I’ve gathered Chloe is about twenty-five. I just turned thirty last month. Jason and Chloe are probably closer in age. Maybe Chloe will be into him…
I glance at Chloe and she’s turning in a slow circle, transfixed by the shop. There’s swimsuits, boards, and clothing covering every wall. A big vintage, teal sign hangs behind the counter that says “Seaside Surf Established 1992” in orange letters. It reminds me of a giant license plate.
“What’s up?” I say to Jason while fist bumping him.
He gives me a head nod and looks at Chloe. His eyes brighten, and I can’t tell if he’s simply amused by Chloe or attracted to her. Jason has swagger for days. Thanks to tourists, he has a never-ending supply of adoring women to use it on. I don’t want Chloe to be one of them.
I interrupt his gazing as quickly as possible. “Jason, this is Val’s niece, Chloe. She just moved to Sunshine Shores.”
“Nice to meet you. Are you taking up surfing?”
I glance at Chloe, who fidgets with her left earring as she says, “I’m gonna try.”
“Leo’s a waxhead, so you’re in good hands…and biceps. Have you seen this guy flex?”
The blood drains from my face. I raise my eyebrows trying to get his attention. Apparently, he can sense my interest in Chloe and has taken on the role of wingman.
Chloe’s eyes dart around the store. She’s looking anywhere but at me.
I jump in. “Okay…so she needs to rent a board and a wetsuit.”
“No problem. This way.” Jason punches my shoulder as he lets me lead Chloe to the back store room. I look over at him with a “seriously” stare, and he gives me the okay sign while wiggling his eyebrows and nodding.
I rub out the tension in my forehead. Jason is as subtle as a herd of elephants.
Chloe turns to me and whispers, “What’s a waxhead?”
Thankfully, she seems to be ignoring Jason’s other comments. “It’s someone who is passionate about surfing.”
“Good to know,” she says, following me closely.
In the rental area, there are two bars with wet suits of varying sizes hanging from them.
I turn to Chloe. “When choosing a wetsuit size, you want it to fit snugly but not too tight, where it restricts your movement.”
Jason adds, “If you don’t have a swimsuit with you, you can grab two and try them on at home to see which one you like best.”
“Oh okay.” Chloe looks at the hangers where each size is labeled and grabs two wetsuits. “I guess I’ll try these.”
“Perfect. Let's check out the boards next.” I put my hand on the small of her back without thinking, and my hand heats at our touch. I wonder if Chloe feels it too.
Inhaling, I force myself to refocus on a row of surfboards lined up in different lengths and sizes. “Florida surf has mushy walls and a dumpy shorebreak, so small wave shortboards work best.”
“I have no idea what that means.” Chloe bites her lip.
“Sorry, mushy walls just means that as the wave approaches the shore, the crest gradually spills forward.”
“Got it,” she says with a thumbs up.
“Based on your height, you can choose any of these boards. Which one do you like?” There’s an array of bright colors and designs. I’m curious which one Chloe will pick since I’ve only ever seen her in black, gray, white and navy.
As she walks by, she runs her hands along the board edges. “I like this one.” I take two steps to see the board she’s pointing at.
“The plain white one?”
She nods.
I shake my head with a smile.
