Page 122 of Ride the Wave

‘Mum, I really have to—’

‘One photo, Leo,’ she cuts in. It’s a direct order, not a request. ‘I think that’s the least you can do for me. Surely you can fit that into your hectic work schedule.’

Oh hell no.

That’s it. That dollop of sarcasm is the last fucking straw. He doesn’t need this, not now, not ever. I’m done letting her treat him like this.

I see red.

32

‘You have no idea, do you,’ I snap, glaring at Michelle as I shift my body to face her full-on. ‘You have absolutely no idea how amazing your son is. Well, I do, and I’m not going to stand any longer for the lack of respect you’ve shown him all evening.’

She stares at me. She doesn’t flinch, she doesn’t recoil, she responds to my sharp accusation with that iconic hardened stare. My back now turned to him, I can hear Leo breathe in sharply behind me. But I don’t care. My blood is boiling, my heart pounding, my face flushed with fury and protective rage.

I’m no longer a busy meerkat. I’m a fuck-off massive, claws-out, roaring bear.

Her glacial eyes bore into me.

I glower back at her.

Bring it on, bitch.

‘Would you please give us a moment?’ she says, turning her head ever so slightly to address her camera crew quivering with excitement behind her, her eyes still locked with mine. ‘Now.’

Lowering their equipment, they traipse back to the ballroom, hunched with disappointment at missing out on the impromptu, legitimate, juicy bust up with their protagonist at its centre. Real-life documentary? What a load of bullshit.

As soon as the door closes behind them and the lobby returns to silence, she speaks.

‘Excuse me?’

‘All evening, I’ve listened to your snide remarks and petty put-downs, and I understand why Leo feels like he has to stand there and brace himself for impact while you go at him with all the tactfulness of a sledgehammer, but I’m not going to leave him defenceless.’ I pause to take a breath. ‘Michelle, do you have any idea how brilliant he is?’

She narrows her eyes at me. ‘I know my son.’

‘I don’t think you do,’ I counter. ‘You seem to be happy to dismiss him, but I have spent a lot of time with this man recently and I can tell you now that anyone who has the privilege to know him would never have the audacity to brush him away. Look,’ I hold up my hands to initiate a treaty talk, ‘I don’t want to cause a fuss, I know you’re busy and you have an event to host, but I just wanted to make sure you know what you’re doing. I won’t speak for Leo, but I was under the impression that your extension of the invitation tonight was for you two to begin rebuilding your fractured relationship – but if you treat him like this, I’m not sure you’re on the right lines.’

Her lips curl into a venomous smile. ‘Am I to believe that I’m supposed to take advice from the journalist who’s clearly screwing my son when she was meant to be working with him?’

The arrow flies at my chest.

It splinters before it hits.

‘Hey,’ Leo snaps, stepping forwards to stand alongside me, but I press a hand gently against his arm.

‘It’s okay, Leo,’ I assure him, smiling back at her. ‘It doesn’t bother me for her to know that we’re together. In fact, I’m relieved. I’d like to shout it from the rooftops that I am the lucky person who gets to be with her son. The bravest, kindest, most incredible man I’ve ever met.’ I look up at him to find his eyes gleaming. ‘I don’t know what’s really happened between you two, but whatever it is, it’s led to the man you are today, Leo. And that man is exceptional.’

He exhales, his fingers brushing against mine.

‘And boy can he surf,’ I add, almost laughing in wonderment. I turn to grin at Michelle, her animosity no match for my radiating enthusiasm. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it. You should see him out there. He is dominating this competition, he’s surfing like he never left, and his opponents are bricking it, because they can see what’s changed. Everyone’s always known that he’s got more talent than anyone else – that Peter guy just proved that – and it doesn’t take a genius to work out that he has drive, but more than either of those things is that Leo gets more joy from this sport than any of his competitors. And that’s dangerous.’

Michelle’s lips are pressed together so hard, they’re disappearing.

‘You know I know sport,’ I say, giving her a conspiratorial smile, as though I’m on TV being interviewed by a fellow commentator, ‘and I know what it takes to win. You can literally see it when he’s out there. The other surfers are concentrating so hard, and they’re good, really good. But Leo surfs with the spirit of the water.’ I glance up at him. ‘I don’t care if that’s a wanker thing to say; it’s true.’

He chuckles, beaming down at me.

‘That’s all very touching,’ Michelle remarks drily, unimpressed. ‘But you seem to be forgetting, Miss Gray, that I’m fully aware of his talents and potential. I wouldn’t have sent you to profile him if I didn’t think he had the ability to come across to audiences as an appealing option to cheer for. But I also know his weaknesses. I know what happens when he gives into indulgences and the consequences that follow. At the heart of it, people don’t change. We are who we are, and I know him.’

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