“Too late,” she said, snapping the picture.
She felt his hand slip into hers again.
And for a moment, between the ridiculous shirt, the train jingle stuck in Everett’s head, Kelsey’s delighted squeals, and the warm Hawaiian sun—
Rowan felt like the three of them had been doing this forever.
Chapter Twenty-Five
August slipped away, leaving only the ache of how quickly beautiful things moved on.
Time blurred and the three of them fell into a rhythm. Kelsey spent her days surfing and hanging at the shop. Besides Brie’s crew, she’d branched out and formed connections with some younger girls, so it was a nice mix. Everett was focused on the upcoming opening and spent most days making sure all departments were functioning and disasters were solidly contained. They worked around his schedule, but Rowan was surprised at his commitment to her and Kelsey.
And surfing lessons.
She’d expected one or two lessons max. Figured Everett would slowly fade back to his usual workaholic routine as pressure grew and the days raced by. Instead, he showed up regularly to learn with Tino or Rowan, even joining Kelsey here and there so he could be teased and encouraged. When there was a beach get-together, Everett showed up, beginning to relax around Cousin Howie and the aunties. He’d finally met her other surf friends, and allowed Kelsey to join a sleepover with Brie and the other girls, chaperoned by Lea.
Kelsey and Everett cooked for her a few nights, and she brought Bagel over to join them.
The rabbit had, unfortunately, eaten some of the wall and built a new nest, but Everett had only laughed and said Rowan had to build him a better castle.
Kelsey had figured out they spent the evenings together and even laughingly invited Rowan to actually show up for breakfast instead of sneaking out at sunrise. When Everett stumbled over his words to explain, she’d only rolled her eyes and groaned. “Ugh, Dad, do you have any idea what I’ve seen on the internet?”
Which led to Everett asking a million alarmed questions about her app access.
Every night he showed up at Rowan’s door, where they’d fall into each other with a greed that was only getting worse. After a breathless orgasm, they lay together in the quiet. Everett took her hand, stroking over the old calluses and scars from years of surfing.
“Does your knee still hurt?”
She stretched out her calf and flexed under the sheet. “Sometimes. It’s like a deep ache I’m used to now.”
He nodded, focused on her hand. “What about getting back to surfing for yourself? You’re teaching regularly again. Lea mentioned she’s just waiting on your go.”
Rowan gave a long sigh. She looked at the custom board with her father’s memory carved into the grain and began to want again. But every time she marched to the sand, something sent her back. She didn’t know when the noise in her head and the fear would quiet for good. “I want to. You know all that teaching I give to you and Kelsey about letting your body lead and not getting in your head?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’m a great teacher but a lousy student.”
He smiled and pressed a kiss to her palm. “It must’ve been terrifying. The accident.”
“I keep going back to that one split-second decision where I decided to take the wave, and as soon as I did, I knew it was a badidea. Everything went by in slow motion. I cracked my knee and my board and felt like I was going to drown.” Her voice lowered. “I was so sure my dad would guide me to the win. When it all fell apart, it was easier to just shut down and believe I would be alone for the rest of my life.”
“What do you think now?”
Rowan leaned her cheek against his beating heart. “I think it’s time to try again. Lea and Tino and everyone keep reminding me to get back in the water for my father. But I realized something this week, watching you and Kelsey surf.”
“What?”
“I have to do it for myself,” she whispered.
He drew her close and folded her tight into his embrace, where nothing bad could reach her. “You will.”
They lay in the hum of the fan. Somewhere around almost-sleep, he shifted, tightened his arm around her, and whispered, “I was wrong about you.”
“How?”
“You’re not dangerous.” He paused. “You’re the safest thing I’ve felt in a long time.”
