I can see Asher’s jaw drop out of my peripheral vision but I don’t turn in his direction. His mother is holding a napkin to her mouth trying not to smile.
“Is there anything else you would like to know?” I ask in a sickeningly sweet voice.
“No. I think you covered everything I need to know about you. Maggie.”
Walking away from my own flesh and blood was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some pompous jackass talk down to me. This guy has some serious issues. I’m sure he thinks I’m not good enough for his son.
The conversation slowly picks back up between Asher and his mother but Arthur doesn’t say another word. I interject a comment here or there but don’t have the energy to keep up a steady dialogue. I don’t think I have ever been more ready for a meal to end.
Once we get back to the house, Ana and Arthur head upstairs. I go straight for my bedroom but before I can get the door open, Asher grabs my arm.
“Hey, I’m really sorry about my dad. That wasn’t about you, I promise. We had a long talk before dinner about school. I don’t want to get into it but I’m super proud of you for standing up to him at dinner. That was really rude of him.”
“Asher, you don’t owe me an apology. You can’t control your father. I don’t blame you. But I think I’m starting to understand what you meant about people having their own trials and hardships.” I look up into his soft, brown eyes giving him the supportive smile he needs.
“Thanks Maggie. Come check out my room before you go to bed?”
“Ugh. I am so tired. Can’t I see it in the morning?”
“Please Maggie. Pretty please.” He sticks his bottom lip out slightly, making the cutest face.
“Ok. Fine.”
He wraps his arm around my shoulder leading me down the hall and into his bedroom. I don’t think we’ve ever been this close before. His embrace doesn’t feel flimsy or relaxed, he has a secure hold on my body making me feel things I haven’t felt in over a year. Of course he smells incredible too which doesn’t help my sudden desire to stay next to him. The minute we cross the threshold to his room I step away pretending to be interested in his posters. Every inch of wall space is covered in pictures of surfing. Some just have huge waves cresting at enormous peaks while others highlight the actual surfer catching an amazing ride.
“Go sit on the bed. I want you to see something.” After giving him a suspicious look, I cave and sit down on the very edge of his bed. That’s when he turns the light off. My heart starts racing wildly, wondering what in the world he has in mind. My imagination takes over for a split second, picturing him finding me in the dark and putting his lips on mine. Then I’m brought back to reality when suddenly there is light again. It’s a graceful beam shining on his walls from the corner of the room, almost in a circular pattern. After a few seconds I recognize the sound of the ocean. Then I get it. The light is emulating waves over every surface in his room. There must be a sound machine creating the soothing rhythm of wave after wave brushing against the sand. Beautiful.
“Wow. Just wow. That’s truly amazing. I love it.”
“Really?”
“How could I not?”
“My dad hates it. I’m surprised he didn’t remove it while I was gone.”
“I’m sure your mother would never allow that. She seems to understand you and accept you for the free spirited person you are.”
“She is my saving grace. Without her, I don’t know what kind of person I would be.”
“I understand more than you will ever know. Thanks for showing me your room. I gotta get to bed. I’m exhausted.”
“Ok. But remember that I will be getting you up at 5 am for your first surfing lesson.”
“On Thanksgiving Day? Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
I give him a very audible huff to show my dissatisfaction with his plans before heading back to my room. I collapse on the bed with one last thought running through my mind. I guess we aren’t that different after all.
Chapter Nine
At precisely 5 am there is a soft knock on my door. I’m surprised I even heard it because it usually takes a whole army of alarms to wake me. I groggily ask what he wants before I hear the creak of a door opening. Before I can open my eyes, I feel the dip in the bed.
“Come on sleepy head. Let’s hit some waves before breakfast.”
“Go away. I want to sleep.” He gently places his hand on my shoulder nudging me softly. For some reason the warmth that shoots through my body at his touch wakes me faster than anything ever has. “Ok. Ok. I’m up. Get out so I can get dressed.”
Once I’m certain that he has left the room, I get out of bed. I quickly brush my teeth, throw on a one piece swimsuit (no need to lose my bikini top in the ocean) and put my hair into a ponytail. I’m ready and waiting by the front door within five minutes. We climb into a jeep that I didn’t notice last night. It was parked on the other side of his father’s expensive looking Mercedes. Two surf boards are sticking out the back end which only makes me giddy with the idea of actually getting to swim in the ocean today.
Asher told me that we weren’t going far today because I needed gentler water when first learning. He hopes to take me to New Smyrna Inlet over the weekend, which according to him has some of the best waves around. I think his ambition is much higher than mine. I just want to be able to paddle out and stay on the board. Forget about actually catching a wave.
Once we arrive at the beach, I take a minute to soak it all in. It’s just after 5:30 in the morning, right before dawn. I can’t see too far out but I can hear the water swaying gently on the sand. Asher thought of everything, handing over a wetsuit.
“I hope you don’t mind using someone else’s gear. I borrowed this stuff from Dex’s little sister. She just started surfing so her board is perfect for you. You need a long one because it’s easier to paddle and keep your balance. Mine’s short because I’m more experienced.”
“I don’t mind. Thanks for thinking ahead. I’m actually really excited to learn how to surf. I’m trusting myself in your capable hands, sir.”
“Please don’t call me that. It reminds me of my dad. Just stick with Asher or boss.” He gives me a playful smile reassuring me that my comment didn’t affect his mood. After pulling the skin tight wet suit over my body, I head down to the beach. First we go over basics. I have to lay on the board resting against the soft sand to get a feel for what it’s like to be on my stomach paddling out into the ocean. Asher goes over how to stand up without losing my balance. After I feel confident enough to try the techniques in the water, we slowly immerse ourselves.
Once I get to a place where the water is above my waist, I climb onto my board and start paddling. Every time a wave comes, I have to stop paddling and push the front of my board down to get past the crest without being carried all the way back to the beach. When we finally make it to calm water, I’m so physically drained I can barely sit upright.
“Oh my gosh. No wonder you are in such great shape. That is one hell of a workout.”
“You get used to it. It’s always hard your first time out because you don’t know what to expect. When you get used to the rhythm of the water it gets easier. Trust me.”
The amount of time it took us to get just outside the break zone must have been about thirty minutes because the sun is finally coming up just over the horizon. The view is breathtaking. The water appears to go on forever while the sun looks as though it’s rising straight out of the water. It’s the most glorious sunrise I’ve ever seen. For a split second, I wish Vince was here with me. He would love this.
“Alright Wilson. You ready to catch a wave?”
The idea of trying to stand up on this thing is laughable but I agreed to give it a try. “Let’s do this!”
I follow his lead, watching first before trying it myself. The tiny ripples of water he calls waves are hardly intimidating. After a couple of tries, I am able to
stand up completely and ride the rest of the distance to the beach.
“That was great. You really got the hang of this. That was a great trim.”
“A what?”
“Sorry, I keep forgetting you don’t know the lingo. Trim just means that you traveled across the water at the right speed to maintain your position on your board. You’re a natural. Let’s go again.”
“Ok. Let’s go.” Although I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of paddling out again, I did enjoy the feel of practically floating on water. I could really get into this. After a couple more hours, it’s time to head back to the house. I want to help his mother with dinner preparations in their enormous kitchen, even though Asher said I didn’t have to. As soon as we get back, I climb into the shower that is tiled all the way up to the ceiling. After washing away all the sand and salt water, I quickly fix my hair and put some make-up on. I brought a nice, conservative, navy blue dress for Thanksgiving dinner. I walk out into the hall looking for Asher’s mother. After I round the corner, I nearly run right into his father.
“Umm…excuse me.” I say without looking up into his cold eyes.
“No, please excuse me. I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. I took my frustration with my son out on you when I shouldn’t have.”
“I accept your apology. Thank you.” For some crazy reason, his lips slowly lift into a smile.
“I think I might just like you.” That shocks the hell out of me. Talk about a complete 180. Maybe standing up for myself earned a little bit of respect. Whatever it was, I’ll take it.
“There you are. You know you don’t have to help me. You could go hang out with Asher in the game room. I think he’s watching a movie.” His mother has a very sweet disposition. I want to help but I also want to get to know her better.
“That’s ok. I already spent all morning with him. I’d like to help if you will let me.”
“Sure. That sounds really nice. Thank you.”
After demonstrating that I have some skill in the kitchen, Ana starts giving me more involved tasks. She had already put the turkey in the oven but we have stuffing, potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes and pies to make. We cook for hours until everything is just about ready. She calls Asher in to set the table while we put everything onto serving dishes. I try not to think of Martina but at one point it’s like a vice around my heart. I haven’t been in the kitchen with her in over a year. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. How much I missed her. I mean, Asher’s mom is great, really. But she is no Martina. The connection we have is so much more like a mother/daughter relationship. I wish I could go home to see her. But that would mean facing Vincent. Sadly, I’m just not ready for that.
We all gather around the table to share what we are thankful for instead of saying grace. I thank them all for having me and express my gratitude for the opportunity to come to Florida. Asher is grateful for living in a state where he can surf, to which I hear his father sigh. His mother is thankful that at least one son made it home for Thanksgiving. Her two older boys were too busy with work to make the trip. Arthur is thankful for a steady job. Predictable. After dinner is over, Asher offers to help his mom clean up. I decide to sneak off to my room and call the one person I want more than anything to talk to right now.
“Hi Martina. Happy Thanksgiving. I know you are probably busy but I just wanted you to know I was thinking about you.”
“Maggie! Happy Thanksgiving to you too! I hope you are enjoying your trip. There hasn’t been a single minute that has gone by today that I haven’t thought about you.” I sigh heavily into the phone.
“I love you, Martina.”
“I love you too, Maggie. Thank you for calling.”
“I don’t want to keep you, please tell everyone I said Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Okay. I will. Call me when you get back because I can’t wait to hear about Florida.”
Is it weird that I was holding my breath in between sentences, hoping against all odds that I would hear his voice in the background? But all I heard was water running, pots and pans clanging together, and desperation for something I once had.
After plugging my phone into the charger, I text Amanda and Heather. Then I have one more phone call to make.
“Hi Grandpa. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Hi Maggie. How is Florida treating you?”
“Pretty good. My friend took me surfing today. It was exciting and adventurous and so not like me. But I’m really glad I came. I think it’s good for me to start experiencing new things.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Just be careful out in the water. You don’t want to get attacked by sharks. They like to nibble on sweet, young girls.” I can’t help but giggle at his light-hearted teasing.
“How was your day?”
“It was just how I like it, nice and quiet. I had my afternoon beer then cooked up a turkey leg with some potatoes and cream corn. I even had my famous apple dumplings for dessert.”
“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed Thanksgiving even if I couldn’t be there. I don’t want to keep you. I know how you hate talking on the phone. I love you.”
“I love you too, Maggie. Have fun playing in the ocean, just watch out for those sharks. And don’t forget about the jellyfish.”
“Okay Grandpa. I’ll keep my eye out.” A soft smile spreads across my lips as we banter back and forth. I love that man so much. I don’t know what my life would look like if he wasn’t in it.
I’m so worn out from surfing and cooking all day, I don’t even change out of my dress. I lay back on the bed thinking of family and what that word really means. I end up passing out well before 9 o’clock, so when the tapping wakes me up again at 5 am I’m well rested. I hop up and get ready, deciding on a bikini today. I didn’t realize I would have a wet suit yesterday to keep my body protected. Plus, it might be nice to lay out on the beach some today and get a tan.
“We’re going to drive down to New Smyrna Inlet today. The waves are much bigger and rougher than you experienced yesterday but I think you can handle it. You really showed some serious skill yesterday and picked things up much quicker than I thought you would.”
“Sounds good to me. I’m up for a challenge.”
If I only knew what I was saying, I would have smacked myself. Yesterday did little to prepare me for what was to come today. The waves were bigger and meaner. It took me twice as long to paddle out and I never made it to a standing position on my board before falling off. I did get to meet Dex and Seth. They could be clones of each other. To be honest, the three of them could be triplets. They all have long, blonde hair with slightly different variations in the color and tan skin with similarly built bodies. I am starting to see a trend with these guys, surfer bodies. I have to admit that I like what I’m seeing. The guys are just as laid back as Asher. They also helped me just as much, offering tips when I bailed. Which was often.
After several hours, I decide to take a break. Asher’s mom packed us lunch but the guys swore they weren’t hungry. I have my suspicions that they want to get Asher alone to grill him about our relationship. That is fine with me. After inhaling my sandwich, chips and re-hydrating, I spread my towel out to sunbathe in peace.
An hour later and I’m bored out of my mind. I sit up trying to find the guys on the water. That’s when it hits me. Like really hits me. Asher is riding a wave, probably the biggest I’ve seen all day. I don’t know how I know that it’s him, but I do. I watch his body turn, adjusting with such grace, to ride the wave perfectly. He looks like he’s home. This is his comfort zone. I notice his lean body through the fabric of the wet suit. Just knowing how ripped he is underneath is such a turn on. I knew I was attracted to him from the first day we met. I just tried to fight it because I didn’t want to get involved with anyone else.
After getting to know his genuine heart, enthusiasm for life, and all things Asher, how could I not want him? It takes him several more minutes to reach me on the beach, which only gives me more time
to enjoy the view.
“I’m starving. Dex and Seth are heading home. They’re wiped. You want to head back?”
“No. I want to give it another try, if that’s ok?”
“Sounds great to me. I could live in the water. Let me eat some lunch and chill for a while then we can head back out.”
It’s getting close to sunset by the time we paddle back out to the break zone. This is the part of the ocean that is calm, just past the cresting waves. I sit up on my board with my legs slung over either side. Asher does the same. We sit there in silence watching the sun go down. After a couple of minutes, he moves his board right next to mine. I feel his fingers interlacing with mine. I don’t pull away. Slowly, I look up into those soft, brown eyes. He is staring at me so intently I almost turn away. But then he reaches up to my face and places his hand on my jaw. He brushes my lips softly with his thumb. I let out a tiny breath, watching him inhale sharply at my reaction. Every fiber of my being comes to life. My body wants this. It wants him.
I lean in ever so slightly, waiting, never taking my eyes off his. He doesn’t say a word before his soft lips met mine. It is the most tender kiss I’ve ever experienced. He gently moves closer until it’s physically impossible to connect the way we really want to. My lips part as I open up for him. I feel the warmth of his breath mingling with mine. Everything about this moment screams intimacy. There isn’t a fire burning deep within, or a passionate mind blowing make out session going on. No. This is something much, much different. I can feel it deep down that I mean way more to Asher than I thought.
Even though my body is reacting to him, my heart feels empty. I really try to take control and move things along, running my hands up into his luscious hair, something I have wanted to do for weeks, trying to make this moment more heated than emotional. I fail miserably. This is quite possibly the most romantic moment in history and I just can’t move forward.
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