crash pretty hard on a wave, but he comes up sputtering and goes right back out for another run. “I don’t know how you guys do that.”
Carson looks up. “Surf?”
I nod. “It looks so hard. And when the wave pushes you under the water . . .” I rub the goosebumps on my arms and shake my head.
“It’s not too bad. Once you get up the first time, it gets easier.”
“I doubt that.” I watch the same guy fall again. That would be me. No . . . I would have fallen off a lot sooner than he did.
“I can teach you if you’re interested in learning.”
My heart races. “Really?” I look at him, but he doesn’t notice. He’s staring out into the waves again.
“Of course. It would be my pleasure.” He glances at me for a second and looks away again.
I put my camera away. Learn something new. Part of me is terrified and the other part is thrilled. It would definitely take my mind off things. And having a hot surfer teach me wouldn’t be so bad either. I lean toward him. “Could we start tomorrow?” I smile and blush at how forward I sound. “I mean—”
“I’ll tell you what. If you let me show you around the city tonight, I’ll start our lessons tomorrow.”
“Why do you want to show me around?”
He shrugs and plays with a brown bracelet around his wrist, not meeting my eyes. “I like going into town and you’re new and should see what’s around. And it would be nice to have a pretty girl on my arm.”
I laugh. He sounds like he’s from a different century.
“That sounded really lame, right?” He laughs too. “I was trying to be polite, not weird. I’m serious though. I’d like some company and who better than you?”
“Oh.” This time I swear my whole body turns red. I’m flattered he thinks I’m interesting enough to hang out with, but not quite sure what to say. I didn’t come here looking for a relationship . . . but honestly, I really could use a friend.
“So, will you come?”
I glance at him and try not to get lost in his brown-eyed gaze. Which is surprisingly hard. “Sure. What time?”
He stands and I grab my camera as he takes my hand and helps me up. “How about six? We can grab some dinner and I’ll show you around the pier.”
“Okay.”
“Mind if I walk you back to your place?”
I shake my head. “Not at all.”
He helps me down from the rocks and grabs his surfboard which has been lying on the sand. I didn’t even notice it before. It’s yellow. Almost the same color as my dress. He holds it under one arm and I can’t help but stare at him again.
“Get any good pictures today?”
“A few.”
“You’ll have to show me some of them. Sometime . . .” He trails off and smiles at the look on my face. “What?”
I wring my hands together and chew on my lip. “I don’t know. I don’t really show a lot of people my work.”
“Well, you should. I can tell you love it. Taking pictures, I mean.”
“It’s fun. Therapeutic, I guess.”
“Therapeutic?”
I stop walking for a second and clear my throat. “Um . . . never mind.” I’m not going there.
Thankfully, he leaves it alone.
We reach the house sooner than I want. It’s nice hanging out with someone close to my age.
“I’ll see you tonight then?”
“Yes. Thanks for walking me back.”
He pats me on the back and his hand lingers a little longer than it should. “No problem.”
I say goodbye and walk inside, shutting the door behind me. I’m not sure what to think about this. Am I doing the right thing? Mom told me to make friends, but me and a guy alone together? I’m not sure that’s what she meant. Even so, he said he’d teach me how to surf. And Lucas would be proud of me for learning something new. So, the main reason I’m going with Carson is because I want to thank him for volunteering to teach me to surf. Yes. That’s it. It’s not a date; it’s not a romantic stroll on the pier. It’s business only.
With that thought, I head to my room and stare at the
Carson looks up. “Surf?”
I nod. “It looks so hard. And when the wave pushes you under the water . . .” I rub the goosebumps on my arms and shake my head.
“It’s not too bad. Once you get up the first time, it gets easier.”
“I doubt that.” I watch the same guy fall again. That would be me. No . . . I would have fallen off a lot sooner than he did.
“I can teach you if you’re interested in learning.”
My heart races. “Really?” I look at him, but he doesn’t notice. He’s staring out into the waves again.
“Of course. It would be my pleasure.” He glances at me for a second and looks away again.
I put my camera away. Learn something new. Part of me is terrified and the other part is thrilled. It would definitely take my mind off things. And having a hot surfer teach me wouldn’t be so bad either. I lean toward him. “Could we start tomorrow?” I smile and blush at how forward I sound. “I mean—”
“I’ll tell you what. If you let me show you around the city tonight, I’ll start our lessons tomorrow.”
“Why do you want to show me around?”
He shrugs and plays with a brown bracelet around his wrist, not meeting my eyes. “I like going into town and you’re new and should see what’s around. And it would be nice to have a pretty girl on my arm.”
I laugh. He sounds like he’s from a different century.
“That sounded really lame, right?” He laughs too. “I was trying to be polite, not weird. I’m serious though. I’d like some company and who better than you?”
“Oh.” This time I swear my whole body turns red. I’m flattered he thinks I’m interesting enough to hang out with, but not quite sure what to say. I didn’t come here looking for a relationship . . . but honestly, I really could use a friend.
“So, will you come?”
I glance at him and try not to get lost in his brown-eyed gaze. Which is surprisingly hard. “Sure. What time?”
He stands and I grab my camera as he takes my hand and helps me up. “How about six? We can grab some dinner and I’ll show you around the pier.”
“Okay.”
“Mind if I walk you back to your place?”
I shake my head. “Not at all.”
He helps me down from the rocks and grabs his surfboard which has been lying on the sand. I didn’t even notice it before. It’s yellow. Almost the same color as my dress. He holds it under one arm and I can’t help but stare at him again.
“Get any good pictures today?”
“A few.”
“You’ll have to show me some of them. Sometime . . .” He trails off and smiles at the look on my face. “What?”
I wring my hands together and chew on my lip. “I don’t know. I don’t really show a lot of people my work.”
“Well, you should. I can tell you love it. Taking pictures, I mean.”
“It’s fun. Therapeutic, I guess.”
“Therapeutic?”
I stop walking for a second and clear my throat. “Um . . . never mind.” I’m not going there.
Thankfully, he leaves it alone.
We reach the house sooner than I want. It’s nice hanging out with someone close to my age.
“I’ll see you tonight then?”
“Yes. Thanks for walking me back.”
He pats me on the back and his hand lingers a little longer than it should. “No problem.”
I say goodbye and walk inside, shutting the door behind me. I’m not sure what to think about this. Am I doing the right thing? Mom told me to make friends, but me and a guy alone together? I’m not sure that’s what she meant. Even so, he said he’d teach me how to surf. And Lucas would be proud of me for learning something new. So, the main reason I’m going with Carson is because I want to thank him for volunteering to teach me to surf. Yes. That’s it. It’s not a date; it’s not a romantic stroll on the pier. It’s business only.
With that thought, I head to my room and stare at the
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