Page 24 of Kayak Girl

Thirty minutes later, I was standing by the campfire having a cup of coffee with Rick, the warm glow flickering against the dusky sky, when Elle appeared. She walked toward us.

“There’s our star volleyball player,” Rick said good-naturedly. His words were meant to lighten the mood, but my heart was anything but light.

I set my cup aside, a part of me longing to hug her. Yet, as she neared, a tangle of nerves and desire held me back. The thought of wrapping my arms around her was tempting, but Rick’s presence made me second-guess the impulse.

As she stopped in front of us, our eyes locked. The chatter around us fading into a distant hum, as the space between us crackled with tension. Not trusting my voice, I mouthed, “I’m so sorry.”

Her smile, gentle and forgiving, sparked a flicker of peace. “It’s okay, really. I’m feeling much better now,” she assured, her voice a soothing melody. I leaned toward her, the space between us shrinking as if pulled by some invisible force. Even being an inch closer made my heart beat a little faster, a little louder. Could she feel it too? I found myself wishing I could delve into her thoughts, to understand what lay behind those emerald eyes.

Before I could dwell on it further, Jenny rushed up to Elle and grasped her hand. “Elle, you scared us. It’s so good to see you up and looking normal,” she cooed.

As I watched Elle follow Jenny into the kitchen, I realized I’d better chat to Weston. He’d been giving me funny looks since volleyball, so chances were he already knew, but she certainly meant more to me than an acquaintance. I still couldn’t date her, but I might as well stop fooling myself and admit my feelings. To Weston. I wouldn’t breathe a word to Elle. I knew nothing could come of my feelings, but I could stop torturing myself by trying to avoid her.

I found Weston packing up the volleyball equipment and helped him carry and load it into the face brick storeroom near the kitchen.

“Dude, wanna tell me what that was about earlier?” Weston asked, cutting to the chase in true Weston fashion. Anxiety knotted in my stomach as I looked into his eyes. He obviously thought I was insane.

“I’m not crazy, Wes. It’s just... I have feelings for Elle that I can’t control. And it scares me.”

Weston’s face clouded with concern. “You’ve known her for one week,” he said and then fired off a series of questions about her. I could only answer half of them.

“In the end, we’ll just have to agree to disagree,” I said, with a sigh. “I can’t explain it, but I know I need to be in her life, even if it’s only as a friend.”

The corners of Weston’s mouth turned down as he considered my words. He looked at me, his eyes searching for something, anything, that might help him understand. “Gray, I get that you’re drawn to her, but you know you need someone who wants to settle down, someone local. Elle isn’t either of those things.”

I nodded, swallowing hard. “I know, I know. But I can’t help how I feel about her.”

I could see the worry etched across Weston’s face. “You’re setting yourself up for heartache, dude.”

I clenched my fists. “I’d rather spend the next two weeks with Elle and risk a broken heart than avoid her altogether. Wes, believe me, I tried to stay away from her these last three days, and it just about killed me. I need to be near her.”

Weston sighed and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Alright, Gray. If that’s what you want, I’ll support you. But please, just be careful with your heart. I’m not sure your mental health can take another hit like that. Remember how long it took to pull yourself out of the abyss after Kayley? It was months of darkness, and I hated seeing you like that.”

I nodded. Equally unwilling to relive that. But Elle was different. I knew Weston didn’t fully understand, but his support meant everything. I could only hope that in time, I could settle with the storm of emotions that Elle had stirred.

By dinner time everything was back to normal. Elle was her bubbly self again, and we all chatted around the fire to close off the day. I even brought the guitar out and strummed a few songs.

“Elle, are you still paddling towards Baynard Cove tomorrow?” Jenny asked, when there was a lull in the conversation.

“Of course. I don’t want to chance the wind in the afternoon, so I’m going at dawn. Why? Wanna come?”

I didn’t even give Jenny a chance to reply. “I’ll go with you,” I said, loud enough for everyone to hear. Weston didn’t hide his scowl at my eager response, but I wasn’t about to spend my Saturday morning worrying about Elle out there on her own.

Chapter 17

ELLE

The leftover grogginess from the painkillers made climbing out of bed at dawn a challenge, but the cove was calling to me. Plus, Gray was coming. I shouldn’t be so excited, but I was giddy with expectation. Remember, Gray can only ever be a friend.

I’d packed everything the previous night, so after applying ample sunscreen, I stepped outside and amped myself up for the long walk to the shore. My nose was still tender, but the pain had subsided enough to assure me it wasn’t broken.

Before handing over my van to Andy, I’d unpacked all the essentials. Thankfully, I’d had the foresight to include my kayak trolley in that list of essentials. It helped share the weight of the kayak, making it easier to get it to different parts of the beach.

I arrived at the shore just as the sky began to truly lighten. Gray was already there, waiting for me. My heart skipped a beat as I took in his appearance. Goodness, he looked incredible in his fitted athletic gear. He wore a charcoal black moisture-wicking shirt that hugged his torso, and black shorts that showed off his well-defined legs. Friend. He is just a friend.

Once he spotted me, he jogged over, a bright smile lighting up his face. “Here, let me finish pulling that for you,” he offered, his voice deep and resonant.

Grateful for his help, I handed over my burden, and together we approached the lifeguard tower. Gray made quick work of unstrapping my kayak, placing it in the sand next to his. He then motioned for me to follow him up the stairs, taking my trolley with us.

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