Page 12 of Unfinished Summer

And worse, I know what I’m going to say to him.

“Okay.”

My simple response seems to break him from his trance, and he turns to me with that grin of his.

“Really?”

“Really. I’m not working tomorrow, so we have some time. But only if the weather is nice.”

“You have a deal.” He holds out his hand for us to shake, and we do. “Come on. I’m starving.”

“I thought you wanted to see the sights.”

“Nope. I’ve seen all I need.”

How did I let myself get talked into this?

But I knew how.

Jayce looks like he’s won the lottery, his smile is so big across his face, and I can’t help but laugh as he pays for the surf hire. I take the board from him, and we walk down to the sand.

“Have you never had a lesson? Not even the basics?”

“Nope,” I say proudly, but I can’t keep a straight face and dissolve into giggles as Jayce seems to be working out how to break this down for me.

“Right, well, the important thing to remember is balance. And to plant your feet. It’s all in the positioning.” He demonstrates, popping up from lying flat on the board to a crouched position. He’s so fast and seems to move effortlessly.

“You try.” He looks at me and then my board, which looks ridiculous next to his sleek thing.

I oblige and lie down on my front before placing my hands and jumping up as he did.

“Good. Good.” He moves in behind me and puts his hands on my hips to position me better. The contact is skin on skin and sends goosebumps all over me, despite the day’s heat.

The big smiles from a few moments ago are now shy and anxious as tension builds like static between us.

“Again. You need to be completely happy with this before we try it in the water.” I nod but get distracted by his eyes looking down at me.

We break the spell, and I repeat the move.

Over and over.

Until I’m bored.

“Oh, come on, Jayce. When can we go in the water?”

“Fine. Come on. Let’s see how you get on. The shallows first.”

The water swirls around my feet, and the chill makes me gasp. “Ah.”

“Oh, yeah, a little cold for you? Bet you wish you had a wetsuit now?” he mocks.

“It’s not worth hiring. I’m not going to be in the water… for long.” But I’m already shivering as I push the board along the surface and over the small waves rolling in. As the water gets deeper and creeps further up my legs, my goosebumps come out in force for an entirely different reason.

“Right. Just catch a few waves in first. Get used to the feel of the board. Ride them in like a bodyboard.” Jayce wades out further and demonstrates. It looks easy enough, and I copy him.

But I get the timing wrong, and the wave doesn’t catch me.

I try again, this time with Jayce’s help, and the rush of water pushes me towards the shore. It’s a buzz, all of a sudden riding the small wave. As I come to a stop, I put my feet down and stumble a little before getting back to standing.

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