Page 172 of Champagne Nights

“She thinks that surfer out there is Keaton,” Ben said to me.

I put my hand on my forehead to block the sun as I stepped closer to the shore and looked.

“Yep. That’s him.”

Ben signed to Leah that she was right and that it was Keaton. She smiled as she watched him surf.

“I thought he doesn’t surf this late,” Ben commented.

“He normally doesn’t.”

I stood at the shoreline and screamed his name. He looked at me and then began paddling towards the shore. I looked over at Leah as Keaton stepped out of the water and noticed her jaw drop when she saw him in his wetsuit. He grabbed his board and walked over to us with a grin.

“Hey. What are you three doing here?” he asked.

“Why are you here? You never surf this late.”

He set down his surfboard and took hold of Leah’s hands. “Hi.” He smiled.

“Hi,” she mouthed.

“Got a late start this morning. One of my websites I designed had a glitch, and I had to fix it, and then Mom made me sit down and have breakfast with her and Dad.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Leah turned to Ben and signed something to him. He looked at Keaton.

“Leah wants to know if you want to come with us to the pier. It’s her first time here.”

“I’d like that,” he said directly to her. “I’ll be right back. Let me change out of this suit and into my regular clothes.”

Leah nodded. Keaton went to change, and Leah turned and looked at the ocean. Ben smiled at me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a warm embrace. Why was he doing this? I didn’t know, but I didn’t mind. There was no place else I wanted to be but in his arms.

Chapter Thirty-One

Ben

The four of us walked along the pier, and Keaton did some signing with Leah. Apparently, he spent all day yesterday learning some things so he could communicate better with her. Paisley and I walked hand in hand and enjoyed the day. We stopped at a restaurant on the pier for lunch, and as soon as we were seated, my phone rang. It was my dad.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Hello, Ben. Your mom and I would like you and Leah to come for dinner tonight and bring Paisley, too.”

Shit.“Hold on a second, Dad.”

I signed to Leah. “Dad and Lucinda want us to come to dinner tonight.”

“NO. I don’t want to go.” She signed fast.

“Paisley is invited too.” I signed. “Would you like to have dinner with my parents?” I glanced at her.

She smiled and looked at Leah. “Sounds like fun.”

She signed. “It’s not fun and they make it clear that I’m not welcomed there.”

“Come on, Leah. You knew you’d have to see them eventually. Might as well get it over with.” I signed.

“Fine.” She looked down.

I understood her not wanting to go, but she really had no choice. Once she turned eighteen, the decision would strictly be hers.

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