Page 84 of Britta & the Beach Boy
“A rookie or a newbie,” Dex answers.
“She had a good teacher,” Archie says.
“Sure. But did you see Britta out there?” Dex—always the competitor—shoots back.
Archie scoffs. “If she comes out every day, she’ll be ready for a bigger wave once we’re back.”
I pop my head out of the hoodie, not sure I’ve heard Archie right. “Back from where? Are you going somewhere?”
Archie glances at Dex, who drops his head, letting Archie take the question. “The Azores.”
“Where’s that?” I assume somewhere close—like Lower Trestles or Huntington—until Dex shoots Archie a glare before turning to me.
“Middle of the Atlantic—a thousand miles off the coast of Portugal,” he says in a tone heavy with apology.
“Oh.” I’m surprised he hasn’t mentioned it, and maybe a little hurt. Which quickly changes to annoyance with me for feeling anything at all and with Dex for acting like he needs to apologize for not telling me. What we have is a business arrangement, not a relationship.
“When do you leave?” I ask in as neutral a tone as I can manage.
“Tomorrow night,” Archie answers.
“That soon?” Dex asks, digging his toes into the sand.
“Look at your calendar, mate. Everything’s right there.” Archie isn’t just reminding Dex of his schedule. It sounds like he’sreminding Dex what he should be focused on… and that’s not me.
“I’m leaving tomorrow, too. I told you both that.” Stella says to Archie and Dex, the protectiveness in her voice making things even worse. She’s probably thinking Dex shouldn’t be leaving me alone.
But I’m a big girl. Just because this will be my first time alone in LA, doesn’t mean I can’t handle it.
“Sounds fun,” I say too cheerfully. “Good waves there, I’m guessing.”
Stella tosses her towel on her board, then peels her arms out of her wetsuit. “I’d stay if I could, Britt. But Georgia needs me back in Paradise. They start filming Monday.”
She looks at me, but her voice is barbed with blame directed at Dex and Archie, and they know it.
“We don’t have to go,” Dex says to Archie.
“Whatever you want, mate,” Archie holds up his hands. “But you gotta get in more than these little waves here before Pipe.”
“Nobody has to stay for me.” I don’t tiptoe around what everyone knows we’re talking about. I push myself up and brush the sand from my butt. “I’ve got plenty to do withAnnie’s,but it’s stuff I can do alone.”
That’s a lie and they all know it. I’ve got remodeling plans to make, materials to find, supplies to order, account books to look over. I could use help just running errands. But I don’t appreciate being handled like a crystal vase packaged in bubble wrap and labeled FRAGILE. I’ll be fine by myself. In fact, it will be nice to finally have some time alone. I haven’t had that in years.
“You could come with us,” Dex says to me with a nervous anticipation.
My brain lights up with a rush of dopamine, tempting me to say yes, but Archie answers before I have a chance.
“No, she can’t. You need to stay focused. Your training is already off this week.” His voice rises. Not with anger. More with frustration. “You married Britta to get to the Olympics. Remember that.”
“I haven’t forgotten I have a wife,” Dex says in a low, gravelly voice I’ve never heard. “That’s why I want her to come with us. I don’t want to leave her here alone.”
Heat simmers between Archie and Dex, then prickles my skin as it travels to my chest and settles there, heavy and claustrophobic. It’s the same feeling I had when my family told me what they’d decided aboutBritta’s. Once again, I’m being left out of decisions that are about me. Dex and Stella don’t think I can be alone, and Archie doesn’t want me around.
So I do the one thing I can do: pretend I’m fine until I am.
With my back to all of them, I rummage through my bag and take out my wallet. “Are you surfing, Dex? I’m going to grab a snack to tide me over until we leave. I’m starved.”
Without waiting for his answer, I walk toward the weathered snack stand, hoping it’s actually open. I can’t tell with my eyes watering, which fills me with a frustration that only makes them water more.
