Page 73 of Meet You in the Waves
“Do you forgive me?” he asked.
“Yeah, Dane. I forgive you,” I said, returning the smile tinged with sadness that he sent me. “But you know I’m not the only one you owe an apology to.”
Dane sighed really heavily this time, head dropping to his hands on the island bench. “Yeah. I know.”
“He’s outside on the beach,” I pressed, needing this to happen before I really made things right with Dane. This bothered me in many ways, this impasse between the brothers. Dane had told me a lot of stuff about Nick over the couple of years sinceI’d known him, none of which held any truth to the beautiful, selfless, amazing man I had come to know.
I watched as Dane climbed to his feet, looking like a man being sent to the front lines as he trudged to the back door. I watched him as he stepped down the deck stairs until I couldn’t see him any longer. I paced the kitchen for a few minutes, kind of anxious to be out there with my man, to make sure everything was okay.
It got the better of me, this need to protect Nick and I found myself stepping out onto the sand after I couldn’t wait any longer. My eyes skirted the beach between Nick’s house and the water before landing on the two boys as they sat with a foot of space between them, awkwardly looking out to the sea.
But there was no obvious tension between them and it felt like now might be an okay time to approach. I padded over the sand to the boys, only now dawning on me that they had become two of the most important people in my life, one dark and pale and serious, the other golden and light and so full of life. Total opposites really except for the last name they shared and the blood pumping in their veins.
They both glanced up at my approach, Dane with a cautious grimace, Nick’s eyes brightening when they landed on me.
“How are my two favourite boys going?” I asked. Nick didn’t wait for my permission before he tugged on my hand, pulling me down onto his lap before planting a kiss on my lips.
“Okaaay, so this is really happening then,” Dane half grimaced, half smiled as I just snuggled into Nick’s warm, safe arms and smiled back at my friend.
“You’ve missed a lot,” I told him.
“Well, no, I didn’t miss this,” he returned, gesturing between the two of us. “Even if the girls both refused to believe me.”
“Better get used to it,” Nick added, wrapping his arms around me as I leaned back against him.
“It’s still weird,” Dane returned, eyes shifting between me and his brother.
“Not to me,” I said, turning my face up to share another quick kiss with Nick. I would never get enough of kissing those lips.
“Nope, definitely still weird,” Dane returned but there was a smile tugging at his mouth that made me think he’d come around to this. This idea of me and Nick.
Even if it was only just for a few more days.
“So, are we all sorted with our issues?” I asked, looking between Nick and Dane. “Got everything out in the open?”
“That might take a little longer than one evening on a beach,” Dane said with a rueful grin, leaning back on his elbows.
“Want me to have a go at summing it all up?” I suggested, watching as Nick pinned me with a wry grin.
“Be our guest,” Nick returned, gesturing magnanimously with his hand.
“So, Dane is jealous of Nick because of the way –” I started before I was interrupted by a very indignant, “I amnotjealous, thank you,” from Dane. I levelled him with alook.
“Will you let me finish, please?” I said. He nodded and I smiled before rephrasing. “Dane is jealous of the way Nick lives his life with his carefree, easy-going nature. It’s because Dane always puts way too much pressure on himself to achieve and doesn’t know how to let go. I’m not finished,” I said, holding up a hand as I felt Dane start to protest.
“And Nick has always felt like he could never live up to Dane’s achievements, academic that is, or gain his dad’s approval,” I finished. I glanced between the two brothers, noting the way they were both looking at me with a curious expression on their faces, the only time I had ever seen a family resemblance. It almost made me laugh.
“You’re not just a pretty face, are you?” Nick commented, pressing a kiss to my temple.
“Occasionally I like to surprise.”
“I mean … you’re not exactly wrong,” Dane admitted softly, sifting sand through his fingers. “Dad always pushed me harder and yeah, I guess I never really knew how to stop caring about grades and stuff. But it always seemed like when I got a good grade they kind of just expected it of me but if Nick did something mildly good it was allbreak out the best wine and the fine china.”
“Dad always used to say to me,why can’t you be more like your brother,” Nick admitted.
“I always felt like Mum favoured you more than me. I mean, I know she did. I could never compete with you in her eyes,” Dane said.
“That’s not true. Mum is so proud of you, Dane. But also Mum always justgotme, you know?” Nick said quietly. “She always stood up for me when Dad would have a go, like she always knew I wanted to live a different life the way I wanted to live it.”
