“Oh, I do,” she said. “But sometimes kids teach us who they are, not the other way around.”
Something flickered in his eyes—something wounded—but he covered it with a faint smirk. “You sound like you’ve spent a lot of time with other people’s kids.”
“I used to teach,” she said before she could stop herself. The words hung between them, heavier than she wanted.
His brow lifted. “School?”
“Surf camp.” Her voice was short and discouraged further questions.
He studied her, curiosity edging out the judgment. “But you also competed.”
She didn’t answer. The salt air pressed against her skin, the hum of the ocean filling the silence until Kelsey’s shout broke it. “Did you see that, Rowan?”
Rowan forced a smile. “Perfect form, Kels!”
“I’m not sure what you think I’m doing, but it’s not my stock portfolio.” She raised her brow at his lecturing tone. “What didyoudo today, Rowan?”
The grip of his dark gaze hit full force. Rowan refused to buckle. She pretended to think hard. “I got up and went for a walk. Fed Bagel. Came to the surf shop and did inventory; helped sand some boards; spoke to some customers. Had lunch. Took another walk. Made some calls. And showed up for Kelsey’s lesson.”
Challenge sparked between them. He took a step closer and the water just missed his expensive shoes. “Wanna know what I did?”
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
“I woke up at six a.m. so I could field some calls out of my time zone. I was at the office at seven a.m., where I had a contractor meeting, dealt with a disaster in hospitality, approved marketing plans for the event opening, fired a member of the staff, fought with linen suppliers, and kissed my Michelin-starred chef’s ass so she wouldn’t quit over a ridiculous argument with our new GM concerning the equipment.”
She blinked. “Why did you fire them?”
“Who?”
“You said you fired someone. What did they do?”
He blew out an impatient breath. “Didn’t show up for training on time.”
“You don’t give second chances?”
“No. Not if I want perfection.”
Rowan shook her head. “You must get disappointed a lot.”
“Is that all you have to say?”
She couldn’t help her amused smirk. “No. It’s obvious who had the better day.”
His low growl made the whole interaction worth it.
When the lesson wrapped, Kelsey jogged to shore, dragging her board. They walked to the shop and Everett followed, looking impatient to get going. “Gotta use the bathroom first!” Kelsey yelled, disappearing.
He reached for his wallet and pulled out a sleek black card. “What’s your rate?”
“No charge.”
A frown creased his brow. She wondered if laugh lines would enhance his sexiness or diminish it. She wondered how often he laughed around Kelsey. “Don’t you know anything about business? When you give lessons, there’s usually a fee.”
“Then consider this your lucky day. As you’ve pointed out, I’m not too great with business.”
His eyes heated. What would this man be like if he ever lost control? Definitely more interesting than the cool, smug suit she’d been dealing with. “I can afford your fee, Rowan.”
“I can’t afford yours.” Her lips pressed together as she regarded him intensely. “I have a feeling the moment you put a monetary value on things, you think you’re in control. My decision to teach Kelsey is mine. And you won’t be controlling my narrative.”
