Page 12 of Chasing Waves

A large wave rolled by, jostling us.

“Fascinated, yes. Obsessed, no.”

I couldn’t argue with that. The very definition of obsession was being consumed by someone or something, and hadn’t my thoughts been just that? I had shocked myself by how much I thought about her, and whenever I saw her, I was drawn to her, not being able to peel my eyes away. Her absence the past several days had me insanely agitated and I barely knew her. Hell, I had just learned her name, but I still somehow felt connected to her. That wasn’t normal. Even I knew that.

Just as I was about to catch the next set, the door to her trailer flung open and down the steps ran her little dog. The little black puffball did her business in the bushes next to the trailer and then plopped on her bed on the porch. Drew noticed her, too, as he caught the next wave, following it all the way in. He waved to her as he got out of the water.Charlee waved back and, damn, if a pang of jealousy didn’t flood my insides.

I took the next wave in, jamming my board into the sand and sat next to Drew.

“Guess she’s alive,” he said evenly.

“Guess so,” I replied, not quite present in the conversation. I was contemplating whether I should see how she was doing now that she had emerged from her trailer. If I didn’t, would she think I was rude? I wondered if she had thought about me at all.

“So?” Drew pressed.

“Huh?” I had completely missed what he was asking.

He rolled his eyes and punched me on the shoulder. “Lunch, dude. Do you want to go to the café or go into town?”

“Café,” I blurted immediately. I could bring her a coffee and pastry on the way back, giving me the perfect reason to visit her without seeming obtrusive.

Drew chuckled. “Alright. As is?” He waved his hand across his wetsuit.

“Clothes.” Eating lunch in a wetsuit was not the most comfortable.

After we changed, we took the beach trail to the café, hoping Charlee might be on her porch, but was disappointed when I discovered she had slipped back into her trailer while we were getting dressed.

At lunch, Drew went on about another beach spot some of the surfers were bragging about yesterday. He wanted to check it out.

I was barely listening until he said, “We could leave tomorrow. They have a campsite across the street.”

I snapped my head up from my plate. “Leave?” The question came out more like a cat shrieking than an audible human sound.

“Yeah.” Drew nodded. “The surf sounds awesome, and this place has worn its welcome.”

“Don’t you mean we have outwornourwelcome?”

“Whatever. You know what I mean.” He shoved a fry into his mouth.

Leave?It seemed unfathomable right now.

Drew polished off the rest of his burger. “Look, Levi.” He rarely called me by my name. I often wondered if he even remembered it. “I get it. She’s hot and wounded and your caveman instincts to save her are screaming at you right now, but you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. She needs towanthelp. Without that piece to the puzzle, you are just a passing nuisance.”

And didn’t I know that firsthand? Here I was, sitting on a beach with Drew completely evading my responsibilities and commitments.

With the help of Beverly, I split from Drew with Charlee’s favorite latte and pastry in hand. He wanted nothing to do with my weak attempt for attention. Again, I stood one step outside the invisible boundary to Charlee’s site, but my fear of rejection was debilitating, and suddenly all the courage I had ten minutes ago faded.

This is absurd.

Just as I was about to head back to my campsite, the door opened and out ran her dog again. This time the puffball ran straight to me and pawed my legs. It was so small she only reached the middle of my shin. I bent down and scratched her head.

“You’re lurking again,” Charlee accused from her doorway, crossing her arms as she leaned on the doorframe.

She looked refreshed and she was smiling. This time, it was big enough to show off a faint dimple in her left cheek.

I straightened up and waved the treats in the air. “I brought you coffee and sustenance.” Her dog ran to her bed by the trailer steps and sat.

Charlee took a careful step down, holding tightly to the side rail. I felt like a total jerk for not offering to take her to urgent care when I noticed her foot in an oversized black boot. I had wanted to offer, but she shut us down so fast the other day that I didn’t insist.

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