Page 57 of Catch a Wave

I had resolved to let Mavs go, resigning myself to life here on Marbella. My focus centered on healing and moving on from my past. But I’ve been fooling myself. I thought I was good. I thought teaching surfing and being the fun single guy would be enough. Ever since Mavs stood at my doorway with her paisley bag and her one crutch, staring into my eyes and making me remember everything I had lost, I discovered my glass has been half empty, or cracked … unable to provide enough to quench the thirst rising up in me.

I miss competing.

I miss her.

She’s right here, only fifteen or twenty feet away from me. Sometimes only mere inches separate us, and yet I miss her with an ache that threatens to consume me.

I used to be a risk-taker. I was known as one of the few men on the planet who put his life on the line regularly to go for whathe wanted most. When did that change? When did I become this guy who settles for good enough?

Shaka looks up at me and cocks his head. I run my hand down his neck in soothing strokes.

“Wanna be my emotional support animal?”

He rolls over and shows me his belly.

“Gotcha.”

The sound of Mavs’ door opening causes both me and the dog to look up expectantly. He flips onto his front, and his tail starts wagging furiously. Then he’s off the couch and running in her direction. She rounds the corner and looks up at me through sleepy eyes. Her hair is wild. She’s wearing that sleep tank and sleep shorts.

I sip my coffee which is down to the bottom of the cup now. I’m basically slurping air like some actor on a show. Anything to give myself a buffer when all I want to do is walk over to her and pull her into my arms. Maybe I should have hit the waves after all.

“You’re still here?”

“I was … uh …”Man up, Merrick. “I was waiting for you. You know? In case you wanted to talk about last night?”

“Which part? The part where you gave me a foot rub? The part where I pushed your buttons by bringing up the contest? The part where Shaka decided to burst into the bathroom? Or the part where you kissed my neck?”

“Um … any of the above?”

“Nope. I don’t want to talk about any of that. I do want coffee, though.”

“Let me get it for you.”

“Okay.” Her voice comes out more subdued.

I stand and walk toward the kitchen. When I pass by her, I pause and look her in the eyes until she returns my gaze. “Are we good?”

“We’re good, Bodhi. Confused. But good.”

“Yeah.” I smile down at her. “Definitely confused.”

“At least that’s both of us.”

I head into the kitchen to pour her coffee. “I still might hit the waves. I’ve got a night sail tonight, so I start work late. Wanna walk down with me?”

“I’d love that. Let me get changed.”

KALAINE

(OUR THIRD WEEK IN BALI …)

I like a man who can come out and say he’s nervous on the first date.

I think that would be really cute.

~ Sarah Shahi

The knock at our door sends Leilani into a fit of squealing giddiness. “He’s here! He’s here!”

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