Read Ocean Beach for Free Online Page B

instructions to stay here and be available to shoot twenty-four/seven,” Troy said, shoving a hand through his hair. “I assumed we’d be assigned rooms on-site.”
    “I don’t see how,” Kyra said. “It looks like most of us are going to have to double up as it is.”
    Troy crossed his arms in front of his chest. “We’re not leaving,” he said.
    Maddie fisted her hands at her sides, ready to spring to Kyra’s aid. Avery, Nicole, and Deirdre faced Troy and Anthony. If this had been a movie, the opening strains of “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar” would have begun to swell in the background.
    “We’re not going to argue about this right now,” Avery said. “We’ll call the network once we’re settled in and make sure we’re all clear on who shoots what.”
    “And where they’re supposed to stay,” Troy added.
    “In the meantime, you two can have the pool house,” Avery said, gesturing vaguely toward the hedge covered concrete cube outside. “If you hurry you’ll beat Max to the front door and you can ask if there’s a key.”
    “But we don’t have any idea if it’s habitable,” Anthony pointed out.
    “I didn’t even see a door,” Troy added, clearly irritated.
    “Not our problem,” Kyra said.
    “We’ve done uninhabitable,” Nicole said. “There’s no such thing. It’s just mind over matter.”
    “And you can always go to a hotel if you don’t think you can hack it,” Kyra added sweetly.
    Troy and Kyra stared each other down for a few long seconds. Troy folded first, signaling to Anthony and grabbing their gear. Dustin cried and rubbed his eyes.
    “I need to get Dustin’s things out of the van. Then I need to feed him. We’re way past his bedtime,” Kyra said.
    Sweat trickled down Avery’s back. All of them looked like something the cat dragged in. She sincerely hoped there was running water.
    “Would you mind if we take this room?” Kyra asked as they moved inside. “The attached sunroom will give us a little more space to set up Dustin’s portable crib and you won’t have to live with a diaper pail in your bathroom.”
    “Works for me,” Avery said. “Are you all right with that?”
    Deirdre and Nicole nodded. The three of them walked across the landing, which was lit by what little moonlight managed to penetrate the rectangle of filthy glass block and its neighboring porthole window.
    “I think Avery and I should room together,” Deirdre said. “Since we’re going to have to share a double bed, it seems to make sense to divide by family.”
    “As far as I’m concerned, you and I aren’t all that related,” Avery said.
    “Well, I don’t have any plans to visit my sole remaining family member anytime soon,” Nicole said. “I’m not a big fan of bars on the windows.” Her tone was dry.
    Avery remained silent, unable to actually choose Deirdre as a roommate.
    Deirdre’s lips pursed. “Fine. I’m going to take the back bedroom. If you don’t want to share a room with me, maybe Max will let you sleep downstairs. Or you could bunk with the crew.”
    “Fine.” Avery raised an eyebrow. “But if you snore I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
    Deirdre shot her an eyebrow in return. “I don’t snore.”
    “Yes, you do.” They’d shared a room at Bella Flora briefly. And slept in the same bathroom when Hurricane Charlene had come calling.
    They sighed.
    “Oh my God.” Nicole laughed. “You two are like mirror images of each other. It’s downright Darwinian.”
    Avery gave her an eye roll and winced when she noticed Deirdre doing the same.
    “All right,” Avery said, careful not to purse her lips in the same way that Deirdre was doing. “I’m going to go down and get my things.” She was almost looking forward to watching Deirdre carry all her luggage up the gangplank on her own.
    She followed Nicole down the back stairs and around the house to the drive, pulling the warm night air into her lungs. Extracting her single suitcase from the trunk,