Page 13 of Rebel Heart
Beau inclined his head. “Yeah.”
“I thought you were going to tell me you worked in construction or were in a band.”
“I’m sorry. What? Why would those be the two choices?”
After setting my fork down, I swept my hand out in his direction and explained, “Well, from what I can see, you take good care of your body. You appear to be strong and fit, so I thought you worked in an industry that required some physical prowess, and construction came to mind. But your style doesn’t exactly say construction worker. If anything, you give off a rock-star vibe.”
Beau appeared to be completely flabbergasted by my assessment, but I brushed it off. I was just as shocked to learn what he actually did.
“I give off a rock-star vibe?”
I shrugged. “The tattoos, the chunky rings, and the killer smile do it.”
He laughed. Hard. And all I could bring myself to do was sit and watch, because he looked so handsome doing it.
Picking up my fork and spearing it into a piece of my chicken, I said, “But skateboarder works for me, too. How long have you been doing it?”
“I’ve been skating since I was twelve, got sponsoredby local brands when I was sixteen, and just before I turned nineteen, I signed a pro contract.”
My eyes nearly fell out of my head. “Wow. That’s amazing. I don’t know a whole lot about professional sports, and I’ll admit I know even less about skateboarding, but I assume you have a company that you ride for.”
Beau nodded. “I do. Have you ever heard of Blackman Boards?”
“Yes! Oh my gosh, those are the only snowboards I’ll use. My whole family uses their snowboards. I didn’t realize they were in the skateboarding industry, too.”
“Originally, they weren’t. The owner of the business, Wes Blackman, is a former professional snowboarder, so the company used to focus solely on that. But just before I turned nineteen, they decided to get into the skateboarding industry. My buddies, who were with me yesterday, and I were some of the first riders on the team.”
“This is fascinating news.” Somehow, this date was getting better and better, and I got the feeling I’d need to make some space on my checklist because of it. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to ride a skateboard, but I’ve been too chicken to try.”
He tipped his head to the side, a smile spreading across his face as he studied me. “You said you snowboard, though.”
“Yeah. In fact, my family takes a trip to Keystone Mountain Resort just about every winter right after Christmas, so I’ve always been able to ski and snowboard. But there’s the safety of snow beneath me instead ofconcrete, which is why I’ve been hesitant to hop on a skateboard. Plus, nobody else I know can do it, so there’s nobody to teach me. I’d love to see you skateboard sometime.”
He seemed surprised by that. “Really?”
“Absolutely. Do you have any contests coming up soon?”
Beau shook his head. “Not so much. I don’t really do contests a whole lot anymore.”
“Is it the old age?” I pressed.
He squinted at me. “Iam notold.”
“Not even for a skateboarder?”
Rolling his eyes, he sighed. “Fine. Yes. Most skateboarders are spring chickens like you, but my body is still perfectly capable of doing everything it needs to do.”
I couldn’t miss the innuendo in his words. “I see. And so, why would Blackman Boards continue to have you as one of the team riders if you don’t compete?”
“I can still compete. I just don’t do it often.” He took a sip of his drink, set it down, and added, “We do a fair amount of promotional work, and we often take part in the demos that get set up. In fact, we have a demo next week.”
If it was possible for me to be even more interested in what he had to say, I was. Leaning forward, I asked, “What happens at a demo?”
“That really depends on whether we’re partnering with any other brands at the time, but basically, we go to a local skatepark, the brands promote the event, and folks come to watch us skate. We spend time signingautographs and talking and taking pictures with people afterward. It’s a good time, and it’s great for keeping people excited about the sport.”
I nodded my understanding. “And you’re telling me that there’s one of these demos here in Landing, Pennsylvania, next week?”
Beau eyed me curiously. “I am.” When I kept my eyes locked on his and didn’t say anything else, he asked, “Would you like to come and watch?”
