Page 35 of Lowering His Guard

Before I have a chance to call him a liar, he turns his attention to Gage. “How’s your friend doing?”

Before Gage has a chance to respond, Coach shouts his name. “Tanner! Shoes off. Step on the scale.”

Tanner dashes to the scale and jumps on. “Tada!” Coach writes down his weight. “Nailed it!”

“Brock!” Coach yells.

I kick off my shoes before pushing my shorts and underwear to the floor. I shouldn’t have gone out to eat with May yesterday. And I definitely shouldn’t have eaten ice cream with her while we were alone. But May has a way of getting me to do things I shouldn’t.

Football should be my priority. Never mind how this season is my last. Football is my life.

Tanner barks out a laugh. “You’re going to have to remove more than your clothes to make weight.”

I give him the finger. “It’s not my fault the egg rolls at Wok the Plank are delicious.”

I hold my breath as Coach fiddles with the dials. He frowns when he realizes I’m two pounds over. “We’ll chat later.”

“Yes, Coach.” Two pounds over isn’t a disaster, but it shouldn’t have happened. I should stay away from May and her parents’ restaurant. I shouldn’t let her tempt me into doing things I know better than to do.

I join Nolan, Tanner, and Corbin in the corner of the room. Nolan motions for Gage to join us.

“What’s up?” he asks.

“We’re going to Wok the Plank for dinner.” Tanner waggles his eyebrows. “And then Bootlegger for Mermaid Karaoke.”

“I’m not going,” I grumble. I need to stay far away from temptation.

Tanner rolls his eyes. “You can eat steamed vegetables.”

“I have plans with Jace,” I lie.

“And May?” Tanner waggles his eyebrows.

“No, she’s working at the restaurant. She helps her parents out a few nights a week.”

A little tidbit of information I learned yesterday. She’s always helping everyone. Not just her parents. Lending out her flip-flops. Staying late at surfing class to help students who are struggling. Making Jace laugh.

Tanner rubs his hands together. “Excellent. We’ll sit in her section and get to know her.”

I growl and step toward Tanner until he’s backed up against a wall. “Leave May alone.”

“But we need to make sure she’s good enough for you. Unlike Jace’s mom.”

At the reminder of Serenity and what she did, I flinch. “No need. May and I aren’t a couple. We aren’t anything. She’s my son’s surfing teacher. End of story.”

No matter how much I’m beginning to wish it wasn’t the end of the story.

Chapter 12

Closeout – Sometimes the wave you waited for disappears before you ever get the chance to catch it.

May

I scan my students’ faces. They’re eager and excited and, oh, so young. This is why I love teaching. How can I not love being a part of their journeys? Especially since this is the only way I can spend time with children.

I clap my hands to get their attention. We’re halfway through the lesson. It’s time for the fun part.

“Up until now, the waves have done all the work for you. Today, you’re going to help the wave. This is what surfing is really about.”