Wild Child

“Who says I’m going to fall off?” she teased as she snapped the tether around her ankle.

“You’ll fall off. You won’t learn if you don’t.” He straightened. “We’re going to lie down on our boards and paddle out into the water.”

“Sounds simple enough.” She followed him out into the water, pushing her surfboard along in front of her.

“It’s harder than it looks. Now get on your board.”

She wrestled the surfboard into position and managed to flop down onto it—not an easy feat in the choppy water. “What now?”

“The most important thing is to balance. That’s the key to surfing every step of the way. Keep your weight centered on the board. Don’t lean back toward the tail. Paddle with cupped hands.” He demonstrated and she mimicked him. They began to move forward, bobbing in the waves.

“This isn’t bad.” She grinned at him. “It’s even kind of f—” At that moment, a larger wave descended, flipping her over. She came up sputtering, eyes stinging from the salt water.

“You okay?” Drew called.

“Fine.” Everything except her dignity. She hoisted herself back onto her board.

Drew paddled over to her. “It’s hard to paddle over bigger waves, so you need to learn to duck dive.”

“Duck dive? As in going under water?” She didn’t like the sound of that.

“Just for a minute. Just under the wave, really. It can be fun.” He turned to study the horizon, then pointed. “See that bigger swell heading toward us?”

“I see it.”

“Okay, you want to line up perpendicular to it, then a couple of feet before it reaches you, grab both sides of the board and shove the nose down. Once the nose is under, use your knee to force the tail under. Do it right and you’ll bob right up on the other side of the wave.”

“And if I do it wrong?”

He laughed. “You go swimming again.”

They practiced the technique a few times, laughing and splashing, until she had the hang of it. The feeling of riding the board beneath the wave was exhilarating, like a day at a waterpark, but wilder and freer.

They were several hundred yards from shore now, and the waves were larger, well-spaced and regular. Drew straddled his board and motioned for her to do the same. “Are you ready to ride a wave?” he asked.

“Yes. I’m excited.” Now that she was more comfortable in the water, she could hardly wait to experience the freedom she’d so often imagined.

“Okay, you want to watch for the wave and swing your board around to face the beach, then lie down and start paddling. Remember to keep your balance and don’t lean back. Then remember that move I showed you on the beach.”

“The push-up, jump-up thing,” she said, thinking of other moves she wished he’d show her—moves that had nothing to do with surfing.

“Here comes a good wave,” he said. “Let’s go.”

They turned their boards and started paddling. Sara tried to watch Drew out of the corner of her eye, to copy his moves, even as she struggled to balance and maneuver her own board.

Her first try was a disaster, as she immediately flipped off the board and sank like lead, the board tossing in the water behind her like a splinter from a shipwreck. She rose to the surface in time to see Drew ride his board into the shallows, as easily as if he’d been standing on the deck of a ship.

She managed to right her board and climb back on. He paddled back to her. “Don’t worry, it’ll get easier,” he promised. “Ready to try again?”

She nodded. Everybody messed up their first time. She’d get it this time.

Round two wasn’t much better. Round three she managed to get to her feet and promptly fell off the board.

“Maybe we should go in and rest,” Drew said when he paddled to her after her fourth failed attempt.

“No.” She threw herself back onto her board. “I’m going to do this.”

“But if you’re tired—”

“I’m fine.” She glared at him.

He laughed. “Okay. We’ll give it another try. Remember to keep your weight centered, and once you’re on your feet, keep a low center of gravity.”

She paddled out farther this time, hoping to buy more time to figure out the moves required to ride the wave. She watched the swells rolling in and turned toward shore once more, paddling hard as Drew had showed her.

She felt the moment the wave caught the board and began pulling it backward. Grabbing the sides of the board, she thrust herself up into a crouch, wobbling crazily as she slid her feet into position. Arms outstretched, she struggled to balance as the board pitched under her.

Then, in a magical moment, she found her balance. The board steadied and rose, carried on the wave. She was floating. Flying. Laughter bubbled in her like champagne and she turned her face up to the sun.

Even her less-than-graceful dismount in the shallows did nothing to dampen her enthusiasm. “I did it!” she shouted when Drew splashed toward her.

“You did it.” His grin was as broad as hers felt, and he put his arm around her waist and hugged her to him as they waded to dry land.

“I want to do it again,” she said.

“Let’s rest a minute.” He sat on the sand and unsnapped the leash from his ankle.

She dropped beside him and unleashed her board also, then lay on her back, one hand shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight. “I am tired,” she said. “But thrilled.”

Drew stretched out beside her, their bodies almost but not quite touching. “You did great,” he said. “Now that you’ve got the balance thing figured out, you’ll learn fast.”

“Do you think I’ll be able to compete in the tournament Saturday?”

“Sure. There’s a new surfers division. You’ll do fine in that.”

“I can’t wait.” She rolled onto her stomach and propped herself on her elbows, looking down at him. “Thank you for teaching me. This is so much fun, being here with you like this.”

“I’m enjoying it, too.” His eyes met hers, the amusement she’d seen there earlier replaced by frank interest and desire. At least, she thought that’s what the look said. She was out of practice at reading men. “So…no woman in your life?” She tried to sound casual, though her stomach was doing somersaults as she spoke. “Girlfriend? Significant other?”

He shook his head. “I’ve been so involved with Gus and the business, I haven’t made time to date.”

A sigh of relief escaped her. “I know what you mean.”

“What about you?” he asked. “Any boyfriends back in L.A.?”

She shook her head. “No time.” She’d told herself she’d date later, when the business was secure and she could afford to take more time off. But the business kept growing and there was always more to do. Then one day she’d looked up and she was twenty-six. More and more of her friends were married, living with someone or otherwise involved in serious relationships. Meanwhile she couldn’t remember the last name of the last guy she’d dated.

“Sounds like we’ve both been working hard,” Drew said, moving in closer. The look he gave her warmed her in a way the sun could not and burned away any shyness or hesitation that remained between them.