Page 30 of Keep You Close

“So, did you always work with animals?” he asked after we ordered.

“Ah, no,” I said, trying not to lie, but also not offer him the truth of what I’d been doing prior to coming to Navesink Bank. “I did volunteer at the animal shelter a lot as a kid and teen, though.”

“Do you like it?”

“I love it,” I told him truthfully. “I love dogs. They’re full of life and love.”

“Never had one of my own, but I’m digging Samson,” he said. “He does the weirdest shit.”

“You should drop by the doggy daycare sometime if you think Samson is a trip,” I said, shaking my head. “We have a particularly instinctual Border Collie who herds all the smaller dogs into a circle at least ten times a day. And a Basset Hound who lets out this soul-deep howl when the delivery truck makes the backing up beeping noise. And there’s a Beagle mix who takes all the toys, little by little, and hides them.”

“That’s a good look,” Atlas said, making my brows pinch.

“What is?”

“Your face lights all up when you talk about work,” he said.

“Do you feel like that about your work?”

“That’s… a good question,” he said, looking confused. “I honestly don’t really care about filming and uploading. I don’t think I’ve ever even looked at the comments on the videos. I never wanted to be famous or some shit. Posting them just… pays for the lifestyle.”

“What’s your favorite extreme activity?” I asked.

“Fuck, that’s a big question,” he said, sitting back and thinking on it. “There’s a lot of experiences that were fucking insane, but I don’t think they’d be as much fun if I did them over and over.”

“Like?”

“Like… wing suit gliding. Or bungee jumping. Even sky diving. Shit I would never take back, but I don’t think I’d take on as a hobby. I feel like it would lose the thrill.

“Then there’s the shit that I enjoyed but it was too challenging for me to want to do it all the time. Rock climbing, for example. Interesting experience, but too hard to truly be enjoyable for me.”

“What ones do you like doing over and over then?” I asked.

“A lot of the water sports, I guess. Love to surf, in all the ways you can surf.”

“All the ways?” I asked. I was originally from a landlocked state, so I wasn’t all that familiar with water sports.

“Regular, of course. But also kite surfing, windsurfing. And then there’s wakeboarding and waterskiing. Jet skis… what?” he asked, making me realize my face was scrunched up.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I said, shaking it off.

“No, what is it?” he asked. “I’m not gonna be mad,” he added, like he knew that was what I was worried about. How, I had no idea. But he was right.

“I was just thinking that… your family lives in Navesink Bank…”

“Yeah…”

“And that… you’re super close to the beach here.”

“Huh,” he said, nodding, looking lost in thought again.

“I wasn’t trying to be offensive, or anything. I just…”

“AJ, it’s alright,” he cut me off. “Giving me something to think about isn’t a bad thing. You’re right. The beach is right here. And I could be enjoying all those activities I like the most close to home. Even if there are definitely nicer beaches in the world, you’re right.”

“I love the beach,” I admitted. “I’d never been to one before,” I added. “It was kind of… overwhelming the first time I walked on one. It’s just so… big. And peaceful, if you go when it’s not busy. Or to one of the beaches without lifeguards. After living here, I don’t think I could live somewhere without the water again.”

“I get that. I’ve been just about everywhere, but I definitely migrate toward places with beaches the most. Even just to sit on ‘em, watch the sun come up or set.”

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