She Offers Her Sunscreen To A Stranger, Unaware He’s A CEO Who Will Soon Fall For Her Thoughtfulness
A Chance Encounter and a Simple Act of Kindness
The harsh summer sun beat down on Ellie Anderson’s skin as she settled onto her beach towel. The sound of crashing waves almost drowned out the excited shrieks of children building sandcastles nearby.
She was treating herself to a rare day off, escaping the constant pressure of her job as a pediatric nurse to simply exist under the bright blue sky of San Pepper Beach.
She had just started applying sunscreen to her arms when she noticed him. He was a tall man with broad shoulders sitting about twenty feet away, his skin already turning an angry shade of red.
He was absorbed in a book, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was well on his way to a painful sunburn.
“Excuse me,” Ellie called out, surprising herself with her boldness.
When he didn’t respond, she stood up and walked over to him, casting a shadow across his book.
“I don’t mean to bother you, but you’re getting pretty burned.”
The man looked up, startled. His eyes were a startling shade of blue that contrasted with his dark hair, which was slightly tousled from the ocean breeze.
“Am I?” he asked, glancing at his reddening shoulders with genuine surprise.
“I guess I lost track of time here,” she said, holding out her bottle of sunscreen.
“You should really put some on.”
He hesitated for a moment before accepting the bottle.
“Thank you. That’s very kind.”
His voice was deep and warm.
“I’m not exactly a beach regular.”
“I can tell,” Ellie smiled.
“Most people don’t read Dostoevsky at the beach.”
He looked down at his book, Crime and Punishment, and laughed.
“Not exactly light reading, is it? I’m Preston, by the way. Preston Aki.”
“Ellie Anderson.”
She watched as he awkwardly tried to apply sunscreen to his back.
“Need some help?”
Preston looked embarrassed but nodded.
“If you don’t mind. I can’t quite reach.”
As Ellie’s hands moved across his shoulders, she noticed how tense they were. The man carried stress like it was part of his wardrobe.
“You know, sunscreen works better if you apply it before you turn into a lobster.”
He laughed, and she felt some of the tension leave his muscles.
“Noted for future reference, though I don’t get to the beach often.”
“What do you do that keeps you so busy?” she asked, finishing up and wiping the excess sunscreen off her hands.
“I run a company,” he said vaguely. “Shipping logistics. It’s not very exciting.”
“Sounds important, though,” Ellie replied, standing back up. “Well, enjoy your book and try not to get burned again.”
Preston smiled up at her.
“Thanks for the sunscreen and the help.”
Ellie returned to her spot, stealing glances at the mysterious man who’d gone back to his Russian literature.
There was something compelling about him—not just his looks, though he was certainly attractive—but something in his demeanor, a kind of solitary intensity that made her curious.
An hour later, as Ellie was packing up to leave, Preston approached her, holding out her sunscreen bottle.
“Thanks again,” he said. “You saved me from what would have been a very uncomfortable evening.”
“Happy to help,” she replied, tucking the bottle into her beach bag.
“This might be forward,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “But would you like to get a coffee sometime? There’s a great little place just up from the beach.”
Ellie hesitated. She didn’t make a habit of accepting dates from strangers, but there was something genuine about his request.
“Actually, I was just about to grab some lunch at the beachfront cafe. If you’re hungry, you’re welcome to join me.”
His face brightened.
“I’d like that.”
The cafe was a casual open-air spot with views of the ocean.
As they settled at a table, Ellie learned that Preston was new to the area, having moved from Seattle just three months ago.
“So you run a shipping company?” she asked, sipping her iced tea.
Preston nodded.
“Arian Global. We handle international freight primarily. What about you?”
“I’m a pediatric nurse at Ocean View Children’s Hospital,” she said. “I work in the oncology department.”
His expression softened.
“That must be challenging.”
“It is, but it’s also incredibly rewarding,” she replied. “The kids are amazing—so resilient. They teach me something new every day.”
Their conversation flowed easily as they ate, discovering shared interests in hiking and classical music.
Preston was articulate and thoughtful, asking questions about her work and listening intently to her answers.
By the time they finished lunch, Ellie felt a connection forming that both excited and unnerved her.
“I’ve enjoyed this,” Preston said as they stood to leave. “Could I get your number? I’d like to see you again.”
Ellie found herself nodding, entering her number into his phone.
As they said goodbye, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever hear from the interesting stranger with the sunburned shoulders and the Russian novel.
Two days later, Ellie was finishing a twelve-hour shift when her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.
“Hi Ellie, it’s Preston from the beach. I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner this weekend.”
She smiled, feeling a little flutter of excitement as she typed her reply.
“I’d love to.”
Preston suggested a restaurant called Marina View for Saturday evening.
