Page 5 of Shift the Tide

What time do you get in on Friday?

Izzy stared at the message for a long moment, the afterglow of her perfect wave fading into something more complicated. Another trip with the group meant seeing Maggie, Pete, Danica… and Kiera.

Kiera Phillips. Just the thought of her name sent a ripple of restlessness and something warmer, more bittersweet, through Izzy. They hadn’t spoken since the Telluride trip, where Kiera had managed to alienate most of the group by playing refereebetween Pete and Danica, who hadn’t yet figured out that they were meant for each other. Kiera’s attempts to keep them apart had felt to everyone else as misguided and unnecessary, but Izzy had seen the strain in Kiera’s eyes, the way she was trying — maybe too hard — to keep the group dynamic from changing.

Izzy sighed, tossing her phone down on the towel. She stretched out on her back, letting the sun dry the last traces of seawater on her skin. Of course, she wanted to see her friends. Maggie’s chaotic humor, Pete’s unshakable confidence, Danica’s steady presence. But Kiera? That was… complicated. They had kissed once in college — a fleeting, impulsive moment during a party. Izzy still remembered how soft Kiera’s lips were, how her laughter had turned into something quieter, more tentative, before their mouths met. It hadn’t gone any further, and neither of them had brought it up again, but Izzy often wondered what might have happened if they had.

Her phone buzzed again. Another text, this time from Pete.

Pete

mags told me she texted you! don’t make me come drag you to the beach house myself because i’ll do it!!!!

Izzy couldn’t help but laugh. Pete’s blend of tough love and relentless support was one of the reasons they’d been best friends for so long. If Pete was going, there was no way Izzy could say no. She tapped out a quick reply to Maggie.

Izzy

Early. I’ll rent a car and meet you at the beach house.

As she slipped her phone back into her bag, a flicker of nerves stirred in her chest. Seeing Kiera again would be… something.Maybe a chance to clear the air, maybe just a new way to get knocked sideways. Izzy wasn’t sure. Lately, she wasn’t sure about a lot of things. But she’d already spent too much time keeping people at arm’s length. And whatever this turned into, she’d face it. Let it come. Let it pull her under, if it had to.

That evening,the world around Izzy softened into a slow, golden hush. The air, thick with salt and the scent of blooming jasmine, clung to her skin as she wandered back to her rented bungalow — a small, sun-bleached space with uneven wooden steps and a crooked porch light that flickered at dusk. It wasn’t fancy, but it was hers for a few days, and it was quiet. Peaceful.

Izzy grabbed a cold Imperial beer from the tiny fridge, the bottle sweating instantly in the humid air. She stepped outside to the creaky hammock strung between two posts and sank into it with a sigh. The hammock rocked lazily with every movement, the worn fabric familiar against her bare legs. Before her, the sky stretched endlessly, painted with ribbons of lavender, peach, and molten orange as the sun melted into the Pacific.

She’d spent a lot of time alone lately — not because she wanted to, exactly, but because it felt simpler. Less complicated. Being around people, even people she loved, sometimes made everything feel louder inside her head. Out here, with no one expecting anything from her, she didn’t have to explain the ache she couldn’t quite name. She could just sit in it. Let it hum quietly under the moon and pretend it wasn’t still waiting to be answered.

It should have been enough — this life she’d carved out, simple and beautiful. The kind of existence that was supposed to quiet the constant itch of restlessness inside her. But the moment she let herself relax, her thoughts found their way back to the one thing she didn’t want to think about.

To Kiera.

Izzy tried to push the thought away — tried to focus on the soft crash of the waves or the slow hum of crickets starting their nightly chorus — but her mind kept pulling her back. The memory of Kiera’s hopeful, awkward smile in Telluride haunted her like a half-finished song. She hadn’t expected to miss her. Hell, she hadn’t expected tothinkabout her.

And yet… there she was, lodged in her brain like a splinter she couldn’t remove.

Her phone buzzed on the armrest. She almost ignored it. But when she glanced down and saw Pete’s name flashing on the screen, she sighed and answered.

“Hey, troublemaker,” Izzy said, trying to sound light, like she wasn’t coming apart under the weight of her own thoughts. She ran a hand through her short hair, tugging at the blonde strands.

“You better not be ditching on me,” Pete shot back, her voice carrying a familiar warmth wrapped in playful gruffness. “I will personally fly down there and drag you to San Diego if I have to.”

Izzy forced a laugh, pushing her hair out of her face and adjusting herself in the hammock until the fabric cradled her more securely. “Relax. I’m coming. You know I wouldn’t miss a chance to witness all of you make fools of yourselves.”

The pause on the other end was slight but noticeable. “You’ve been quiet,” Pete said, her usual teasing tone dialed down. “Not just missing calls. Like…gonequiet. Is this one of your disappearing acts?”

Izzy tipped her head back, resting the cold beer bottle against her forehead. “I’m here,” she said, which wasn’t the same asI’m fine, but still not the truth. “Just laying low.”

Pete made a small, unimpressed sound. “Laying low or pushing everyone out before they get too close?”

Izzy’s jaw tensed. “I’m not pushing anyone out. I’ve just been surfing for a few days, and you know what I do for work. I’m just enjoying being on my own.”

“You’re always on your own,” Pete said gently. “And for someone who claims to love it, you don’t sound all that happy about it.”

Izzy didn’t respond right away. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the sky was sliding into blue-gray. She watched the tide move in slow, steady pulses — indifferent, unbothered, sure of itself in a way she wasn’t.

“How’s married life?” Izzy asked, clearing her throat.

“Okay, deflection queen. I get it. And Danica and I aren’t married yet. You’d know. You’ll be my best person up there,” Pete said.

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