AllFreeNovel
Share Us
***
I'm dripping wet, shivering slightly under the grey sky as we walk toward the surf shop. Acting the gentleman, Tommy carries both boards back to the surf shop for me. After wrapping up the lesson, I couldn't resist the pull of the ocean and spent another twenty minutes out there, carving through the small waves. Tommy had cheered from the shore, his enthusiasm warming me despite the frigid water. It was a perfect flip to watching him at the tournament yesterday and I have to admit, it feels good to have my own personal cheerleader.
"I love that you push students into the whitewater. Really boosts a grown man’s confidence," he teases as we jog across the street.
"I don’t care about their pride. I care about tips."
“Here’s a tip, flirt a little. Guys eat that stuff up,” he says.
“Yeah, you’d know. What about that nurse yesterday?” I ask.
He recoils a little. “The one that had yellow poo on her butt?”
I’m laughing so hard, I snort but nod through it. “She thought you wanted to show her a good time.” I open the door to the Surf Shack and he walks inside. Straight to the back we both go where he leans the dirty boards against the wall.
“Ugh, no thanks. She had no sense of humor.” He bumps my shoulder. “Not like you.”
“Oh yes. I’m just full of hilarious jokes,” I say with a roll of my eyes.
“Sarcasm is funny,” he argues then leans a little closer. “And sexy too.” Oh my. Tommy calling me sexy? Where’s a fan when I need one? I let my back rest against the wall so he can crowd my space a little easier. And boy, does he take the bait. One arm goes above me, as he gets even closer. We’re staring at each other now and I bite my lip. It’s a move I know drives men wild and he sucks a breath through his teeth like I’ve punched the air out of him. Whoa, he might find sarcasm hot, but damn if I’m not feeling warmth pooling between my legs at the way he’s looking at me now.
Before I can say anything back, he breaks away from me. I’m disappointed until I figure out why. Sam is waddling my way and I watch his retreating form as he heads to the back to spray the boards down with the hose. I glance at him over my shoulder and as soon as our eyes connect, he shoots me a wink. Be still my aching heart, that’s hot.
"That guy was thrilled. Sold a fun board. But, Tilly, I'm blown away,” Sam says, oblivious to my distracted thoughts.
She hands me a towel and I use it to wring the seawater from my hair. "What do you mean?"
Sam leans in closer. "You! After avoiding even mentioning his name for a year, suddenly you two are friends again?" Her eyes dart back to where Tommy is spraying our gear down.
"I don’t hold grudges," I reply, though I can feel irritation beginning to bubble up. Admitting to any deeper connection feels like it would tarnish the reality of what's happening between us.
"That's not true. You wouldn't speak to me for days over that bongo incident," Sam reminds me, trailing behind as I head to change.
The memory of the broken bongo, a cherished gift from my grandfather, flashes through my mind. Yes, Sam replaced it, but it wasn't the same. The original is still hidden away in my closet. But memories can't simply be replaced. I still believe my reaction was warranted, but it does no good to relive old arguments.
With the towel still in my hair, I walk back to the changing room. But Sam follows, standing right outside as I shut the door. “Seriously Til, what’s going on?”
Realizing that she won’t let this go, I take a breath. "Some, uh, stuff happened." She says nothing which is worse than her asking for more details. See if she asked, I could refuse. But the silence kills me and she knows it. So I shake my head but start to tell her about the break-in, trying to downplay how upset it made me. Even with my carefully chosen words, Sam's concern is immediate, bursting through the door as I stand there, unfazed by my nakedness. Pressing my lips together, I hold the towel over my chest as she shuts herself in the tiny room with me.
"Til! What the hell? Did you call the police?" she asks.
I shake my head. "No, got a little distracted."
"By Tommy?" There’s a satisfied grin on her lips that only manages to annoy me more.
"Erm, no. My... my dad died," I finally confess, the weight of those words feeling surreal even as they leave my mouth.
Sam knows some of the complexities of my family, just as I've come to learn of hers, especially after her arrest and the trial over the murder of her ex-husband. As much as I love and trust her, explaining my family dynamic would be a mistake. She wouldn’t turn us in any more than I would for her, but it's more about how she would look at me.
Once people know, everything changes.
She looks to be on the verge of tears, so I wave her off. “Look, it's not that big a deal. But I do have to go to Tahoe for the week. For the memorial and to deal with… things."
Sam immediately tenses up. "Dangerous things?" she asks.
I can only shrug in response. "Probably not. My sister came by—"
"Miranda was here?" Sam knows I have a twin, though the two have never even spoken.
