camera, and head across the street to the beach. I don’t really have a plan for where I’m going but end up at the tide pools again.
Once there, I take a few more photographs of the rocks, the ocean, and the starfish. The starfish are still close to the surface and this time I don’t hesitate at all as I set my camera on the rock and reach my hand into the cold water to grab one. I cringe a little as I pull it away from the rock it’s stuck to and turn it over to see the little sucker things on the other side. I wonder if the little hole in the center of the starfish is the mouth? I’m not really an expert on starfish anatomy, so I have no idea. I may have to look it up when I get home.
“You really like those starfish.”
I jump and curse as I almost knock my camera into the water.
“Sorry,” Carson said. “I always seem to scare you.”
“Yeah, you kind of have a habit of showing up out of nowhere.” I smile and scoot back from the water, making sure my dress is down. I didn’t realize how unladylike I was sitting before he showed up. Hopefully he didn’t notice. “And yes, I do like starfish. They’re pretty cool. Not as cool as whales, but they’re still interesting.”
“Whales are amazing.”
“They really are. Jo took me out on the boat earlier and showed me a bunch of blue whales. In person! It was awesome.”
He nods. “Your aunt’s the coolest. Mind if I sit?” He gestures to the rock beside me.
I smile up at him. “I’d love some company.” As the words come out, I realize how true they are.
He sits down and leans back on his hands, totally relaxed. There are drops of water in his light hair and he runs his hand through it to get them out. He’s still in his wet suit, though he’s pulled the top down so it hangs low around his waist. I can’t help but peek at his ripped chest. It’s nice. Nice enough for me to stare at him like an idiot. Which I’m still doing.
“Do you like being by yourself all the time?”
His question catches me off guard and I look away from his body and out into the water. “No, not really.” I hate it, especially since I used to spend all my time with Lucas at the hospital. I don’t want to admit I’m lonely, but that’s the only word that comes to mind. “I just don’t really know anyone around here, so I don’t really have a choice.”
“Then you should hang out with us.” He sets his hand on my shoulder and squeezes it before leaning back again.
I give him a small smile. “I’m pretty sure those girls you introduced me to last night don’t like me much.”
He gives me a weird look and shakes his head. “They’re just girls. Shy until they get to know someone.” His shoulder bumps mine. “Kind of like you, I think.”
“I guess.” I realize I’m still holding the starfish.
“Just drop it in the water and it will eventually get back to the rock by itself. Try not to drop it on its back or it’ll get stuck.”
“I rescued a starfish that was stuck on its back yesterday,” I tell him. I lean over the tide pool, drop it, and watch it until it lands at the bottom. I wonder if it’s cursing me for making it have to climb all the way up the rocks again.
“Perfect,” he says.
I lean back and don’t realize how close he is until I turn to look at him. His face is inches from mine and his brown eyes are light and curious. His breath catches and his eyes flick to my lips. My heart races and I realize I haven’t moved. What am I doing? I’m supposed to be grieving. Not lusting after some guy.
Embarrassed and mad at myself, I move over a little and stretch my legs in front of me. He follows suit, his legs stretched out a few inches from mine. We sit there for a while, not saying much. I can’t really look at him anyway, since that moment was sort of awkward. Instead I pass the time taking pictures of the surfers on the water while he points out different creatures in the tide pools.
I gasp when I see a guy on his board
Once there, I take a few more photographs of the rocks, the ocean, and the starfish. The starfish are still close to the surface and this time I don’t hesitate at all as I set my camera on the rock and reach my hand into the cold water to grab one. I cringe a little as I pull it away from the rock it’s stuck to and turn it over to see the little sucker things on the other side. I wonder if the little hole in the center of the starfish is the mouth? I’m not really an expert on starfish anatomy, so I have no idea. I may have to look it up when I get home.
“You really like those starfish.”
I jump and curse as I almost knock my camera into the water.
“Sorry,” Carson said. “I always seem to scare you.”
“Yeah, you kind of have a habit of showing up out of nowhere.” I smile and scoot back from the water, making sure my dress is down. I didn’t realize how unladylike I was sitting before he showed up. Hopefully he didn’t notice. “And yes, I do like starfish. They’re pretty cool. Not as cool as whales, but they’re still interesting.”
“Whales are amazing.”
“They really are. Jo took me out on the boat earlier and showed me a bunch of blue whales. In person! It was awesome.”
He nods. “Your aunt’s the coolest. Mind if I sit?” He gestures to the rock beside me.
I smile up at him. “I’d love some company.” As the words come out, I realize how true they are.
He sits down and leans back on his hands, totally relaxed. There are drops of water in his light hair and he runs his hand through it to get them out. He’s still in his wet suit, though he’s pulled the top down so it hangs low around his waist. I can’t help but peek at his ripped chest. It’s nice. Nice enough for me to stare at him like an idiot. Which I’m still doing.
“Do you like being by yourself all the time?”
His question catches me off guard and I look away from his body and out into the water. “No, not really.” I hate it, especially since I used to spend all my time with Lucas at the hospital. I don’t want to admit I’m lonely, but that’s the only word that comes to mind. “I just don’t really know anyone around here, so I don’t really have a choice.”
“Then you should hang out with us.” He sets his hand on my shoulder and squeezes it before leaning back again.
I give him a small smile. “I’m pretty sure those girls you introduced me to last night don’t like me much.”
He gives me a weird look and shakes his head. “They’re just girls. Shy until they get to know someone.” His shoulder bumps mine. “Kind of like you, I think.”
“I guess.” I realize I’m still holding the starfish.
“Just drop it in the water and it will eventually get back to the rock by itself. Try not to drop it on its back or it’ll get stuck.”
“I rescued a starfish that was stuck on its back yesterday,” I tell him. I lean over the tide pool, drop it, and watch it until it lands at the bottom. I wonder if it’s cursing me for making it have to climb all the way up the rocks again.
“Perfect,” he says.
I lean back and don’t realize how close he is until I turn to look at him. His face is inches from mine and his brown eyes are light and curious. His breath catches and his eyes flick to my lips. My heart races and I realize I haven’t moved. What am I doing? I’m supposed to be grieving. Not lusting after some guy.
Embarrassed and mad at myself, I move over a little and stretch my legs in front of me. He follows suit, his legs stretched out a few inches from mine. We sit there for a while, not saying much. I can’t really look at him anyway, since that moment was sort of awkward. Instead I pass the time taking pictures of the surfers on the water while he points out different creatures in the tide pools.
I gasp when I see a guy on his board
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