I love this space. It sits across from the beach, the path separating the shop from it. You can literally buy a board and run across to the beach. The door is always open because it’s the type that you need to lift, like a garage door, so people walking by can always look inside.
The walls are painted a cool green color, and surfboards hang from the ceiling and are perched against the walls. There’s a glass display on each side of the shop that shows surf accessories.
“Hey, August,” I say over my shoulder.
“What’s up?” He walks over to me. His tall, big frame hovers over me.
“Do you think I should get Rowan new board shorts? I don’t know how many he has.” I cock my head at the table, thinking.
“Lucky you, he was just telling the guys he was looking into getting new ones.”
I smile to myself and browse the table with different colored shorts to choose from.
“How did things go with the woman you were taking out?” I pick up a deep blue pair and hold them in front of me, then set them back down.
“It was fine. It was more of a friend vibe. She was chill, but nothing really sparked there.” August picks up board shorts in a copper tan color. I shake my head.
“Really? I’m sorry,” I say with a frown.
“Don’t be. I’m fine with it.” He shrugs, putting his hands in his pockets.
“You’re fine with it because you’re holding out for someone else.” I give him a smirk.
“No, I’m not. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He looks around, exasperated.
“Enemies can make great lovers, August. You should read a romance book with that trope.”
“God, you’re annoying.”
I turn to laugh at him and then back to the table, picking up a pair of pale aqua board shorts. I angle my head side to side, picturing Rowan in them. His tan skin would look great with the color.
“What’s going on with you and Rowan?” he asks.
I hold on to the winning pair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Ellie, you need to cut the shit. You’re only here for a little while longer, and you need to figure things out. Are you really going to leave again? Go back to a place that doesn’t even make you happy anymore?”
I roll my head back. This conversation. Again.
“What do you want me to do? Not take the promotion and stay in Mom and Dad’s guest house?”
“You can stay with me.” He points to himself with his hand.
“And deal with women coming in and out of your bedroom at all hours of the day? No thanks.”
“I can pause my sex life if it means you come home.”
I grimace. “You don’t need to do that.”
“Don’t need to do what?” Dad interrupts us.
We both turn to him and smile.
“Nothing,” I blurt out and then stare back at August, telepathically saying that this conversation is over.
fifty-one
ROWAN
