Page 45 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
I dip my toes in the water. “Thanks for playing along with that whole sunscreen scene. It felt amazing to do that in front of Jake. Did you see the look on his face?”
“I was kind of preoccupied.” Adrian carries the board into the water, giving me a playful splash with the paddle as he passes by. I follow him in, thankful that he’s not making a big deal over what just happened between us. “And can I just say, you’re wearing the most ridiculous bikini possible for this lesson.”
“You weren’t complaining about my bikini a minute ago.”
“I’m not complaining about it now. How long did the design take?” he asks, shoulder deep in the water.
“How do you know I designed it?”
“Oh, please. It’s the most over-the-top piece of swimwear I’ve ever seen. You’re probably encrusted in twenty K of jewels right now.”
I laugh. “So… you like it?”
“Hate it.”
I shove his chest, grinning. He answers with his own teasing grin and taps the paddle board. “You ready for this epic lesson?”
“Only if you’re ready to see me embarrass myself.”
“You should know by now that watching you embarrass yourself is my favorite pastime.”
The embarrassment is even worse than I anticipated as Adrian guides me through stand up paddle boarding 101. He does an effortless pushup from the water onto the board that I’m meant to copy. I can’t get myself one inch out of the water without first struggling like a walrus and then proceeding to capsize. This happens at least ten times before Adrian scoops me up in his arms and lifts me onto the board.
“Now try standing,” he tells me.
A cycle repeats nonstop with me either falling flat on my ass or bombing into the water. It becomes an unspoken rule that each time I fall off the board, Adrian places me right back on.
“Bend your legs,” Adrian says while I attempt to stand for the millionth time. “Lower your center of gravity.”
“I’m trying!” My body wobbles as I struggle to balance. No doubt, it’s the most unflattering sight to exist in this world.
“Yes!” Adrian cheers, fist-pumping the paddle in the air with victory. “You’re doing it.”
I’m squealing with joy, barely managing to maintain balance as I shake. But I’m up! I’m standing!
My win lasts only a moment. Sensing my stability slip away, I leap off the board with a star jump. “Ahhh, did you see that?”
“You were fantastic!”
“The impossible has become possible!”
We take a breather, and it’s only now things have slowed down and I’ve achieved standing on the board that I realize this lesson probably wasn’t a good idea. I’m exhausted from all the physical activity. No doubt I’ll have bruises on my body by the time evening falls. Tomorrow, I’ll have muscles aching that I didn’t know existed. But it’s worth it. Every moment with Adrian is turning out to be one I don’t want to forget.
Catching my breath, I rest my forearms on the board and let my body float. My eyes latch onto something in the distance, and the victory is kicked out of me when I notice it’s Jake and Jannah kissing in the water. With a groan, I turn away, but the image is still in my mind, so I do the one thing that will get rid of it.
“Get me up on this board again,” I say, determined to succeed at another round of standing.
“Hey, let’s not push our luck.”
Adrian is teasing, but I’m too annoyed at Jake and Jannah to respond. With all my force, I shoot up out of the water and hurl myself onto the board. There’s a spark of pride within me; it’s the first time I’ve made it this far, even though my legs are kicking and I’m pretty sure I’m about to capsize again. Adrian gives a push to help me all the way onboard. I sit up panting, too exhausted to launch straight into standing. Too pissed to do anything. My beautiful day out at sea is ruined with putrid memories of Jake cheating on me. I still don’t know, and neverwillknow why he cheated on me. Am I too caught up in my career? Is Jannah a better lay than me? Maybe I’m bad in bed.
Adrian catches onto my energy shift and glances at Jake and Jannah, no doubt seeing them kissing. Without thinking it through, I look back in their direction and find the two of them laughing and splashing each other.
“Screw them and their cute play fighting,” I say.
“Don’t worry about them. We’re way cuter.”
“We are?”
