Page 13 of Catch a Wave

Ben lets out a low whistle. “This oughta be good.”

“What makes you think it’s not?”

“Your face, for one. And the fact that you left your pet project on a Saturday—looking like you’ve been wrestling with a powder puff—to come down here.”

“Yep.”

I don’t say anything else because Kai appears through the back door. When he sees my face, it’s like he knows.

“You wanted to tell me something?” I ask.

“Let’s step out back.”

“Nooo.” Ben nearly whines out the word. “I never get to have any excitement in my life anymore. If your bromance is hitting the rocks, I want to watch.”

I can’t help but chuckle, even though I’m livid, and confused, and probably other things I can’t even figure out yet. This is all fresh. Mostly, I keep picturing the way Mavs looked at me and how the last thing she needed was to come seeking refuge and end up bumping into her ex after all she’s already endured.

“Fine,” I say to Ben.

I turn to Kai who’s still a store-length away from me. “Mavs?”

Kai runs his hand down his face from his forehead to his chin.

Stevens, our resident marine biologist, comes in the back doorway behind Kai.

“What’s up, Bodhi?” His tone is casual until he reads the room. “Uh. Everything okay?”

Ben smirks. “No. Totally not. Kai did something. And Bodhi’s upset, and he just said,Mavs,whatever that means. Get a bowl of popcorn. It’s just getting good.”

I give Ben a look. He just smiles that lopsided, golden-boy grin of his. You can’t get mad at that guy. He’s like a mischievous puppy who’s always cuter than he is annoying.

“Mavs, as in Mavericks? The big wave spot?” Stevens asks.

“No.” Kai’s eyes are steely.

He knows he messed up, but he does not like me using the nickname I gave his sister. I guess I said it on purpose. But also, it slipped out—like it did in the guest room when I was alone with her. The air nearly whooshed out of the room when I said it. I averted my eyes and played it cool, but I felt the way everything shifted for a moment, the memories rushing us like a rogue wave full of enough power to take us both under.

“He’s talking about my sister.”

“Your sister who is currently in our guest room.”

“She’s here?”

“Yeah. She showed up about an hour ago, hobbling on one crutch, only a duffle to her name, and a look of bewilderment when I answered the door. Imagine her shock, finding out you’ve been living with me for two years.”

“Oh, man.”

“Wait, what?” Ben asks. “No way! Dude. You never told your sister you were living with her ex-boyfriend?”

Stevens looks at each of the three of us. “You dated his sister?”

“Yeah. I did.”

“Big mistake,” Kai adds.

“You’re not really in the position to call out my mistakes from where I stand.”

“Yeah. True.” Kai’s shoulders slump the slightest. “I meant to tell you. I didn’t know she was coming today, though. I thought it would be next week. I was going to tell you. And her.”

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