Page 45 of Sparks Like Ours

Elle regarded Gia thoughtfully, spoon in hand. “I can’t believeyou thought I was fake. I happen to be a really friendly person.”

Gia considered this as she finished chewing. “You are. But youhave to admit that you lay it on a little thick when in the limelight.” Buteven Gia was starting to backpedal from the theory. Elle was actually a prettybubbly person in front of the media and away from it. That’s apparently justwho she was.

“It’s true that I can schmooze.” She sparkled even as she said theword, as if the thought took her there. “But that’s part of the game,unfortunately. Do you know that there are women on the tour, the topprofessional surfing tour in the world, that don’t have sponsorship?”

Gia nodded. She didn’t understand how they managed it. Travelalone could run past the $50,000 mark.

“Sasha Christianson, from Australia?”

“Yeah?”

Elle raised a hand in punctuation. “Number thirteen in the worldand isn’t sponsored. Not by choice either, and that makes no sense. She paysfor everything out of pocket. If she doesn’t win, she operates at a loss by theend of the season.”

“I know. It sucks.”

“Which means she’s probably going to be off the tour soon. Howlong can one person sustain that kind of financial hit? She has to eat. Payrent.”

Elle had a valid point. The surfing world was just as sexist asany other sport out there. The women were rewarded for their appearances withads, sponsorships, and endorsement deals. Others used their charisma to pull inthe necessary cash to compete. But if you were a less-than-attractive or shyperson, the going was rough, if not impossible. Didn’t matter how great asurfer you were. Your only hope was to have been born independently wealthy andbankroll your travel and tournament fees personally. It didn’t make sense.

“So, I was fourteen years old, trying to figure out how in theworld I was going to make it to the next tournament, and then the next,” Ellesaid. “We were a middle-class family. My parents did everything for me thatthey could, but I was going to have to figure something else out long term. Itwas clear to me that sponsorship was the only way I was going to be able tomake a go of surfing from a career standpoint.”

Gia started to understand. “You learned to court the media.”

“Big-time. I had to. And I got good at it.” Elle paused to bask inthe glory of the corn. She pointed at Gia’s plate. “Right?”

Gia grinned. “It’s pretty good.”

“The more press I did, the more doors I noticed opening for me.Listen, all I wanted to do was surf, and I had found a way in. If we’re beinghonest, I didn’t mind that part of the job that much. It was fun. Still canbe.”

“It’s shocking you were able to figure that out so young.”

“I’m not alone. You’re sponsored up yourself.”

“I just do my thing,” Gia said. “Been lucky, I guess. I don’t playthe media game as well.”

Elle nodded. “Yeah, but the whole mysterious allure you have goingdoesn’t hurt. Even I was curious about you from the beginning.”

“I’m not as talkative as some of the other surfers. That part istrue. What’s the name of this restaurant again? This chicken isn’t bad.”

“The Salt and Herb. It also doesn’t hurt that you’re beautiful.It’s why you’re in all the gossip columns. People want to know what’s going onwith you.”

Gia filed away the compliment to think about later. “They want toknow a lot more since we started working on the Trainers deal together.”

Elle held her gaze. “I guess we’re giving them something to talkabout. They just don’t know whether we’re ready to kill each other or climbinto bed.”

This was an opening if Gia had ever seen one. She swallowed herbite of bread, took a sip of water, and went for it. “So how are things goingwith that guy you were seeing? What was his name?”

“Christopher, and we ended things. The spark wasn’t there.”

There was that damn word again. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be. Really. Sometimes things work out the waythey do for a reason. Can I take your plate?”

“Thank you.” Gia watched Elle’s journey to the kitchen. Her barefeet. The slight sway of her hips that filled out those yoga pants perfectly.Her hair that had been wet from the shower was now mostly dry and blond again.“Does it feel to you that things are happening for a reason a lot lately?”

Elle took a moment from where she stood at the sink. Her voicecarried sincerity when she answered. “Actually, it does feel that way.”

Gia followed Elle into the kitchen. “Should I go? I feel likewe’re treading on unstable ground here.”

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