t occurred to her friends.
“You’ll make a big impression,” Lauren declared, “Limping along.”
“You better get ready, young lady,” her father cut in, “if you expect to be ready to go.”
“Yes, Daddy Dearest.” The little girl jumped from her seat. Before rushing from the room, she flung her arms around her father’s neck and kissed his cheek.
Finally, the little group prepared to leave for the trip to the southern end of Long Beach Island. Lauren and Emerson climbed into the far backseat of the SUV with Eric in the middle. Chloe sat in the middle row between Kieran and Brad. Exchanging conspiratorial looks, the two girls found it amusing to trap their friend with the two overly excited young men. If their boy crazy friend wanted to be near the opposite sex, it was a good opportunity.
By the time they reached Bay Village in Beach Haven, Chloe had her fingers stuffed in her ears. She’d had enough of Key’s jokes and Brad’s braying laughter.
“I’ll get you for this,” she hissed in Lauren’s ear as they gathered on the sidewalk.
“We’ll see,” Lauren responded with a twinkle in her eye.
It wasn’t long before the playful animosity between the girls disappeared. As a group, they wandered in and out of the Bay Village shops. After a jolly, fun-filled lunch at Bay Village Pizza, they visited the Lucy Evelyn--a replica schooner turned gift shop. At Chick's LBI Shop where they purchased matching tee shirts. Chloe picked out a pair of seahorse earrings at Song of the Sea. Lastly, they stopped for a treat at Windmill Belgian Waffles.
“Can we go to the Surflight Theater?” Lauren asked, finishing off her last bite of waffles and ice cream.
“I think you’ve had enough ice cream, Lauren,” her mother gently remonstrated.
"Aw, mom," the little girl complained. "There's no such thing as too much ice cream." Oh, how she loved the Surflight Theater with its singing waitri and multiple flavors of ice cream. It was even better than a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake.
“We wanted to go to Fantasy Island,” Eric stated, referencing the Beach Haven amusement park a few blocks away.
“Or Thundering Surf,” Kieran suggested the waterpark in the same vicinity.
"We didn't bring our swimsuits, stupid," Chloe curtly responded, plunking down to remove her shoes and rub her sore feet. All she wanted to do was retire to Barnegat Light and soak her toes in the surf.
“That’s enough of that, young lady,” Janelle sharply cut in. “Let’s not call each other names.”
“Yeah, right.” Chloe cut a look toward Lauren’s mother. Her patience was short due to her aching extremities and the fact that she hadn’t spied any cute guys. Constantly hanging around and cutting up with not so funny jokes, Kieran and Brad were cramping her style.
"We'll spend an hour or so at Fantasy Island," Evan Cabot decided for the group. He had fond memories of the amusement park he visited as a child. In his day, it was called it Hartman's Amusement Park. The attraction contained was a huge slide and a giant robot made of old cars.
The excited group of eight decided to walk the short distance to Fantasy Island. Lingering in the rear, Chloe carried her shoes. Everyone had an enjoyable time riding the many amusement rides and playing games to their hearts' content. Eric won enough tickets at skeeball to win a fluffy pink teddy bear with a polka dot bowtie. Grinning, he presented to Lauren. The others picked up small trinkets with their tickets. All in all, it had been a fun-filled day for the group of young people.
The next few days, the pre-teens stayed close to home. It was time to start picking up their odds and ends and to say goodbye to LBI for another year. Lauren was happy with her summer vacation. Both Chloe and Emerson hoped for an invitation to enjoy another week at the beach the 56following year. They would speak of the sunny days well into the beginning of the trio's autumn school session.

Chapter Four

Stretching her long legs toward the sun, sixteen-year-old Lauren Cabot basked in the afternoon glory of Long Beach Island. The beach stretched before her with only the cylindrical shadow of Barnegat Lighthouse marring the white sand. The day was warm and sunny, the Atlantic waters refreshingly cool. Lathered in a layer of sunblock, she felt the joy of another summer vacation with her family and friends.
Plopping his surfboard onto the sand, Eric Holbrook flung his wet body onto the beach towel spread out beside Lauren's chair. Sand clung in his summer blond locks, and he smelled salty from the seawater he'd been swimming in. Tall and muscular, the days of playing in the surf tanned his skin. Absently, the young lady beside him handed over her bottle of lotion.
“You’d better save your skin, young man,” she insisted as she waited for him to take it from her. “You’ll get skin cancer later on in life if you’re not careful now.”
“No worries,” Eric nonchalantly responded, propping his hands behind his head. He stretched his legs toward the sun.
"Yes, worries," Lauren contended, reaching out further with the lotion.
Her grandfather passed away from a sun cancer lesion on his nose the previous winter. He had claimed it was no big deal. It had swiftly spread, attacking his brain through a passage in his nostrils. She was always cautious because her parents had been careful with her upbringing. She didn't want to see her best friend in a similar situation later on in life.
"Well, okay, if that's the way you feel," Eric relented. Taking the sunscreen from her outstretched fingers, he slathered it on. "Any idea where Brad and Key went?"
“They took a walk on the beach with Chloe and Em.”
Altogether they were a group of six fast friends who spent their summers together on LBI. Bradley Andrews and Kieran McIntyre lived in Barnegat Light all year-'round. Lauren Cabot, Chloe Field, and Emerson Delacroix vacationed for a week at the Cabot cottage. They came from Trevose, Pennsylvania. From Willow Penn, Pa, Eric Holbrook and his mother, Eleanor, stayed the entire summer with their relatives, the McIntyre family.
“Would you like to walk too,” Eric suggested as he poised himself to stand up.
"No, let's stay here a while," Lauren drowsily answered. She was content to remain beneath her multicolored umbrella. "Maybe we'll climb Old Barnie after lunch."
“Sure.”
Eric didn't mind what they did. He was pleasantly pleased with Lauren's appearance this summer. She had matured from the little girl he met in the surf to a beautiful young lady of sixteen. Her body was sinuous in her navy bikini with little white anchors embroidered all over. Her honey-blond hair hung in a long braid over her shoulder. Looking at her through the eyes of a teenage boy, he could almost admit he was in love with her.
Just as they were settling in to relax, the Good Humor Man rang his bell at the top of the dunes. Leaping to his feet, Eric rushed up the incline behind them. Moments later, he returned with a Strawberry Shortcake and Chocolate Éclair popsicle. Handing Lauren her favorite, he stretched himself out to enjoy his own chocolate ice cream treat.
After a while, the other kids came back to join them.
"What's your mom fixing for lunch, shoobee?" dark, curly-headed Kieran asked as he flopped down in the sand.
"Burgers and hot dogs. What's your mom fixing?" Lauren smartly answered. It seemed the gang spent more time at the Cabot's beachfront cottage than they did at the McIntyre's or the Andrews'. "And don't call me shoobee." She intensely disliked the derogatory name given to the visitors who populated LBI in the summertime.
“Once a shoobee, always a shoobee,” Key responded, “ain’t that right, Brad?”
Kieran was the joker in the group. He particularly enjoyed getting a rise out of Lauren since she was so serious about the world around her.
When Bradley Andrews vigorously nodded in agreement, Eric chimed in with: “I’m staying out of it.”
“It’s teen night at Joe Pops,” Chloe chimed in. In her excitement, she unknowingly changed the topic of conversation. “Let’s go dancing!”
“You mean let’s go meet some guys,” Emerson countered, alluding to the fact that her friend was boy crazy.
"Why do you want to meet guys? Aren't I enough guy for you?" Key declared as he wrapped his arms around Chloe's shoulders. Several years ago, he had fallen in love with Lauren's friend the first time she came for a beach vacation.
"As if…" the slender blonde remarked as she shrugged her way out of Kieran's embrace. Deep inside, she had to admit she'd fallen for him the same time he'd fallen for her. However, she had a persona to keep up. She wasn't about to commit her feelings while life was out there to live. "So, are we going or what?"
“Sure,” Eric decided for the group. “Ask your father if he can take us,” he directed his remark toward Lauren.
"Ugh, no way," Chloe cut in, wrinkling up her nose. "No offense, Lauren. I love your dad and all that, but isn't there someone else who can take us? I mean someone more our age. Parent drop-offs are uncool."
With the last remark, everyone fell silent. Eric and Lauren had learners' permits but were in the early stages of working toward their permanent licenses. Kieran and Brad were a bit closer in their progress, while Chloe and Emerson hadn't started yet. They still had to depend on their parents to drive them most places or to drive with a licensed chaperone. Joe Pop's Shore Bar, a popular spot on teen night, was in Ship Bottom. It was too far away for the group to walk. Without a driver, they found themselves stuck in Barnegat Light.
"Hey!" Brad exclaimed, sitting up from his prone position in the sand, "I bet my sister can take us. She's probably going. Pax usually meets a bunch of her girlfriends down there on teen night."
Nineteen-year-old college student, Paxton Andrews, stayed at home over her summer break; she had a full driver's license.
"I saw her on the beach a couple of blocks from here. I'll run down and ask her." Without further ado, the young man jumped up and ran off. Moments later, he returned to plop down on the sand. "Yeah, she said she would."
Later in the afternoon, the gang split up to prepare for their night out. A few hours later, the girls emerged from their shared bedroom. Each dolled up in identical skintight dresses (electric blue for Lauren, shocking pink for Chloe, and lime green for Emerson) with matching high heel shoes. Their hair and makeup was in the latest fashion. As they entered the living room, Evan Cabot raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Do you think that’s appropriate, young lady?” Janelle remarked with concern filling her voice.
“Sure, mom. Why not?” Lauren asked in return. “We’re just going out dancing…with the boys.”
“We came to have fun, Mrs. Cabot,” Chloe chirped as she twirled to show off her dress. “We’re only young once. Besides, what could happen on LBI?”
"Plenty…" Lauren's mother began, but her husband waved her to silence.
“Let them have fun, Jan,” he declared with a twinkle in his eyes. “We felt the same way when we were their age.”
"Okay," Janelle Cabot consented. It was against her better judgment, but she, too, remembered her younger years and the thrill of going out with a group of friends. "Just remember to stay together and be careful."
"Sure, mom," the younger Cabot answered as she leaned down to kiss her mother's than her father's cheeks. Outside, a car horn tooted. Rushing outdoors in a group, the three girls waved goodbye as the screen door slammed behind them.
Bradley Andrews was standing beside the open back door of a smart little Chevy Equinox. The girls clambered inside to find Eric and Kieran in the far back seat and Paxton with one of her girlfriends in the front. Brad and Emerson took up the middle while Chloe and Lauren crammed in the back with the boys.
“All aboard?” Paxton asked as the back door slammed.
"It's crowded back here," Lauren quipped as she realized they were one passenger over the limit, "but we can squeeze." She had to admit she rather liked being pressed against Eric's thigh.
"Sorry, gang, but I promised Claire before Brad asked," Paxton apologized as she backed the SUV onto the street. "By the way, this is Claire Nash. We went to high school together. She's taken a gap year to travel in Europe."
"Hi, Claire," everyone called out except Emerson who said, "Wow."
"Claire's an artist; she spent the year traveling and painting in England, France, and Italy," Brad's sister explained as they headed south toward Ship Bottom. "When the summer break ends, we're headed back to college."
“Oh, I meant to tell you, Pax, I’m not going to college this term,” Claire announced from the front seat. “I’m going to become a tattoo artist.”
Silence prevailed in the Equinox as the statement sunk in. Paxton seemed the most disturbed but shook it off by turning up the volume on the radio. Lauren and Eric exchanged glances in wonder. They had already spoken of their plans to further their educations.
To break the tension, Em began to sing softly to the tune that filled the SUV. Lauren and Chloe joined in.
Only when they pulled in to park in front of the Shore Bar did they get a good look at their older female companions. While Paxton was pretty and petite with long reddish-brown hair, Claire was much shorter and a bit on the plump side. Her short-cropped hair was dyed purple on the right side and shaved on the left; she wore large, pink-tinged glasses. A spaghetti-strapped black mini dress and knee-high boots completed her ensemble. Red roses, the Eiffel Tower, and Stonehenge tattooed her arms and back.
"Catch you guys later," she called as she marched off toward a group of rough-looking guys who were hanging around on the sidewalk.
Paxton Andrews hung around long enough to see the group of young people inside before joining up with her friends on the dance floor.
“What did you think of Claire?” Emerson whispered into Lauren’s ear.
“It’s her life, I guess,” Lauren responded before Eric whisked her off to join the dance.
The party atmosphere continued throughout the evening. The gang separated and came back together several times throughout the night until closing time. When they met outside at Paxton's car, everyone appeared except Chloe Field and Claire Nash. Kieran voiced his concern about Chloe, but no one mentioned Claire. Suddenly, the younger girl emerged from the direction of the beach. Turning to wave at a tall figure in the shadows, she hollered a goodbye before joining the others.
"What was that all about?" Kieran immediately inquired, annoyance filling his voice.
"Just someone I met," Chloe flippantly responded as she climbed into the back seat of the Equinox. The others followed her in, with Lauren and Emerson joining their friend. Eric and Kieran sat in the middle and Brad in front with his sister.
“What about Claire?” Lauren asked as Paxton started the SUV and began to back out of her space.
"She said she's staying with her friends," Pax responded. "She'll find her way home."
When everyone was settled in for the journey back to Barnegat Light, Lauren whispered to Chloe, “You’ve been drinking.” Without denying it, her friend sunk back into her seat and swayed toward Emerson. “Hold her up, Em. We’ll have to sneak her in, so mom and dad don't notice."
"So, who was the guy?" Em demanded instead as she prodded Chloe into a sitting position.
“Ken or Kev or something like that,” came the mumbled response.
"Oh, brother," Emerson remarked.
When they arrived at the Cabot’s, Lauren and Eric rushed in to tell Janelle and Evan all about their evening out. While they were busy describing everything that occurred, Kieran and Emerson smuggled Chloe upstairs to bed. Paxton and Brad, having already said good night, were on their way home.

Lauren and Emerson were busy setting up their umbrella and chairs on the beach early the following morning. Kieran ran up the shore and plopped down on a beach towel.
"And where is the lovely Chloe this bright and shiny day?" he inquired.
“She has her throbbing head buried under her pillows,” Lauren responded with a tone of annoyance filling her voice.
“So no early morning frolic in the surf?”
“No.”
“I could arrange one,” Kieran stated as he gave the girls an exaggerated wink.
“Better leave her alone, Key,” Lauren replied as she exchanged a knowing look with Emerson. “When we pulled the shades up this morning, she groaned like a grizzly bear.”
"Charlie Chaplin said: 'A man's true nature comes out when he's drunk.' I bet we could find out Chloe's after a dunk," Kieran piped with a chuckle.
"It's not funny, Kieran," came Lauren's sober response. Emerson snuck up on the young man with a plastic pailful of seawater to dump over his head as she was speaking.
“Hey!” Key shouted as he leaped to his feet to chase Em down the beach. Catching up with her in the surf, he pulled her down just as a huge wave crashed against the shore. Laughing and clinging to each other, the two friends came to their feet and staggered toward where Lauren sat beneath the umbrella.
“Is this what happens when I’m not around?” Chloe asked from behind the trio. All eyes turned in her direction as she sat down in the second beach chair.
The young girl was well put together despite her condition of the previous night. Her blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail; her sleek young body clad in a skimpy red bikini. "What are you staring at?"
"Who us? Not a thing," Kieran responded, which prompted an evil look for Chloe.
“We’re just surprised to see you up and about,” Lauren coolly remarked from her beach chair.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the newcomer responded. Occupying the second chair, she kept her face shaded beneath the umbrella.
“Just another day at the beach,” Kieran muttered before jumping up to join his friends, Eric and Brad, as they sauntered up the sand with their surfboards tucked under their arms.

Chapter Five

“Marry me,” Eric Holbrook suddenly exclaimed as he cast his eyes toward Lauren Cabot.
Parked at Surf City Bay, the nineteen-year-old couple stretched out on the hood of a 1979 Pontiac Firebird. The old car had once belonged to Eric's father. Years ago, when his parents divorced, the vehicle had remained garaged at their Willow Penn, Pa. home. Much contested throughout the years, the death of his father had made it his mother’s property.
As soon as he achieved the ability to drive, Eric claimed the car and began restoring it. Finally, he proudly drove it to LBI to show off to his girlfriend, Lauren. Offering her the first ride in it, they had traveled from Barnegat Light to Holgate—the island's entire length. Afterward, they had driven to Seaside Heights for a day at the famous amusement pier and as far south as Cape May.
This evening, they stopped at George’s to pick up a pizza. Parked at the Surf City Bay, the couple sprawled on the hood of the car with the pizza box between them. Eating slice after slice, they gazed up at the stars. Ever imaginative, Lauren pointed out the constellations and made up stories about the mighty Orion and the Pleiades. Shifting his eyes from the heavens to the honey-haired beauty beside him, Eric blurted out his proposal.
Lauren's sparkling blue eyes swung toward her longtime companion. Then, leaning upon her elbow, she asked him to repeat his last statement.
“I asked you to marry me, Shoobee,” Eric exclaimed, grinning broadly.
“Err,” the young lady growled, flopping back onto the hood of the car. Although she was thrilled by the proposal, she disliked the derogatory nickname for summer tourists.
“Okay, I was kidding about Shoobee,” her companion earnestly stated. “But I meant the proposal.”
“Forgiven,” Lauren replied as she studied the stars. “Just give me time to think about the other.”
Although the young lady knew perfectly well her response, she wanted to prolong her boyfriend's agony.
Silently, Eric stood up and sauntered toward the bay. Digging his hands into his pockets, he stared across the expanse to water. Was Lauren earnest in her request to consider his proposal, or was she teasing him? It was often hard to tell with her. Sometimes, she was the most serious person he knew, while she was fun-loving and witty at others.
Either way, the young man loved his life’s companion for her expansive personality. As they grew up together, he’d had the opportunity to see her blossom throughout the years. The changes had been both pleasing and fun. Life without her would be vastly empty and lacking in so many different ways.
Anxiously, he waited at the shoreline while Lauren continued to lie atop his prized Firebird. Would she tell him tonight, or had she expected him to give her a week or a month to decide? Indeed they had known each other long enough for an immediate response.
“Only if we can honeymoon on LBI,” Lauren suddenly stated, entwining her hand in Eric’s arm. Gracefully, she leaned her head against his shoulder and gazed into his handsome face.
"Yippee!" Eric shouted, grasping Lauren around the waist and swinging her into the air. Returning her to the ground, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Grinning up at her, he kissed her. Their kiss deepened.
“You didn’t think I was going to say no, did you?” his new fiancée exclaimed when she could catch her breath.
“Of course not,” Eric chortled, prompting a slap on the chest from Lauren.
“Oh, is that so?” the young lady laughed delightedly.
“I love you, Lauren. I always have,” the young man promptly exclaimed. “From the moment you berated me for kicking down your sandcastle, I knew.”
Beaming up at her fiancé, Lauren wrapped her arms around his neck. Happily reflective, she recalled her first visit to LBI. The beach, the sandcastle, and the shadow of Barnegat Lighthouse appeared before her eyes. Of the three boys who trampled across her childhood imagination, one had remained forever in her heart: Eric Holbrook. From that point forward, they had been inseparable friends. Now they would link their lives forever in matrimony.
“I’ll race you to the float,” Lauren playfully exclaimed, yanking her crop top over her head and dropping her shorts. Laughing gleefully, she plunged into the seawater. The splash behind her indicated Eric had taken up the challenge.
Together, the newly engaged couple hoisted themselves onto the float. Clinging to each other, they kissed.

“Engaged?” Chloe Field shrieked as she grasped her longtime friend around the waist and jigged around the bedroom. Within seconds, Emerson Delacroix joined the escapade. Their joyful squealing brought Evan and Janelle Cabot racing upstairs.
“Are you trying to bring the house down?” Evan exclaimed as he burst in on the girls.
"Oh, daddy," Lauren excitedly shouted as she broke away from her girlfriends. "Guess what? Eric asked me to marry him, and I said yes!"
Taken aback, Evan ogled his daughter in astonishment. Although he and Janelle had always expected Lauren and Eric to tie the knot, it had occurred entirely too soon for his comfort. With a father's instinct, he longed to cling to his only offspring as long as he could. The elder Cabot had to admit he liked the young man; he always had. Still, in a way, he regarded Eric as competition.
“Well,” her father finally stated as he came to grips with the situation, “congratulations are in order.” Swiftly, he pulled Lauren into a firm embrace.
“Are you happy for me, mommy?” the newly engaged girl asked, turning to her mother.
"Of course, my darling," Janelle responded with a broad smile. Her mind speedily turned toward wedding plans.
“Chloe and Em are going to be my bridesmaids,” Lauren chirped, grasping her friends’ hands. “And I’m sure Eric will ask Keiren and Brad. Friends forever, right girls?”
“Friends forever,” the two companions sang in unison.
“This calls for a celebration,” Evan cut in. “We’ll gather at the Starboard Inn tonight and make this engagement official.”
As the group finalized their plans on the beach-facing veranda, Eric Holbrook sauntered in. Plopping onto the couch beside Lauren, he grasped her hand. The young couple beamed at each other.
“We’re going to the Starboard tonight to celebrate,” the young lady gushed, quickly filling her fiancé in on the arrangements. “Make sure everyone’s there.”
“Sure,” Eric responded, “but, first, I would like to take you up Old Barney.”
Gleefully, the couple raced, hand-in-hand, toward the obelisk. Clattering up the spiral stairway, they were soon overlooking the Atlantic. While Lauren pointed out the circling seagulls, Eric slid a small round object onto the third finger of her left hand. Then, raising it to his lips, he sealed it with a kiss.
Squealing, Lauren glanced at the small diamond then flung her arms around Eric’s neck. Now she felt as though she were officially engaged.
The young lovers spent the day playing in the surf with their friends. Full of laughter and high spirits, they soaked in the sun and seawater. Finally, as the sun shadows stretched toward the ocean, Eric and Lauren knelt in the sand and built a castle. Together, they wove a story about a King and Queen who raised dragons as a hobby.
Then, much to everyone’s surprise, Eric plopped down onto the sandcastle and stretched out his legs. Lauren stood above him with her fists against her hips. After a moment, she burst into raucous laughter. Recalling how they had first met, she knelt beside her fiancé and soundly kissed him.
“Hurray for love,” Keiran McIntrye chortled, falling into the sand and dragging Chloe with him. “We’re next, sweetheart,” he exclaimed, slinging his arms around the pretty blonde girl.
“Only in your dreams,” Chloe Field countered, jumping to her feet and wiping sand from her floral bikini. Turning on her heels, she marched toward the Cabot cottage. Pleading for attention, Key raced after her.
The remainder of the group gathered to watch the fleeing couple. Despite the perpetual antagonism between Chloe and Keiran, they knew the two belonged to each other.

Later in the evening, a large group gathered at the Starboard Inn for an engagement celebration. Eleanor Holbrook, along with Evan and Janelle Cabot, beamed with joy. She was happy her son had made such a lasting friend on LBI, a friend and a mate for life. Throughout the years, they had made a cozy group. Now they would become joined as a family.
“A toast,” Keiran exclaimed, raising his glass in salute. “To Lauren and Eric. The best friends a guy could have, with cousinly affection.”
“I second the motion,” Bradley Andrews remarked as he reached across to clink his glass with his friend.
"We love you, Lauren and Eric," Chloe and Emerson announced in unison.
“You guys…” Eric began while Lauren blushed beside him.
After the party broke up, the young couple decided to stroll along the beach while the others returned to Barnegat Light. In the moonlight, they made their plans for the future. In the fall, they would return to college. Eric had his eye on a career in the medical profession while Lauren took creative writing and literature courses.
Slowly, the young couple meandered along the shore. At first they grasped hands. Then Lauren broke free to race ahead. Joyfully, her feet splashed in the shallow waves. Spinning on her toes, she hugged herself. It was as though she were embracing the entire world.
With a whoop, Eric caught up with his sweetheart and grabbed her around the waist. Together, they waltzed in the moonlight. Then, caught in a passionate kiss, they knelt in the sand. For the first time, they made love.
Satisfied, Lauren basked in the wet sand while the surf crashed offshore. Eric knelt beside her, his face covering the moon. His sun blond hair dangled in his eyes. Wistfully, his companion brushed it away.
“I love you, Eric,” Lauren whispered as she hooked her arm around his neck. Drawing him close, she kissed him once again.
“You are so beautiful,” her fiancé responded, rocking back on his heels. “Tonight, I am truly the luckiest man on earth.”
“We’re both lucky, my love,” the young lady responded, beaming with joy.
Rising to his feet, Eric extended his hand to assist Lauren up. Her white eyelet skirt clung damply to her legs. He liked the way the see-through material showed off the perfect form of her thighs. Her flat belly peeked out between the waistband and the elastic of her matching crop top.
Grasping her hand, he resumed the seven mile trek between Surf City and Barnegat Light. There was no need to rush on such a night. The lonely beach invited young love.
“When we are old, we’ll bring our grandchildren here,” Eric commented as he slipped his arm around Lauren’s waist. “It will be our family tradition.”
“I don’t want to talk about being old,” Lauren declared, spinning to grasp her companion’s hands. Walking backwards on tiptoe, she leaned in to kiss him. “I want to live in the here and now. I want to love and be loved. The world is our oyster and it’s a grand one. Simply a grand one!”
Together, they wove their future dreams. Fun-filled days of wedding planning embroidered with flowers and champagne filled their imaginations. Eric easily fell into Lauren’s fantasies. Closing his eyes, he could realize all her wishes.
“Look, there’s Old Barney,” Lauren exclaimed an hour and twenty minutes later. “Let’s race.”
Her firm young legs propelled her along the beach. Her white skirt flagged out behind her. A step behind her, Eric pounded the sand. Together, they flew past the Cabot cottage. Then, they flopped in the sand at the base of Barnegat Lighthouse.

“Lauren,” Evan called from the beach facing veranda.
The dawn cast an orange glow across the rippling ocean. The Cabot parents enjoyed their first cup of coffee in the midst of a new day. Neither he nor Janelle had heard their daughter come in early that morning. However, she was up and about earlier than usual.
“Yes, daddy,” the young lady responded, stepping through the screen door.
“We’d like to speak to you and Eric,” her father announced.
“Oh,” Lauren discordantly responded. She thought her parents were upset over her staying out so late.
“It’s nothing to worry about, darling,” Janelle brightly encouraged. “It’s just something we want to tell you.”
“Sure, mom.” Casting her eye suspiciously toward her parents, Lauren stepped onto the beach. Slowly, she walked along the sand. What did they have in mind? she wondered.
Bursting unannounced into the McIntyre home, she demurely asked Eric to join her. The unusual solemnity of the request took the occupants by surprise. They were used to a more exuberant Lauren.
“I don’t know what they want,” the newly engaged girl stated as the couple walked back to the cottage.
“I hope they’re not angry because I kept you out so late,” Eric sighed, trudging along beside her.
“I hope not.”
Once the group settled around the breakfast table, Janelle poured out coffee and handed a platter of donuts around. Casually, Evan sipped his hot beverage as he awaited his moment to speak. Lauren relaxed in her chair when she noticed a twinkle in her father’s blue eyes.
“As you both know, we have rented this cottage on Long Beach Island for several generations,” her father finally began. “It seems it’s a Cabot family tradition.”
“Oh, yes, daddy,” Lauren remarked, smiling broadly. “I love it here. It will always be a special place. I met Eric here.” Beneath the table, she grasped her fiancé’s hand.
“Your mother and I thought it was time we made this place our own,” Evan continued, beaming at his family. “We have decided to purchase it.”
“Oh daddy,” Lauren squealed, rising to throw her arms around her parent’s neck.
“Furthermore, we intended to present it to you and Eric as your wedding gift,” he announced as he placed his arm around his wife’s shoulders.
“You mean it’s going to be ours?” Lauren asked. Then when her father nodded, she exclaimed, “I love you, daddy!”
“Thank you, sir,” Eric stated, grasping Evan’s hand. Vigorously, he shook the elder man’s hand.
“And none of this ‘sir’ nonsense, young man,” Eric’s future father-in-law quipped. “From now on it’s ‘dad’ and Janelle is ‘mom’ to you.”
“Yes, of course, sir. I mean dad,” Eric remarked, grinning from ear to ear.
When Chloe and Emerson stepped onto the veranda, they discovered the Cabot’s flooded with tears of joy. Murmuring greetings, the two girls wandered toward the beach. They did not wish to disturb such a joyfully moment.


Epilogue

Raising her champagne glass in a toast, Lauren recalled her parent’s announcement concerning the cottage. The bubbly liquid was swiftly going to her head, but she did not care. It was her night—hers and Eric's.
In the doorway to the private room, the owner of Dmitri’s Pizzeria stood with his fists against his hips. His face blared with a shade somewhere between red and purple. He longed to close up shop and go home. Salvatore Dmitri wondered why engagement parties always had to run overtime. Just wait until I write out my bill, he thought.
“We’ll get out of your hair as soon as I finish my story, Sal,” Lauren suddenly announced over the heads of her guests. Perched on top of the bar, she crossed her long legs and readdressed the crowd.
Another smarty mouth, the pizzeria owner muttered as he exited through the swinging doors. Everyone drunk, everyone loud, a big mess to clean up, he thought. Then, he smiled to himself, he recalled his engagement party years ago. Shrugging, he silently re-entered the private room. He, too, wanted to hear the end of the story.
“When the moon hits your eye,” Sal started to sing to himself. Then the crowd around him suddenly joined in to finished Dean Martin’s standard, ‘That’s Amore.’
Another hour passed while Lauren Cabot wove her tale of the love she discovered on Long Beach Island. As she spoke, the lighthouse, the sandcastle, the miniature golf expeditions, and the beach came to life. Her love for Eric sparkled in her eyes. The future they planned solidified.
The best day of her life was the first one on LBI. It was the day she met Eric Henry Holbrook. Smiling broadly at her lover, she raised her glass in salute. Standing tall beside her, the young man clinked his glass against hers.
“To Long Beach Island,” Eric announced with a grin. “Where it all began.”
“To Long Beach Island,” Lauren seconded. “The best place to honeymoon.”
“LBI,” the crowd chimed in unison.
Surveying the assembled throng, Lauren acknowledged her mother and father, then Eric's mother in a further toast. Chloe Field and Emerson Delacroix squeezed in beside her. Keiran McIntyre and Bradley Andrews surrounded their longtime friend. Around them, multiple cell phones appeared in the air to capture the companions in photographs and video. While they all smiled and waved, Key held up two fingers behind his cousin’s head.
"Thank you so much for coming," Lauren stated, remembering her manners. Sliding from the bar, she began shaking hands with her guest. Eric quickly joined her, adding his acknowledgments. Together, they mingled with the assembly.
Behind them, Keiran leaped onto the bar. Swaying to keep his balance, he raised his glass.
“Remember, gang, Life’s a Beach!” he shouted as he drained his champagne.
“Get down from there,” Chloe hissed, yanking on Key’s arm. The motion caused him to tumble into her arms. “Get off me, you little creep,” she exclaimed, pushing him away.
“Come with me to the Casbah,” Keiran chuckled. His statement created another shove. “You know you love me,” he announced, throwing his arms around the girl. “Marry me!”
“No,” the disgruntled girl responded. Then, with a wide grin, “Yes!”
“Announcement, announcement!” Keiran shouted, leaping back onto the bar. Dragging Chloe with him, he slung his arm around her shoulder. “Meet the future Mrs. McIntyre!” Kissing his new fiancé with passion, he cried out, “She said Yes!”
Quickly, Lauren and Eric returned to the bar to congratulate their friends. As they climbed up, the ever-observant young lady noticed Brad slip a ring onto Emerson's finger.
“Guess again, Key,” Lauren chuckled, nudging the boy with her elbow. “You’re not the only one. Come and join us, you two. Brad and Em are about to join the marriage club.”
“And we’re going to honeymoon on LBI too,” Brad exclaimed as he helped Em up.
“Us too,” Chloe added.
As the group of friends stood before the company of well-wishers, they clasped their arms around each other’s waists and accepted congratulations all around.
Standing against the far wall, Sal Dmitri absently wiped the clinging tear from his eye. He loved a happy ending.

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