Page 77 of The Bro Pact
We’re beyond excited to see the ocean for the first time.
Ren parks Carmen in the closest public lot, and I hop out of the RV while he changes into his beachwear.
The sun blazes down on me, and the smell of saltwater is as refreshing as the constant cool breeze. Seagulls fly above, calling to each other as they hunt for crabs and small fish.
It’s soothing here.Magical even.And I haven’t even stepped foot in the sand or seen the ocean.
Warren finally comes out, locking the door before he jogs down the steps in a pair of tiny swim trunks and a white T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. The armpit holes are so big I can see his nipples, including the one with the piercing. His baseball cap is on backwards, and he’s wearing a pair of Nike slides.
I can’t deny that he looks good, despite the fact that I’m really not into guys.
Just Ren.
“Ready?” he asks, and I nod.
We’re both calm despite the excitement of seeing the ocean for the very first time.
We jog across the parking lot until we reach the small wooden boardwalk running along the dunes.
Hand in hand, we start our walk, avoiding looking to our right and catching a glimpse of the water through the sparse beach grass.
After ten minutes, Ren’s phone finally alerts us that we have arrived at our destination.
We turn to stare up at the steps leading to a platform with two outdoor showerheads before more steps lead down to the beach.
This is it.
We’re finally here.
As we crest the dunes, I finally see it.
The Pacific Ocean.
Glistening blue-green water stretches on for what seems like an eternity, and foam-capped waves crash against the shore.
It’s majestic.
Truly beautiful.
We both freeze at the top of the steps, our eyes scanning the horizon.
A couple of surfers shred the waves, and several groups of people are scattered around the beach, but other than that, it’s pretty empty.
Snapping out of our reverie, we finally descend the old wooden steps, hand in hand.
Something deep within me settles as I dig my toes into the sand and stare out at the wide expanse of ocean for the very first time.
Warren lets go of my hand, slipping his slides off and holding them as he ambles through the soft sand toward the water’s edge.
He drops his slides before he gets to the wet part of the sand, wading ankle-deep and allowing the waves to crash against his shins.
I sneak up on Ren, uncaring of who’s around us or who might see, and wrap my arms around his torso, curling my body around his.
“What do you think?” I whisper into his ear, giving it a little nip before resting my chin on his shoulder.
“It’s mesmerizing,” he says, speaking over the roaring waves. “Seemingly endless and full of wonder, yet what appears chaotic and unorganized is actually predictable, based on the moon.” He turns to look me in the eye instead of staring into the picturesque ocean and watching for rogue waves. “It’s the one thing constant in the sea’s life, and as long as the moon is there—controlling the tides—the ocean waves will never stop rolling ashore.”
Suddenly, I don’t feel like he’s talking about the actual ocean anymore.
