Page 68 of Broken Hearts

“Angie,” her mom says, smiling as she shakes my hand.

“Sorry for your loss,” I add, giving her a quick nod.

“You too,” she says quietly, just as people start to arrive on the beach.

Tanner is quick to walk over to us, pulling me into a tight embrace as he slaps me on the back. I know today isn’t just hard for Sage or me or Alana, but for so many people, Tanner included. He and Mitch were friends for decades and I don’t think I ever saw a day when they didn’t hang out or at the very least speak to each other.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice gruff as he pulls back.

I shrug, even as I answer, “Yeah.”

Tanner nods at me before turning to Sage and her mom, surprising us both when he goes straight to Angie and embraces her. I don’t hear what he says to her as Sage and I exchange a surprised glance before Tanner now engulfs her in a hug.

“Dude,” Kai says, slinging an arm around my shoulders.

“Hey,” I reply, tipping my head at his brother Miles, standing beside him.

Alana, Daisy and Sloane are the next to arrive, followed quickly by Owen, Malo and Matt, Eddie and a whole bunch of other people. I don’t miss the way Owen sidles up to stand beside Sloane or the pained look Miles gives Daisy that I’m sure he thinks no one else notices.

Before long, it feels like the whole island is here, which given how many people knew and loved Mitch, isn’t surprising. Even the kids we gave lessons to are here, along with their parents.

“We should start,” Tanner says, squeezing my shoulder.

I blow out a breath, suddenly unsure if I’m going to be able to do this. As much as I told Sage this memorial was a time for remembering Mitch and celebrating his life, now that it’s here, it all feels so different.

So much harder.

I turn to Sage, holding my hand out to her before I lead us down to the first row, her mom joining us and taking a seat next to Sage. I have no idea what she thinks about me and Sage, what anyone here thinks, but in this moment, I don’t really care.

We sit, each of us putting on the lei that’s hanging on our chair as Tanner now moves to the front, standing before everyone, an easy smile on his face as he takes in the crowd. All of the chairs are filled, and there are people standing at the back, everyone here to remember Mitch Harris.

“Thank you all for coming,” Tanner starts. “I think it comes as no surprise that this many people have shown up to honor and celebrate Mitch’s life.”

There are a few chuckles behind us, and Tanner smiles as his gaze moves to Sage, sitting beside me, her mom on her other side.

“I want to particularly acknowledge Mitch’s daughter, Sage, and also Angie, for making the journey to our island. I know Mitch would have loved seeing you here on his beach.”

Beside me, Sage lets out a small sob, her head falling slightly. I let go of her hand, sliding my arm around her shoulder as I pull her into my side, knowing that after everything that’s happened, this is a million times harder for her.

Tanner continues speaking, recalling moments and memories from Mitch’s life. The years they spent growing up together, including the trouble they got into during their younger years. Their dreams of making and selling surfboards to people on the island and how that dream became a reality. All the people whom Mitch helped, whose lives he touched, and the island he loved.

Tanner turns to me and Alana now, an easy smile on his face as he says, “Alana, I know Mitch was so proud of you, of everything you’ve achieved. He would’ve wanted you to continue, you know. To take that shot that he knows you’ve been dreaming of since you were a kid.”

Beside me, Alana nods, even as tears stream down her face. We both know Tanner is talking about Maui Pipe and how Mitch would hate to see her withdraw just because he isn’t around anymore. Deep down, I don’t think Alana wants to either, even though she hasn’t trained since Mitch died.

“And you, Nate,” Tanner continues. “He was damn proud of you too, kid. For everything you’ve overcome, everything you’ve achieved, and most importantly, for the man you’ve become today,” he says, and I swear, this is so much harder than I thought it would be. But it’s Tanner’s next words that undo me when he says, “You were like a son to him. Don’t ever forget that.”

Beside me, Sage lets out a muffled sob and it’s all I can do to turn and bury my face in her neck as the tears I’ve been so desperate to hide now start to fall. I feel Alana, sitting on my other side, take my hand in hers, squeezing it tight.

“Sage,” Tanner now says, and when I finally lift my face, he’s smiling at her. “Man, did he love you,” he continues, chuckling a little. “I don’t think there was ever a day that he didn’t think about you, and I know he didn’t get to see you as much as he might have wished, but don’t ever think he didn’t love you. Because he did. More than the shop, more than surfing, more than this island,” he adds, glancing across the crowd of people before turning back to Sage. “He would’ve loved seeing you here with his other family,” he adds, his words a whisper as he now walks over to give her something.

When I turn to Sage, I can see she’s openly crying, the tears streaming down her cheeks as she stares at what Tanner has given her, the bracelet Mitch wore that bears her name. The one I never saw him take off.

I’m glad Tanner found it and that he’s giving it to Sage, whose hand is shaking so badly, her mom has to help her put it on. Sage’s fingers trace over her name, brushing over the engraved sage leaves, and I lean in and press a kiss to her temple.

Tanner smiles before moving back to the front of the crowd to now tell surfing stories about Mitch. Of the junior comps he won, or the crazy adventures they would go on, surfing every break around the island. He doesn’t avoid telling the story of Mitch’s final surf, making a point of telling everyone that Mitch died doing something he loved and he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

He gets chuckles and quiet murmurs as he regales us all with the things Mitch said and did and by the time he’s finished, everyone is laughing, some also crying at the same time. When he then invites people to join him in the paddle out, I stand, along with Alana, Daisy, Sloane, Owen, Matt, Malo, Miles, Kai and a bunch of other people.

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