It was time. She could do this.
She grabbed the board and headed to the shoreline. Her body throbbed with anticipation. Her nostrils flared with the scent of salt water as she neared, bare feet sinking into the sand. Dragging in a breath, she studied the shoreline and the break, gaze sweeping over all the tiny facets that allowed her to read a wave. A tangle of voices drifted in her mind, cheering her on.
Dad. Tino. Lea. And Everett.
She was in waist-deep when she paused, suddenly unsure. The picture crashed through her defenses. Riding the wave in while Everett watched, pride and love etched on his face as he waited for her. Kelsey cheering from the sidelines. A makeshift family supporting her as she let herself ride free in the ocean that was her home.
Rowan froze. Her brain hijacked her body, taunting her with a future that would never be. Everett wouldn’t be waiting for her because he’d be returning to New York. Lea and her friends would hit the circuit and leave her behind. This summer was just a shimmer of magic and beauty, hinting at a future that would never be.
She backed up, step by step, until she was back on dry sand. Her throat tightened with emotion.
Rowan had no idea how long she stood there, looking to the horizon, studying the rise and crash of the waves.
Tucking the board under her arm, she returned to the surf shop.
Chapter Twenty-Three
It was official.
He’d never felt more ridiculous.
The heat hadn’t eased, lasering down, trying to bake his exposed skin to brown. Locals drifted by in bikinis and board shorts, carrying surfboards that looked like extensions of their bodies. Everett stood among them in brand-new trunks that still had a crease and a shirt that readAloha Statein ironic block letters. His pale calves already looked like a dare.
He spotted Tino by the waterline, stacking boards in the sand. The man waved with a lazy arc, sunlight catching on the ink winding around his biceps.
“You’re on time,” Tino said when Everett approached. “Good sign. Ocean respects that.”
“I thought surfing was about going with the flow.”
Tino grinned. “Only people who are late say that.”
Everett huffed a laugh despite himself. “Fair enough.”
He looked at the board Tino had selected for him. It was long and wide, with the faint scars of previous victims. “This one looks seasoned.”
“This board is forgiving. You need it.”
Everett raised a brow. “Do I?”
“Yeah,” Tino said easily, waxing the board in slow, practiced strokes. “You’re the kind of man who plans everything. Ocean don’t like plans. You’ve got to listen to her, not manage her.”
He frowned, sensing Tino was talking about more than water. “Hmm. Ocean’s that complicated? Or are we talking about a woman?”
The man barked out a laugh. “Both.” Everett watched his expert handling with respect. “Your woman took Kelsey to practice at Threes so we have some privacy.”
His lip quirked at the term. He liked it, thinking of Rowan as his. “Surprised they didn’t want a front seat to my humiliation.”
Tino shook his head, serious. “There is no shame in falling. It’s an honor to learn, so let go of any idea you’re attached to.”
“Makes sense. Not sure I can do that, though. Not how I usually work.”
“That’s why we practice.” He cocked his head, studying him, then motioned for him to sit. “You work at the fancy hotel.”
“More like management.”
“Mmm.” Tino nodded. “So you like control. Telling people what to do.” His eyes danced with mischief. “You tell water what to do, she’ll laugh.”
Everett smirked. “You’re enjoying this.”
