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wearing his swim trunks.  His other clothes were balled up in a tight wad in his hand.  Miracle was perched uncomfortably on the end of a chaise, staring out at Cheyenne, chewing her bottom lip.
    “It’s all yours,” he said, indicating the small changing room.
    With a tight smile, Miracle stood and walked past him, closing the door snugly behind her.  Out on the sand, Hardy positioned himself where he could pretend to pay all his attention to Cheyenne, but actually watch for Miracle to come out of the cabana.  With his sunglasses on, he didn’t have to worry about Cheyenne noticing how often he glanced behind her.
    When Miracle emerged, the first thing Hardy noticed was that she had a towel wrapped around her and was clutching it tightly to her chest.  The only evidence he could see of clothing was the coral-colored strap of her bathing suit where it wound around her neck.  She looked uneasy as she approached the group and stopped.
    Elise nodded toward Miracle and Cheyenne spun in her direction.
    “Did it fit?”
    Miracle nodded.
    “Good.  I thought it would,” Cheyenne said, seeming pleased with herself.  “Come on.  Let’s go find everyone else.”
    Cheyenne and Elise took the lead, leaving Hardy and Miracle to walk behind them.  Watching Cheyenne bounce and priss in front of him left Hardy without doubt that she was doing it on purpose.  It wasn’t having the desired effect, though.  Rather than impressing Hardy, it only embarrassed him and made him feel uncomfortable in front of Miracle.  He couldn’t imagine her acting that way under any circumstances and it made him wonder what he’d ever seen in a girl like Cheyenne.
    A large group of their friends were already lounging on their towels down near the water.  When Cheyenne stopped in front of them, she unfolded her towel and spread it out on the sand.
    “Okay, who’s getting in?” she asked.
    Several people hopped up and brushed sand off their suits, ready to head for the ocean.
    “Miracle?” Cheyenne asked pointedly.
    “No, I think I’ll stay out here, but thanks. You all go ahead.”
    “Oh, come on!  The water is warm this time of year.”
    “I’d rather not, but thanks.”
    “You have to at least come down and get splashed.”
    “I think I’ll just stay up here.  You go.”
    “Oh, come on, Miracle!” Cheyenne said, grabbing Miracle’s hand and tugging.  “Just for a minute.”
    Cheyenne pulled at Miracle, but Miracle dug her feet into the sand and resisted.
    “Really, I’d rather not.”
    “Please.  Come on,” Cheyenne begged, tugging again.
    “Seriously, you all go ahead.”
    “Don’t make me get Hardy to carry you down there,” Cheyenne threatened with a grin, grabbing at Miracle’s other hand where it held her towel in place.  Miracle clutched the towel, almost frantically, backing away from Cheyenne.
    “I’m not going.  You guys go ahead. I’m staying here.”
    Giggling, Cheyenne quickly reached forward and yanked at the tail of Miracle’s towel, surprising her and pulling it away from her body.  Miracle gasped, standing in embarrassment and shock for several seconds before she moved her arms to try and cover herself.
    Hardy’s heart dropped into his toes.  Although on some level he did note that Miracle was much more voluptuous than what she appeared to be in her too-baggy, overly-concealing clothes, his pleasure at that took a back seat to the ache he felt for her when he saw the scar.
    Since seeing Miracle that day in the park, Hardy had wondered why she’d been bald.  He assumed it was something health related, but one could never be too sure that it wasn’t some sort of fashion statement or act of rebellion.  He knew without a doubt that Miracle’s bald head had been neither.
    A long purplish scar marred Miracle’s abdomen.  It extended vertically from her ribs down her side at an angle toward her hipbone. It stood out starkly against her pale skin and she was obviously extremely