I glanced up, considering. “Good and bad. I got pretty good at the regulator recovery, but my buoyancy was all over the place.”
To my surprise, Eli’s face lit up. “That’s great!”
I snorted. “My utter lack of control is great?”
He laughed. “No, that you noticed it. Most people don’t even realize they’re struggling with buoyancy at first.”
“Oh.” I smiled, oddly pleased by the compliment. “Well, noticing and fixing are two different things.”
Eli’s expression softened. “Hey, everyone struggles at first. It’s all about practice and finding your rhythm. You’ll get there.”
“I definitely need more practice then,” I said as we waded out of the shallow end and dumped our scuba kits on the pool deck.
Lacey, Daniel, and Randy moved off to stand in a cluster, talking as they toweled off.
Eli cleared his throat. “Listen, Jules.” His usual cocky grin faded into something more hesitant. “If you want, we could do a private session after work early next week. Just to focus on your buoyancy control.”
My breath froze. The smart-ass veneer had slipped, and as his deep-blue eyes held mine, uncertainty flitted through them.
“Am I that awful?” I asked with a smile.
Eli shrugged, but this time the casual gesture seemed forced. “Not at all. Uh, I just want everyone to love diving as much as I do.”
I studied him, intrigued by this glimpse beneath the surface. “I… That would be really helpful. Thank you, Eli.”
A smile, smaller but somehow more real than his usualgrin, spread across his face. “Great. How about Monday at six? We can have the pool to ourselves then.”
“That works.” I nodded, turning away to gather my things.
“Hey, Jules,” he said, and I looked back. “Good job today.”
“Thanks, Eli. See you later.”
As I headed toward the changing room, my mind whirled. I paused at the door, glancing back. Eli was coiling a regulator, his movements practiced and efficient. There was more to him than I’d given him credit for, clearly. And I’d realized something else. I didn’t mind him calling me Jules. Because there was no trace of mockery in his voice anymore when he said it.
