Shelby Nichols Consulting

I don’t know about you, but it’s been HOT this summer.

So when Savannah asked if we could go swimming at the country club where Josh is working as a lifeguard, I couldn’t say no. We’re not members of the swanky country club but, because Josh is working there, we’ve been given special dispensation to use the swimming pool.

Of course, that might have something to do with Uncle Joey, my ‘adopted’ uncle who happens to be a mob-boss, and for whom I also work (mostly under duress). In fact, he helped Josh get the job. Needless to say, he has a lot of clout…and not just at the country club. He’s even talked about sponsoring me and my husband so we can join up, but after taking a look at the monthly fees…let’s just say they were a little on the ‘way-out-of-our-league’ side.

Even though we could use the pool, we hadn’t yet because I was uncomfortable since we weren’t actual members. But with Savannah’s incessant whining, and Josh’s encouragement, I decided to throw caution to the wind, and try it out.

In retrospect, I think the heat had something to do with it. Or maybe it was temporary insanity. Either way, I gave in and got ready to go.

Josh said there were great changing rooms, but I decided Savannah and I would wear our suits there, since I didn’t want us to intrude where we didn’t belong. He didn’t understand what the big deal was, but he also didn’t read minds like me, and didn’t know how much that affected my decisions.

The bathing suit I chose to wear was one I’d bought in Orlando last summer. I hadn’t worn it since and, even though it was on the cheap side, I really wanted to wear it, mostly because it reminded me of Ramos and the time we’d spent there.

So against my better judgement, I pulled it on. Then I slipped a gauzy, light blue cover-up over it, and grabbed my beach towel. I loaded a bag with my sunglasses, a book, and plenty of sunscreen, and was ready enjoy the afternoon.

We arrived before Josh’s shift and hurried inside together. Josh led the way to the pool, and we soon claimed a couple of lounge chairs in the corner under a big umbrella. There weren’t many people there, and I began to relax, hoping that no one would notice us.

As we got settled, Josh came back out and made his way to the lifeguard chair. The current lifeguard spoke to Josh for a few moments, then Josh motioned to us, and led him over to introduce us.

His name was Liam, and he was a lot older than Josh. In fact, he’d just graduated from High School and knew Miguel. This drew Savannah’s interest, and she was thinking that he was really cute, and she admired his toned abs and muscled arms.

I tried not to roll my eyes and wondered if he was interested in Savannah. I was ready to tell him she was only thirteen, but as he walked away, he was thinking that I was a babe and I must be Josh’s step-mom or something, because I looked way too young to be Josh’s mother.

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face, since that kind of surprised and pleased me at the same time. Then I caught that he thought Savannah had potential, and he’d have to remember to look her up in a couple of years.

I huffed out a breath at that, but a sliver of unease gripped my chest. Sure, she was thirteen now, but in only three years, she’d be sixteen. Yikes! What would I do when I heard thoughts like that about her then? A vision of me smacking boys upside the head didn’t help.

Before I got carried away, I shoved those unhelpful thoughts out of my head, and got busy applying sunscreen to her back. After she’d done the same for me, she jumped into the pool and I soon followed after her. The water felt amazing, and I was so happy we’d come.

A little later, I got out, eager to relax on my chair and start reading a good book.

It wasn’t long before a few more people showed up, and a stick-thin woman wearing makeup, and her hair perfectly styled, took possession of the chairs beside mine. I knew she wasn’t about to get in the water and mess up her face. I smiled a greeting, and went back to my book, hoping she’d get the idea and leave me alone.

Unfortunately, she had other plans, mostly because she’d never seen me before and wanted to know who I was. She also thought my swimming suit looked a little tacky, but at least I wasn’t fat.

“Hi,” she said. “I’m Crystal Davenport. I don’t think we’ve met.”

“Shelby Nichols. Nice to meet you.”

She waited for me to continue, but since I didn’t she began to question me like a pro. “Nice to meet you too. I come almost everyday, and I’ve never seen you here before. Are you new members?”

“Uh… my son is one of the lifeguards, so we thought we’d spend a few hours here.”

“Oh. I see. That’s nice.” She was lying. She didn’t think it was nice at all, mostly because her son had wanted the job, and he’d been passed over for someone else. It must have been because of my son.

Then she realized I’d never said we were members. “So you’re not members of the club?”

“Not at the moment.”

“Oh.” She nodded, but her eyes glazed over with anger. She thought being a member was a requirement. But even if it wasn’t, those who were members should be considered for the lifeguard job before those who weren’t. This was totally wrong, and she wasn’t going to stand for it. Her son should have gotten the job, not mine.

“Excuse me.” She smiled politely, then headed toward a group of women on the other side of the pool and began talking to them about me.

Oh great! She was going to get Josh fired! All because of me.

I picked up what I could from the other women. They hissed their disapproval, but deep down, most of them could care less. Still, they glared at me for her sake. All but one of them, who looked my way with a puzzled frown. Didn’t she know me from somewhere?

Crystal glanced my way with a triumphant gleam in her eyes. She was going to make a formal complaint and get me kicked out. With her head held high, she left the pool area to find the person in charge.

I sucked in a breath and sat up, ready to gather my things and leave. I glanced at Savannah. She’d been having a great time. To be honest, so had I. Should I allow this woman to ruin my day? It wasn’t my fault that her son didn’t get the job. This wasn’t my fight, even if she made it look that way.

With a determined sigh, I lay back down and picked up my book. She was not going to get the best of me. It took a while to get back into the story, but once I did, I completely forgot about her until I realized she stood directly over me.

With her arms crossed and her lips flattened into a grim line, she began to speak. “I don’t know how you did it, but you don’t belong here. I think you should leave.”

Whoa. Now that was going too far. “You first,” I said.

“I’m a member, you’re not. So get out.”

“No.” Her mouth dropped open. Before she could say a word, I continued. “What did you say your name was?”

“Crystal Davenport. My husband owns Davenport Security. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.” She was thinking that she had a lot of clout, and I shouldn’t mess with her or my son would be out of a job by the end of the day.

“Yes, of course I’ve heard of him. Now, if you want to make a formal complaint, go ahead, but I’m not leaving, and you’re blocking my light.”

She inhaled sharply and opened her mouth to let me have it, but one of the ladies from the other side of the pool grabbed her arm. “Crystal, my dear. What are you doing?” The woman asked. “You need to calm down and apologize.”

The woman glanced at me. “I’m Rosalyn Fairbanks. We met at the Museum Gala. My husband introduced us.” She hoped I put it together that her husband was the mayor, and he’d presented me with the honorary plaque that was now hanging on a wall of the museum.

“Of course,” I said and smiled. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“It’s an honor to have you here.” She turned to Crystal. “Shelby is a major contributor to the arts. Just last year, she found the man responsible for the stolen Monet and the other paintings. She recovered them for us.” She glanced at me. “And didn’t you help capture that escaped convict that was terrorizing the community a few weeks ago?”

“Uh…yes. I did.”

“You lead such an exciting life. Maybe someday you can share some of your most interesting cases with us. I’m sure we’d all love to hear some of the more intimate details.”

My brows rose into my forehead and my mouth dropped open. “Uh…maybe.”

“Don’t worry, my dear. I don’t mean now. We’ll let you get back to your book. Oh…how’s your Uncle doing?”

“Uncle Joey? Uh…great.”

“Good.” She glanced at Crystal. “Joe Manetto is her uncle.” She turned back to me. “Tell him hello from me, won’t you?”

“Of course.”

“Good.” She nudged Crystal, who glanced at me with widened eyes.

“Uh… Sorry for earlier. Uh…can I get you anything? A drink or something?”

“Oh…no. I’m good.”

She nodded. “Maybe next time, then?”

“Yeah, sure.”

With that, the women left, and I tried not to smile too big. It had surprised me that the mayor’s wife remembered me, but I couldn’t complain since she’d come to my rescue. Of course, she also knew Uncle Joey, and I gathered that had more to do with it.

Now it looked like I could come to this pool anytime I wanted. Like I was a big-shot celebrity or something. I sighed. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, but relaxing here by the pool… I had to believe that, every once in a while, there had to be some perks for all the times I’d put my life on the line.

So I might as well enjoy it, right?