Page 30 of This Is Who I Am

“Yeah.” I glance past her, watching a group of young surfers wander along the boardwalk, carefree and relaxed. “I thought coming here might help me reset, but I’m definitely not there yet.”

“These things take time,” Devon says. “It’s probably good that you came back.”

I wrap my hands around my water glass. “I’m doing all the right things according to the internet. Taking time off, learning a new skill like surfing, getting plenty of fresh air.” I force a smirk.

“Going on a date.” Devon grins at me.

“Mom. Mom!” A kid runs up to our table. “Mom, come on, you promised.” He hovers over Devon, dripping water onto her.

“Estelle, meet my son, Finn. Finn, Estelle.”

“Hi.” The boy looks me straight in the eye. “Nice to meet you, Estelle,” he says. Finn’s adorable and obviously raised to be polite.

“And you, Finn.”

“He wanted to join Sadie’s lesson. He figured he could teach the ladies a thing or two,” Devon says. “It’s my job to keep him away.” Devon gets up. “We’re doing a sunset surf.”

“I’ll get your board,” Finn says and runs off.

“He’s such a little surfer dude,” Devon’s voice is soaked with motherly love. She sends me a smile. “Hey, um, if you want to talk more, I’m an excellent listener. You know where to find me.” She raises her hand. “Have a great date. Cass is lovely.”

“Thanks,” I mumble as she walks off with the confident gait of a woman who’s about to do what she loves most in the world.

* * *

I’m engrossed in watching Sadie and her surfers take to the water when Cass arrives, a fashionable ten minutes after seven.

“No regrets about not being able to join them, I hope,” she says. She most certainly looks good enough to kiss again. Her eyes are bluer in this light and her hair is delightfully windswept from the walk over.

I rise so I can kiss her on the cheek. She smells like freshly picked flowers.

“None.” I glance at her. “You?”

“No, but on second thought, The Bay might not be the best place for our firstproperdate.”

“Do you want to go somewhere else?” I ask, but she’s already sitting down.

“It’s okay. For now.” She points at my notebook. “Did you manage to make the numbers work?”

I chuckle low in my throat. Cass’s company simultaneously relaxes and excites me. It’s a strange feeling. “Always.”

The server comes by and we order a bottle of white wine. “That good sauvignon, please,” Cass adds.

“I was early and got talking to Devon, actually.” I nod at the water. “She’s out there surfing with her son.”

“Finn’s a good kid. At least when they get the surfing bug, they can’t get up to any other mischief.” Her face softens. “His dad, Hunter, is my other bestie. He was here last week before I, um, had my little incident.”

I remember a guy offering me the chair next to Cass, which, come to think of it, might be the reason we’re sitting here again tonight. Maybe if I hadn’t sat next to her after surf club, we wouldn’t have got to talking and I wouldn’t have worried about her hot flash. I probably wouldn’t have walked her home. I would most definitely have gone back to Savor, though.

“How are the incidents?”

“I had one just before I came here so fingers crossed that’s it for tonight.”

The bottle of wine is brought to the table. Cass pours us each a glass.

“To our first proper date.” She lifts her glass.

“I was a little worried you might not show,” I admit.

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