Page 77 of Resorting to Romance

“Like what?”

“Well, like tonight. When everyone started peppering us with questions, I had no idea what to say. What if I had been in another room and someone had asked you the story of how you asked me out? I wouldn’t have known how to corroborate.”

“Good point,” I agree. “Maybe we need to set aside an afternoon so we can get to know things a boyfriend and girlfriend would know about one another.”

“It’s probably wise.”

“Okay. It’s a date.”

The second the words are out of my mouth, a hush falls over the two of us.

A date.

I’d do just about anything for a date with Mila. For now, I’ll have to settle for a date for the sake of perpetuating this illusion we’re presenting to the world around us.

The next morning the guys are in rare form. Word somehow got back to them about my dinner with Mila’s family. And they just watched me stash Noah’s board in the employee locker. It’s a coveted space: clean, locked, and reserved for employee boards only. Even Jamison only got a spot there last month. And here Noah’s board sits among the rest like it belongs there.

“Who’s the board for, Kai?” Ben starts in.

“I’ve got a Benjamin that says it’s Noah’s board,” Bodhi says.

“No betting at work,” I say, even though we aren’t really officially working right now.

“IamBenjamin and I say it’s Noah’s board,” Ben adds, cracking up at his own joke.

“Good one, bro.” Jamison fist bumps Ben. “So,” he asks me. “Is it Noah’s?”

“It’s Noah’s. I don’t want him to have to haul it down here. He’s being raised by a single mom. He doesn’t have a dad to help him learn to surf the way we all did.”

“My dad didn’t teach me to surf,” Ben declares. “He taught me to slop hogs, though. And waterski at the reservoir.”

Ben grew up in the midwest. Surfing’s not exactly a part of that culture.

“My point is,” I say, trying to get this crowd of clowns to focus. “Noah doesn’t have a dad to tote his board to the beach for him. It’s just easier for him to keep a board here.”

“And he needed his own brand new Channel Islands CI Mid?” Bodhi asks. His brows raise and he stares at me.

I don’t answer. Of course Noah could have kept using loaner boards. He didn’tneedthis board. I wanted to get it for him. Ismile remembering the way Noah threw his arms around me, the look on his face.

“Don’t you guys have something you’re supposed to be doing?”

“We’re doing it,” Ben jokes.

“Yeah. Just this,” Jamison adds, walking dangerously close to a line he’s not qualified to cross quite yet, considering he’s low man on the watersports totem pole.

Bodhi grins at me. “You’re too easy of a target. It’s way too fun to rile you up.”

“I’m not riled. I got Noah a board. No biggie.”

“The board costs over one K.” Bodhi lets out a low whistle. “That’s quite a board.”

“What did you want me to get him? A used foam learner board?”

“Nah, man. You did good. Does Mila know how much you forked out?”

I shake my head. “I told her I could afford it.”

“I was raised by my mom for a few years. After my dad left,” Jamison pipes in. “She’s remarried now, but I was the son of a single mom.”

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