When Hearts Collide (Complete)

~ Chapter 24 ~

He watched them for a few minutes before he walked over to them, wondering if they would have a problem with him joining in.  Dylan tried to escape Jackie, but Bobby quickly caught him which caused Dylan to squeal and Bobby laughed.

                “Can you swim?” Bobby asked Dylan who nodded.  “Good.”  With that, Bobby tossed Dylan who laughed harder.               

                “That’s not fair,” Dylan said as he came up, spitting out the water.  Dylan came after Bobby, trying to duck him.  Bobby hooked the boy’s arms around his neck, quite enjoying the laugh that came from the boy.

                “That kid is a fish,” Sam told him as she walked over to Bobby.

                “Just him?”  Sam shrugged and Bobby told Dylan to hold on.  Once he felt that Dylan had locked his arms and legs tightly, Bobby went after Sam, grabbing her around her waist and tossed her in the water.  Dylan laughed as Sam came up, pushing the hair off her face.

                “Bobby got you good,” Dylan told her which made her huff.  She swam hard and shoved Bobby, causing him to fall in, making both Sam and Jackie laugh.  Bobby swiped at his face, helping Dylan up and Bobby turned to Jackie.

                “Laughing huh?”  Jackie’s eyes opened wide and she slowly backed away.

                “Oh no you don’t, no…,” Jackie squealed as Bobby grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder and then ran into the water and dove in, Jackie still in his arms.  She came up from the water, holding him tight still, a smile on her lips.

                “What?” he asked his arms still around her waist.

                “Suppose that was a good way to touch me and get me in your arms.”  Bobby couldn’t stop the smirk.

                “You got to admit, it was a good one.  And oddly enough, I don’t hear you complaining much.”

                “No, I really wouldn’t be.”  Jackie wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled.  “I can be open and honest and say I like it.”  Bobby narrowed his eyes slightly but he didn’t have time to react as everyone jumped on him and pushed him under.  He finally got up and spit out the water.

                “Nice play there Jackie.”  She finally stopped laughing and caught her breath.

                “I saw the kids coming and it was just too perfect.”

                “You all got the jokes, huh?”  Bobby shot them an evil eye which made them laugh all the more.

                “Maybe next time we’ll go easy on you,” Dylan told him, causing Bobby and Jackie to share a look.  There hadn’t been any talk of a next time but it sure didn’t seem to bother him if there was.  Jackie looked at her son and then swam over to him. 

                “Come on Dylan, you need more sun block.  I can see you already getting red.”

                “I got it Jackie, go swim with Sam.”  Jackie just stared at Bobby for a moment before she slowly smiled.

                “Thanks.  The block is in the side pocket.”  Both guys got out of the water and walked over to the bag.  

                “Do you like my mom?”  Bobby looked at Dylan as he grabbed the sun screen and handed it to the boy then his gaze shifted to the woman and her daughter, who seemed to be a having a deep conversation.              

                “Yeah, I do, do you mind?”  Dylan put the sun screen on his face and arms and turned his back so Bobby could put it there.

                “No, I don’t.  She deserves to be happy.  My dad doesn’t make her happy and anytime someone does want to date her, they run away.”

                “Yeah, why is that?”  Dylan shrugged, his own gaze on the two ladies.

                “My mom is smart and pretty, but she runs her own business that takes a lot of time and she stresses.  She also raises two kids; a lot of men don’t seem to want to deal with that.”  Bobby stared at the boy before him and was amazed at the insight the kid had.  It really must be hard for him not to see his dad and then have his mom be unhappy, not that she displayed it in front of her kids.

                “You’re right Dylan, she does.”

                “Besides,” the kid said, tossing Bobby a smile, “you got a bike and you said you’d show me a couple things and I would assume you’d take me for a ride or two.”  Bobby smirked as Dylan got back into the water, having to admit he enjoyed that little talk.

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                Two hours later, the group walked back to the car to put their stuff away, but Jackie froze.  Bobby frowned as he stepped up next to her and then followed her gaze, his own eyes locking on the man.  What the hell was he doing here?  He wanted to reach out to Jackie, but something in her stance warned him off.  Instead, he followed her as she made her way back to her car.

                “What, asking the young man to help you watch the kids now Jackie?”  Bobby clenched his teeth but stood still.

                “No Greg, Bobby actually works at the bar and lives around the area.  He saw us at the beach and figured he would come join us.”

                “You just let anyone hang around the kids these days, huh?”  Jackie swallowed hard and turned her attention to the kids, urging them to get in the car and that they would be going home soon.  Both waved to Bobby, who waved back as they got in.        

                “Greg, Bobby had a full background check done, as he is my employee.  Do you think I’m some dumb b***h who doesn’t know how to run a business?  That I would just let anyone work behind my bar, or be around my kids, without knowing a bit more about them?”  ‘Huh,’ Bobby thought, ‘I didn’t even know she had done that.’  She held up a hand to silence Greg.  “I’m not you, I don’t f**k around and I don’t let everyone I sleep with around my kids.”

                “You know I don’t!”  She crossed her arms and lifted a shoulder. 

                “Not what the kids tell me.  All beside the f*****g point, what are you doing here?”

                “I wanted to see my kids.”  Jackie snorted at that and Bobby mentally praised her for a job well done.

                “Like hell you did.  You could have seen them this past weekend, but your f**k time was way too important with your little girlfriend.”  Greg’s eyes narrowed at that and Bobby was tempted to step in but held himself back.  “Try again.”

                “I wanted to talk you about having them this weekend.”  Jackie looked at her kids and then back at Greg.

                “I will talk to them.  We had made some plans and I will see if they want to switch it.”

                “You make sure you do.”  Bobby shook his head and stepped up, his anger getting the best of him now.

                “Hey, asshole, she doesn’t have to, not after the s**t you keep pulling.”  Jackie placed her hand on Bobby’s arm and Greg slowly smirked.

                “A new low for you Jackie, paying the help to f**k you now?”  Bobby grit his back teeth, his hand already clenched to knock the asshole out.  “I told you too Jackie, that a two piece suit weren’t meant for you, you had to cover up.”

                “Greg, f**k off, you may be able to tell your little bimbo how to dress and what not, but I’m really tired of hearing it from you.  And no,” she said as she started to walk away, “Bobby isn’t getting paid to f**k me; he’s doing it for free and way better than you ever did.”  Bobby held in the laugh at the redness that ran from the top of Greg’s head and down his neck.