Page 11 of Ride the Wave

‘He’s here?’ I ask hopefully, glancing back through the window at the empty chairs and tables inside.

‘Not exactly.’ Looking past me, she smiles gently over my shoulder. ‘He’s out there.’

Following her eyeline, I turn around to look out to sea and spot a man in the distance, straddling a surfboard, bobbing on the water.

‘Oh. He’s surfing,’ I say stupidly, lowering my phone.

‘His natural state. He’s usually the first out there.’

‘I didn’t see him,’ I admit, as I notice a smattering of other surfers striding across the beach to join him in the waves. ‘You’d think I would check the sea for surfers since I came here to interview one, but I didn’t even think to look.’

She raises her eyebrows in surprise. ‘You’re interviewing Leo?’

‘Yes, I’m a journalist working forStudiomagazine,’ I say, putting my hands on my hips as I look back out at the sea. ‘I’m writing a piece on him.’

‘He didn’t mention it.’

‘You know him well?’ I ask curiously, turning my attention back to her.

‘We’re friends.’ She nods, her brow furrowing as she keeps her eyes fixed on me, as though she’s trying to solve a puzzle. ‘I’m surprised he agreed to an interview. No offence, but I didn’t think he was fond of the press.’

‘Yeah, well, having read what people have written about him in the past, I’m not surprised that he might be… cautious. But this article isn’t showbiz gossip. It’s a profile piece; I’m writing about his big comeback.’

‘Bells Beach.’

‘Exactly.’ Glancing back over my shoulder at him paddling further out, I heave a sigh and shrug. ‘I guess I’ll… wait for him to come back in.’

‘It’s a good day for surfing. He might be out there a while.’ She grimaces. ‘He should have mentioned it to me if he was planning on talking to you here. I would have opened up early for you if so.’

‘Maybe he forgot.’

As I stare out at him, he looks in this direction. Then, he calmly turns to look the other way. Considering the empty beach and my non-beach-friendly outfit, I can’t imagine I’m difficult to spot. He saw me, I know it.

‘Or he didn’t forget at all, he just decided not to talk to me without letting me know,’ I mutter, feeling like an idiot. ‘Great.’

‘Leo never does give a great first impression,’ she says, giving me a sympathetic smile. ‘He grows on you.’

‘I hope so.’ I reach for my sunglasses in my bag. ‘Thank you for all your help.’

‘You want me to give him a message?’ she offers.

‘No, that’s okay. I’ll give it to him myself. I’ll wait until he’s done.’

‘Like I said, could be a while.’

‘I flew here from London solely to interview him and follow his training for the next couple of weeks, so I genuinely have nothing better to do. It’s fine; I’ll go get a coffee somewhere nearby and come back to check in a bit.’

She sighs, waggling her finger at me. ‘No, no, I’m not letting you risk missing him after all this. Come in, I’ll get you a coffee.’

‘But you’re not open yet; I’d hate for you to go to any trouble.’

‘It’s no trouble, come in. I’m Marina.’

I point up at the sign above the door. ‘You own this place?’

‘No, that’s another Marina.’

‘Really?’

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