Page 89 of Reckless Hearts

I turn to go, but she’s by my side, grabbing my arm. “Flynn, wait, don’t go, you can’t go.”

Stopping, I turn to look at her, waiting for her to let go of me. When she does, I say, “Goodbye, Jade, best of luck with everything.”

“No, no, no,” she cries, shaking her head. “You can’t just leave me. What about notice? What about your contract?”

I huff out a laugh, knowing Jade has no fucking clue about the contract she signed with me. “There’s a clause in the contract, Jade,” I start. “If either of us does anything to harm the other’s reputation, it’s a get-out-of-jail-free card, effective immediately.” Her mouth snaps shut at that, and I continue. “I’d say filing a baseless complaint against me that questioned my integrity fits the bill, wouldn’t you?”

My question is rhetorical, and thankfully she doesn’t say anything as I turn and make my way to the still-open door. Just as I reach it, she says, “Flynn?”

“What?” I say, glancing over my shoulder.

Her face hardens, her body going rigid as she stares at me. “This isn’t over. You wait till I speak to?—”

“I’ve already told your dad,” I tell her, having called him on the way over here to give him an update and explain what was going on. “He supports my decision,” I add, before I turn and walk out the door, breathing a huge sigh of relief at everything.

On the elevator ride down, I text Alana.

Me: Meet me at the beach, the one where we first met

Alana: Ok...now?

Me: Yep, I’ll be there in 10.

Alana is standing on the sand when I get there, her back to me, as she stares out at the surfers. I recognize Owen and Miles out on the waves, but my focus is on the woman in front of me. The woman who means the world to me.

“Hey, beautiful,” I say, wrapping my arms around her from behind as I press a kiss to her neck.

She turns, smiling up at me. “Okay, you going to tell me what this is all about now?” she asks, looping her arms around my neck.

Grinning, I lean in and give her a long, deep kiss. “Uh huh,” I murmur when I pull back.

“Well?” she prompts.

Chuckling, I lift my head, my gaze meeting hers as I say, “I am no longer Jade’s coach.”

“She fired you?” Alana half-shouts.

“No,” I reply, shaking my head with a laugh. “I quit.”

She blinks up at me, a look of disbelief on her face. “You quit?” she repeats, and I nod. “But how? Why? Can you even do that?”

Grinning, I lean down and kiss her again. “I told her I quit because I don’t want to coach her anymore, and yeah, I can,” I say, answering each of her questions.

“Why don’t you want to coach her anymore?” she whispers. “This is because of me, isn’t it?”

“It is, yeah, but not for the reason you think.”

“Why then?”

I kiss her again, unable to get enough. Pulling her closer, I whisper, “I quit because I love you, Alana, and I don’t want to coach her, I want to surf with you.”

I swearmy heart stops beating. For a split second, there’s nothing, just shock at his words, and then my heart catches back up, slamming wildly around in my chest.

I think this is the first time in my life that someone has chosen me, done something completely selfless and put me first. And I don’t even know how to respond.

I don’t think Flynn understands the full weight of what he’s just done as he stands there smiling, beaming, actually. His blue eyes wide and welcoming, the waves lapping at the shore, the smell of the ocean wrapping us in its beauty.

This moment is pure perfection, and I couldn’t have planned it better. But beyond that, this moment is something I’ve been waiting for all my life.

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