Page 13 of Lowering His Guard

I’m placing the foam surfboards in the rack when Jace shows up.

“Hey, Jace!” I greet. “You’re early.”

He rolls his eyes. “It’s my dad’s fault. He thinks on time is late. Would it have killed him to let me sleep five minutes longer?”

I motion to the ocean. “But there’s nothing better than being on the beach before anyone else. Catching a wave while the world is still asleep. Paddling into the waves on your own with no one else around for miles.”

“You shouldn’t be out in the water alone,” Brock grumbles as he joins us.

I beam at him. “Good morning, grumpy dad. How are you this morning?”

“Hungry.”

“Dad,” Jace whines. “I told you to go to breakfast. I can handle walking to the beach on my own.”

“We could have both had breakfast if you would have gotten out of bed when your alarm went off.”

“I have a protein bar to tide you over,” I offer.

“What kind?”

I tell him the brand.

He frowns. “Those have too much sugar. I’ll bring you some of mine.”

I lift a brow. “Yours? You have your own protein bar brand?”

He shrugs. And do I detect the faintest hint of a blush on those high cheekbones? How adorable! “They sponsor me.”

“Dad has tons of sponsors because he’s a popular NFL player,” Jace volunteers. “We’re always getting deliveries of cool shit to our house.”

“Do you want to play in the NFL?” I ask.

His nose wrinkles. “Nah. Too much travel for me.”

Brock grimaces. “Comes with the territory.”

Jace leans close to whisper-shout to me. “Dad feels guilty because he travels all the time. What he doesn’t know is Grandma and Grandpa spoil me.”

I chuckle. “I think he knows now.”

“Doesn’t matter. He’s retiring this year anyway.”

My eyes widen. “You’re retiring?” I ask Brock.

“Last year.”

“Whoa. Slow down, dude. Don’t volunteer too much information. TMI, dude. TMI.”

Jace cracks up. Brock wraps an arm around his neck and rubs his knuckles over his head. “Who are you laughing at, buddy?”

Jace pushes him away. “You!” He races away.

Brock shakes his head at him.

“You’re not going to chase him?”

He snorts. “He’s sixteen.”