It was one of those perfect summer afternoons. The sun was shining, the air was warm, and the pool looked so inviting. My husband had left for work earlier that morning, and I decided to spend a few hours relaxing by the pool. I wanted to soak up the sun and enjoy some rare, quiet time to myself.

I stretched out on a lounge chair, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin, and before I knew it, I had slipped out of my bikini top. It felt freeing, lying there, basking in the sunlight with nothing but the sound of the gentle breeze and the occasional ripple of the pool water. I had completely forgotten that we had scheduled a new pool guy to come by that afternoon.

He was supposed to knock or ring the doorbell before starting his work, but I must’ve been so relaxed that I didn’t hear a thing. At some point, I heard a shuffle and looked up, startled. There he was, the new pool guy, standing at the edge of the pool, tools in hand, looking completely flustered.

My heart raced as I scrambled to cover myself with a nearby towel, my cheeks flushed not just from the sun but from sheer embarrassment. He quickly averted his gaze, awkwardly muttering an apology.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am. I knocked… but I didn’t hear anything, so I thought it’d be alright to start,” he stammered, clearly as uncomfortable as I was.

I couldn’t even form a coherent sentence. This was a situation straight out of a bad sitcom, only it was happening to me. I waved him off, saying something like, “It’s fine, just… give me a minute,” as I hurried inside the house to throw on something more appropriate.

Once dressed, I peeked outside to see him going about his work, his eyes glued to the pool as if it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen, trying his best to avoid any eye contact. I couldn’t help but laugh a little, though, as the initial embarrassment started to fade. What an awkward, ridiculous moment.

By the time he was done, I had calmed down. He handed me the bill, his face still a bit red, and I thanked him, trying to act as if nothing unusual had happened. But as he walked away, I knew this was a story I’d remember for a long time—a sunbathing afternoon turned into an awkward comedy of errors.

Now, every time I sunbathe by the pool, I double-check the schedule for any upcoming maintenance… and keep my bikini top firmly in place.