Page 15 of Reckless Hearts

I shake my head. The last thing I need is Nate and Sage knowing about this, and since he’s staying in the cottage behind the shop, they would know immediately.

“I’ll just meet you,” I reply, breathless, and wondering how I could possibly have this much self-control. “Pe’ahi?” It’s a suggestion that makes Flynn’s eyes widen.

“So we are training for Maui Pipe then, huh?”

“Or maybe I just like to live recklessly.” I push up on my toes, kissing him quickly, before I give him a playful shove out the door. “My roommate, remember?”

“Yes, your roommate,” Flynn echoes, nodding as he turns to leave. Looking back over his shoulder, he smiles. “Tomorrow, Alana.”

Flynn is the first thing I’m thinking about when I wake up in the morning, eager for the afternoon to come so we can meet up. I have no idea what this guy has done to me, but he has my head a fucked up mess. The good news is, I’ve stopped worrying about Maui Pipe, my brain is only consumed with thoughts of Flynn and how he makes me feel.

I find Nate around back of The Pipe Dream working on a surfboard repair. His music is playing loudly, a mask over his face as he runs the sander over the fiberglass bond.

Sneaking up behind him, I grab his side, making him drop the sander and yell out loud.

“What the fuck, Alana?” he shouts, switching off the sander, his grumpy face shooting daggers at me. “You know I hate it when you do that.”

“And that’s why I do it,” I tease, pushing up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Where’s Sage? Class?”

“Nah, she’s inside. I think she’s helping Owen with some stock,” he says, starting up his sander again, but he first runs a hand over the spot he’s been repairing.

“It looks good,” I call over the sound of the sander. “It’s missing your design though.” I wink at him, and he smiles back. I love that he’s still the grumpy jerk I forced to become my friend all those years ago, but that underneath it all, he’s a softie too.

I head inside; the shop is still closed for another hour, but we need to get our lessons organized. The guys will be in soon to get their assignments, and the shop will get busy with surfers who have started filing in for Maui Pipe.

“Hey!” I call to Owen and Sage, and they both toss a hand up in a greeting, buried deep in boxes of boardshorts and The Pipe Dream T-shirts. We’ve been spending the last few days trying to get everything ready for Maui Pipe and the people who will be popping into the shop. It’s one of our busiest times of the year.

I’m hoping it also helps Nate and Tanner book some more custom boards. It’s another reason why I struggle with dropping out of competing in Maui Pipe. Nate designed a board for me with Mitch’s help, and I know it being used for the competition will give him and Olsen Custom Boards tons of exposure.

“Hey, Alana,” Sage calls back, but she doesn’t stop what she’s doing, just having a conversation across the store. “Wanna grab dinner tonight?” she now asks. “Sloane and Daisy too?”

As soon as she mentions Sloane’s name, I see Owen smile. You only have to say her name in his presence, and his whole face lights up. I really wish Sloane would just give him a chance.

“I’m heading to Pe’ahi after my shift, but I should be free for dinner,” I tell her, and that’s when Owen chimes in.

“Jaws, huh?” he says. “You back, Alana?” He knows what heading to Pe’ahi means. The waves are some of the biggest in Maui, and the only people who go there are the ones who are serious surfers. People who are training for something big.

“I don’t know, but I might be,” I start as the front door opens, Kai, Miles and Tanner walking in, arguing about something.

“It wasn’t me,” Miles says, and Kai lets out a laugh. “What the hell are you laughing at?” He punches his brother in the shoulder.

“We know it’s not you. You’re still out there pining after Daisy. Give it up, dude, and get laid.” Kai’s words are loud, and now Owen laughs too.

“What are you even arguing about?” I ask, hands on my hips as I stand behind the counter, printing out the lesson schedule for the day.

“Someone used the Luna Mae…” Tanner keeps talking, but I hardly hear him, realizing he’s talking about me and trying to blame it on Miles or Kai. “One of these assholes is using mine and their mother’s boat for dirty sex.”

“How many times do I have to say that it wasn’t me before you believe me?” Miles quips, Kai pointing a finger at him.

“It’s you because you’re the only one not getting laid and you’re out there trying to sneak around and shit,” Kai says. “Did you bring Daisy to Dad’s boat for a secret hook up and then leave a condom wrapper on the table?”

“It tracks,” Owen adds in, and I stay quiet, waiting for them to stop talking about this.

“If anyone’s bringing random girls to Dad’s boat, it’s you, Kai,” Miles hits back, clearly getting annoyed by the conversation. “You’re the one who hooks up with tourists, being all stereotypical surfer to draw them in.”

“I have my own place. I don’t need to use Dad’s boat, dude,” Kai says, walking over to the counter. He begins to look over the printout of his scheduled lessons. “Maybe it’s Alana or Nate,” Kai now adds, and my mouth falls open. Sage pops up from the floor with an equally shocked expression on her face.

“Oh my god, don’t you dare include me in this. Nate and I have our own house where we do those kinds of things,” Sage says, her cheeks flushing bright pink with embarrassment.

---