Page 91 of The Moon & His Tides
This time, Sebastian’s goading voice in the back of my mind, I took a deep breath and just… enjoyed it.
The wind was a cold slap against my salt-tight skin, the rush of water all I could hear, and the corrugated water before me the only thing in my sightline. I felt, for one brief, brilliant moment, like I was part of the wave, a piece of an ocean that stretched across the equator, between multiple continents, and occupied nearly a quarter of the water’s surface on the planet.
I had never felt less like Adam Meyers and conversely, more like myself.
Before I realized it, I was sliding into shore still balanced easily on the board, the water burbling into white froth below it.
I blinked at the beach, the handful of people out on the sunny April day to enjoy the rare sunshine.
When I turned back to look at Sebastian and Linnea, they were both clapping. As I watched, Seb turned his fist in the air and gave two barks of celebration, and Linnea cupped her hands over her mouth to yell, “Hell yeah, Meyers!”
A shocked laugh spilled out of my mouth, growing louder the longer I let it take me, riding it just like the wave.
“Take that, you wanker!” I called out to Sebastian triumphantly.
And he laughed and laughed all the way until I made it back to them both beyond the break. When I did, he leaned forward to clap me strongly on the shoulder and drag me closer enough to hug me.
“Bravissimo,” he whispered into my ear, his wet cheek against my own, stubble as rough as sand. “You are magnificent.”
A small part of me wanted to pull away instantly, uncomfortable with any display of affection, even platonic, in public.
But I wasn’t Adam Meyers today.
I was just a bloke out with a good mate in the surf.
So I leaned forward and hugged him back, clapping a hand over his back and pressing my cheek just a little harder into his. “Grazie, amante.”
He stilled at my use of the Italian pet name and then grinned as I pulled away. He was a bloody vision sitting on that board, strong thighs splayed, all that Italian tanned skin pulled tight over well-honed muscle and the fall of wet black hair over his forehead.
He was the magnificent one.
“High five.” Linnea cut into my thoughts with her demand, hand lifted for me.
I clapped it and grinned, boyish contentment curling through my chest. “I crushed it, I know.”
She laughed. “You did! All it took was removing the stick up your bum.”
“Hey!” I retorted as Sebastian burst out laughing.
Linnea ducked my hands as I made to playfully push her off her board, but I wouldn’t be deterred. She was tall, but so light I could pluck her off her board and haul her over to mine. She flailed a little, and I took advantage by cupping my hands in the ocean in order to splash her full in the face with the water.
She sputtered indignantly, but before she could retaliate, Sebastian caught on and sent a huge wave of water over her body.
“You bastards!” she crowed, diving off my board into the depths.
Sebastian and I locked eyes over the splash she made and grinned wickedly in tandem.
When she emerged, we were right behind her, pursuing her with shark-like intensity into the shallows, where we proceeded to have an all-out splash war like we were twelve years old. Something about them, their sunshine energy sloughed all the years and miseries of my life off my back and made me feel reborn with fresh enthusiasm. I tackled Sebastian to the sandy bottom and laughed until my belly ached when Linnea tickled him until he begged for mercy.
It was more fun than I’d had in ages, and I owed it all to Sebastian.
20
ADAM
By the time we entered London proper again, I was sleepy and warm with contentment, half-dozing against the passenger side window as Sebastian drove us competently through the dark streets. Coldplay played quietly through the speakers, a pleasant soundtrack to my lazily meandering thoughts. I didn’t allow myself to dwell on anything dark or unpleasant, instead focusing on the best birthday I’d had in years.
We’d ended our surf lesson with the splash fight and then collapsed on the beach against sun-warmed towels to dig into the cooler Sebastian had packed back at home. Our cook made thick sandwiches filled with turkey, cucumber, and sprouts, and freshly made shortbread dipped on one side in bright lemon glaze. There was enough for Linnea, too, who entertained us both with chatter about her elite London day school and life back in Maui. Her parents had been teens when they had her and were not very much in love, so it was her father who fought for her and was granted custody.
