by E. L. Todd
“I’m going to miss you,” Cheyenne said.
Derek raised an eyebrow. “I’ll be gone for a weekend.”
“But you’ll still be off the island,” she said. “It’s weird.”
“Are you trying to get an invite?” Derek asked.
“No…”
“Well, I have to get this chick so I need alone time with her. Sorry.”
She sighed.
The waiter brought the tab and set it on the table. Derek opened it and threw in the cash for his food. Cheyenne and Ryder didn’t reach for the tab. Derek ate his fries while he waited to see what Ryder would do.
Ryder reached into his back pocket then made a face. He leaned toward Cheyenne. “Baby, I forgot my wallet.”
“Oh, it’s okay. I got it,” she said.
Derek felt the explosion inside his body. He knew Ryder was lying. There was no doubt. Derek looked at his sister and shook his head. She met his gaze but silently commanded him to be quiet.
“So, you can’t afford to pay your electricity bill but you can afford dinner?” Derek asked. “While this fucker lives at home with his momma?”
“Derek!” Cheyenne said.
Derek glared at Ryder. “You’re a piece of shit.”
“I forgot my wallet,” Ryder said. “Honestly. I’ll pay her back when I get home.”
Cheyenne tucked her credit card inside the tab but Derek pulled it out.
“My sister isn’t paying for this,” he said, putting more money inside. “And I don’t want your money, asshole.”
“Derek, keep your voice down,” Cheyenne said.
Derek threw his napkin on the table and stood up. Cheyenne followed him, Ryder trailing behind.
When Derek reached his truck, Cheyenne grabbed him.
“You are being ridiculous right now,” Cheyenne said.
He jerked his arm away. “I gave him a chance and he blew it.”
“It was an honest mistake.”
Derek looked at Ryder, who was standing near her car, his back to them. It was dark but Derek could see his pants. There was a noticeable bulge in the back pocket. He marched to him then grabbed his wallet from the back pocket. Derek grabbed Cheyenne and held the wallet to her face. “HE IS A FUCKING LIAR!” He threw the wallet down then grabbed Ryder by the face, punching him in the jaw. “Get away from my sister or I’ll fucking kill you.”
Ryder fell to the ground then got back to his feet. “I didn’t know it was in there.”
“So you didn’t notice it when you sat down. Don’t fucking insult me.”
Cheyenne said nothing, seeing the wallet on the ground.
Derek turned to her. “This relationship is over. I mean it. You will not date him. I won’t allow it.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she said weakly.
“Don’t be fucking stupid. If you can’t see that this guy is a loser, then I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with you. I don’t like him, I never will. You’re done with him.”
“Derek—”
“I’m your brother. Boyfriends come and go, but I’m your man for life. I will not allow you to date him. Dad is turning over in his grave right now.”
Her eyes started to well up.
“The next time I see you, you better tell me it’s over.” He stared her down, waiting for her to say something.
A tear fell down her cheek but Derek felt no remorse.
Derek turned to his truck then slammed the door shut. When he left, he drove faster than he meant to. He didn’t go home. Instead, he went to the beach. After he parked his truck, he sat in the sand and stared at the waves, trying to calm down. Taking care of his sister was harder than he thought it was going to be. He loved her so much and she deserved to have the best. It broke his heart to see her with a pathetic loser. He couldn’t take it. It was his worst nightmare. He acted like his sister was a pain in the ass, but he loved her with his whole heart. Now he felt bad for his father since he had to raise her. Derek never wanted to have girls. The revelation made Derek hate himself even more for what he did to Nancy. He and Ryder weren’t that different, but at least Derek learned from his mistakes.
He tried to clear his head while he listened to the waves, but he still felt upset. If his sister kept dating him, got knocked up and married him, Derek would have a breakdown. She was his responsibility and he couldn’t let that happen. His father would be so disappointed in him if he didn’t stop it.
“Bad day?”
He looked up and saw Paola. “You could say that.”
She was wearing a yellow dress that reached her thighs. It was tight around her chest. The threaded bracelet she wore the other day was around her wrist. The sun was almost gone so it was dark, but he could still see the beauty of her face. Unfortunately, he was too angry to notice.
She came next to him. “Can I join you?”
He nodded.
She sat down next to him, her arm brushing his. Paola dug her feet into the sand. Derek noticed the toe ring she wore. She was always covered in jewelry. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“It’s not safe to be on the beach after sunset.”
“Then why are you here?” he snapped.
Her eyes widened at his remark.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I’m taking my angry out on you. I take it back.”
She stared at the ocean and crossed her legs.
“Why are you here?” he asked.
“The same reason as you. The ocean cleanses my emotions. It’s the only time I feel at peace.”
He nodded. “I understand your meaning. Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
Derek felt stupid for asking. He hardly knew her. “Are you excited for San Diego?”
“What do you mean?”
“The competition next week.”
“How’d you know about that?” She brought her knees to her chest and tucked her hands under her dress, blocking the view of her underwear. Derek glanced down, hoping for a peek. When he looked at her legs, he felt hot all over. Her hair moved in the breeze and he had the desire to touch her. His dream came back to him and he wondered how her breasts really felt. “Hello?”
“Huh?”
She raised an eyebrow. “How’d you know about the competition?”
“Oh. Because I’m going too.”
“Are you the winner of the men’s division?”
“That’s me,” he said with a nod.
She stared at him for a moment before she looked away.
“I’m excited. Are you?”
“I’m nervous. I’m always nervous.”
“Why?” he asked. “You’re amazing.”
“Thank you. But it just shakes my nerves. And I know people in San Diego.”
“It’s always good to be surrounded by friends. I’d bring mine along if I could.”
She looked out at the ocean.
“What are you thinking?” he blurted.
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry,” he said quickly. “I tend to speak before I think.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“I’m glad we’re going together. Perhaps you can teach me a few things. You’re definitely the stronger surfer.”
“I’m offended that there’s a separate category for women. I think women are as good as men. In some sports, like football, hockey, and basketball, the sex matters. But in surfing, it doesn’t.”
“I agree.”
She smiled. “We’ll get along just fine.”
The sight of her stretched lips made his heart race. Her eyes were brighter than usual and her teeth were perfectly straight. The look she gave him made feel weak. No one ever knocked the wind out of him with just a look.
“So, why do you want to be a doctor?” he asked.
“Lots of reasons,” she said. “But mainly, I just want to help people. When my mom died, her do
ctor wasn’t compassionate or caring at all. It was obvious that he didn’t care about his work, just his paycheck. In that moment I knew I wanted to help people. I could do a much better job than most.”
He felt his heart squeeze painfully. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered.
“Thank you.”
“May I ask how she died?”
“Cancer.”
He nodded. “My parents were killed in a car accident. A drunk driver hit them dead on.” The words flew out of his mouth before he could stop them. He never told anyone that before. When people asked about his family, he was always vague. Every holiday, he and his sister would spend time together, but it couldn’t erase the emptiness they both felt.
Her eyes softened when she looked at him. Her hand reached out and grabbed his. As soon as their hands touched, the air left his lungs, making him feel paralyzed. He stiffened, feeling her smooth skin against his own. The touch sent electricity through his arm, making him feel faint and dizzy. The touch was gentle and innocent, but he felt floored. After a moment of shock, he reciprocated her touch, feeling her fingers with his.
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” she whispered.
“Thank you,” he said as he looked in her eyes.
She pulled her hand away and Derek thought he would scream. He never felt more connected to someone than he did in that moment. The first time he made love to Nancy, he felt something between them, but just touching Paola’s hand gave him a greater feeling than any other.
She returned her hand to her knees, and Derek resisted the temptation to grab it again.
“Are you planning to go to medical school on the island?”
She nodded. “There’s one on the big island. But I’m not sure if I’ll ever do it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I love surfing. It’s something I’m passionate about, something I’m meant to do. If I continue to pursue this, I won’t have time to go to school for eight more years.”
“Eight years?” Derek asked, shocked. “That’s insane.”
“So, I’m thinking about being a nurse instead.”
“That’s also honorable.”
“It is, but it’s not the same. I want to call the shots, not take the orders. Most of the time, people do things the easy way, not the right way. I want that control.”
“You can’t do both?”
“No, it would have to be one or the other, especially since I’m traveling all the time.”
“I think you’ll be happy with whatever you choose,” he said.
She nodded. “I have all my classes done and I already took my MCAT. That’s out of the way.”
“How’d you do?”
She looked at the sand. “Well.”
Derek liked how humble she was. She didn’t directly say it, but he knew she was very smart, an overachiever like Sydney. The fact she downplayed her intelligence and accomplishments made him even more obsessed with her. Now that he had her by his side, he didn’t want her to leave. He wasn’t sure what he did to make her talk to him. She easily could have just walked by and he wouldn’t have noticed her. Maybe Sydney knew what she was talking about after all.
“My dream is to be a pro surfer,” Derek said. “Most of my friends say I need to stay in school because there’s no guarantee I’ll be successful. But I feel like I should take a leap of faith.”
She nodded. “It can be tempting. And you’re very good.”
His cheeks blushed. “Thank you.”
“But I think your friends are right. If you are almost done with your degree, you may as well finish it. You’ll always have that to fall back on. And if you get injured, you could still be involved on the business side of it or be a coach. A college education can only help.”
“You’re very wise,” he said with a smile.
She laughed.
Derek felt his spine shiver when he listened to her. It was beautiful, slightly high-pitched. Her mouth stretched in a smile and all he could think about was kissing her, pushing her back on the sand and pressing his mouth over hers.
She looked at him. “My friends would say the exact opposite, that I’m too spontaneous and adventurous.”
“Why can’t you be both?”
She shrugged. “Risk taking isn’t usually associated with wisdom.”
“Maybe to those who’ve never experienced anything.”
She stared at him then rested her chin on her hand.
Derek took advantage of the moment to stare at her. He had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. It was like she wasn’t real. How had he never seen her before? “Do you have a boyfriend?” he blurted. Derek cringed when he realized what he said. Now that it was too late, he waited for her answer. He prayed it was no.
Paola tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “No.”
Derek breathed a sigh of relief, doing a happy dance in his mind. He was going to be her next boyfriend. He was the first one in line and he wasn’t going to let anyone cut in front of him. “Do you want to get a drink or some food?”
Paola didn’t look at him. She clenched her toes then extended them. The yellow nail polish was starting to chip. “I should go. I still need to get ready for tomorrow.”
Derek felt his heart fall. The rejection stung him painfully. It didn’t just feel like he lost a date, but he lost everything. He wanted to ask her out for another night, but he knew she’d say no. “Have a good night,” he whispered.
She grabbed her purse and left his side. He stared at the ocean, feeling worse than when he arrived.
7
“You look miserable,” Coen said.
“So do you,” Derek snapped.
Coen sighed. “Well, I haven’t had sex in almost a week. I’m a little irritated.”
“You could have sex whenever you want,” Sydney reminded him.
Coen glared at her but said nothing.
“What’s wrong?” Henry asked.
“I just didn’t have a good night last night,” Derek said.
“What happened?” Ren asked.
They were sitting in the cafeteria for lunch. Derek suspected Paola was somewhere nearby but he didn’t look. There was no point in torturing himself over her.
“My sister is dating a loser,” Derek said. “I told her to break up with him but I’m not sure if she will.”
“What’d he do?” Coen asked.
“We went out to dinner and he said he forgot his wallet so my sister would pay. I saw his wallet in his back pocket so I knew he was lying.” Derek sighed. “It’s not that big of a deal, but I can tell he’s an ass.”
“It is a big deal,” Henry snapped. “If some guy did that to my sister, I would flip the fuck out. I totally understand your feelings.”
“Thanks,” Derek said. “I punched him in the face and told Cheyenne not to date him anymore. She better.”
“Hook her up with Bryce,” Henry said. “He said she was cute.”
“I would love to,” Derek said. “But I got to get rid of this douchebag first. And I don’t think Cheyenne would go for it.”
“Is he abusive to her?” Sydney asked hesitantly.
“No, not that I know of,” Derek said. “If he were, I would have killed him and tossed his body in the ocean.”
“And I would have helped,” Coen said.
Derek nodded. “And I talked to Paola last night.”
“You did?” Sydney said. “How’d that go?”
“Terrible,” Derek said. “After talking to her for an hour, I’m like obsessed with her. I think about her all the time, I dream about her…I’m totally hooked.”
“Ask her out,” Coen said.
“I did…” Derek said. “She turned me down.”
“Oh,” Sydney said. “Sorry.”
“And we’re going to San Diego this weekend,” Derek said. “I’ll be stuck with her.”
“That’s when you get her to fall in love with you,” Henry said. “Take advantage of it.”
Co
en nodded. “Do it. Be a gentleman, listen to her, and then make sure she sees you with your shirt off.”
Sydney eyed him suspiciously. “Is that why you had your shirt off when we first trained together?”
He smiled. “Maybe.”
She shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“You liked it, right?”
Sydney looked away.
“Like you didn’t wear a dress on our first date so I wouldn’t have a hard-on the whole time,” Coen said.
“You guys should go home and have sex,” Henry said. “I’m being serious. Now all you do is fight. The sex balances out your tempers and attitudes. “
Coen looked at her. “That depends on Sydney…”
She sighed then looked away. Her tears welled up. “I’m going crazy…”
Coen looked alarmed. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She blinked back the tears.
He grabbed her face and kissed her tears. “Please don’t cry.”
“I’m not,” she whispered.
“What did I do?”
“How is it so easy for you not have sex? I’m going crazy. It’s not just the sexual experience I miss. I don’t feel connected to you anymore, like our relationship is changing.”
Coen kissed her forehead. “I forfeit. You win, baby.”
“What?”
“Let’s go home. I need to be with you.”
“I have class in an hour.”
“Let’s do it in the back of the truck.”
“You’re being crazy.”
“I’m crazy for taking this stupid bet. I’m sorry, baby. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Henry extended his palm.
Derek sighed then handed him the cash.
“Thank you,” Henry said.
Coen pulled her to a stand. “I’m so sorry. Let’s go.” He turned to grab their bags, and Sydney smiled at everyone, looking triumphant.
Henry’s mouth dropped and Derek’s eyes widened.
Coen grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the cafeteria.
“She got him good,” Ren said as she clapped her hands. “That was awesome.”
“He walked right into that, didn’t he?” Derek said.
Henry nodded. “As long as I’m fifty dollars richer, I don’t care. Now I can take my girl out.”