A Summer Tale

By R.J. Byrd

She was the most beautiful woman Simon had ever seen. Her dark, wavy hair shone under the July sun, the coastal wind fanning it around her tan shoulders and face. Her eyes were an extremely pale shade of green that seemed to track movement like a tiger. Her body was sleek and muscular. The green bikini and loose net cover-up she wore made it seem like she had been scooped up from the sea.

When she approached Simon with a friendly smile and a soft hello, he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. After a pause he returned her smile and hello.

“I haven’t seen you around here before,” she stated. Her intense gaze seemed to be assessing him inside and out.

“It’s my first time at the beach. I just moved here from Chicago for a job. I work in tech,” said Simon, not quite sure why he told her so much. He hadn’t really made any real friends yet, so he was happy to have an exchange, even if it didn’t go anywhere.

“Do you want to go for a walk on the beach?” she asked. Her soft voice was almost static-like, as if he were the first person she had spoken to all day. He almost said he would walk anywhere with her, but decided to just agree. Simon figured the fewer words he used, the better.

As they walked on the beach, he noticed that her hair was streaked with silver strands that sparkled like tinsel. She had also woven tiny shells into her hair, and he wanted to reach out and touch them. Her face also had a soft permanent flush that kept her cheeks and lips pink.

She excitedly took him to what she said was her favorite tide pool. She pulled him close and pointed out all the starfish and hidden crabs. Simon noticed she had faint tattoos on her forearms and legs. When the light hit them just right, he could see the almost iridescent lines forming a lace-like pattern. It was just as mysterious and beautiful as she was.

They spent the afternoon together, enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the ocean. He couldn’t believe his luck that this beautiful woman chose to spend time with him. Other men had tried to get her attention, of course, but she seemed content to focus on him. As the sun began to set, they enjoyed shaved ice on a bench overlooking the sea. Simon had offered to take her around town, but she wasn’t interested, so they stayed near the water.

She talked about all of the fishing she did with her family and how she felt like the ocean was home. Simon had been fishing with his grandparents a lot, so he was able to share some of his experiences. It was the first thing they had in common. As the day had gone on, her voice had gotten less static-like and was now velvety and melodic. Simon felt like he could listen to it forever. She surprised him when she leaned in close and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. She smelled like salt water and an elusive scent he couldn’t name; it was a deep, alluring musk.

When she pulled away, Simon couldn’t help the goofy smile he gave her.

“Thank you, I had a great day,” she said, her smile was almost sad. When she asked for another shaved ice, Simon got up almost in a trance and got one for her. However, his heart sank when he got back to the bench to find her gone. He looked around, but he knew he wouldn’t find her. His mystery woman was just that, a mystery.

A loud splash caught Simon’s attention, and he ran to the shore. Everything was quiet; no one was on that particular stretch of beach. He let out a sigh, missing her already. He noticed large ripples out in the water. Suddenly, against the red setting sun, a green tail sprang from the ocean, creating a sparkling arch of water. Simon didn’t blink as the fin slowly sank back into the dark sea. He stayed like that on the beach staring out into the horizon until it was pitch dark, and he was the last one there. Something deep inside would draw him back to this beach every day, even if he never saw her again. He finally turned around and went home.

THE END

Copyright 2026 R.J. Byrd All Rights Reserved