Rough Waters

by Nikki Godwin

  “Yes,” I say immediately. “Completely yes.”

  “Thank God,” A.J. says. “I wasn’t going to let you turn it down anyway. Can you guys all come to Joe’s tomorrow night? He’s calling the Hooligans. He wanted us to all have a say in Drenaline Surf’s future.”

  Reed says he’ll be there no matter what. Alston and I are bums, so of course we’ll be there. We have nowhere else to be…ever. At least now I’ll have a full-time job doing something I truly want to do. I just have to break the whole no-college news to my parents. College will always be there later. Drenaline Surf may not.

  Back in my bedroom, I dig through my purse for Topher’s envelope. A.J. got in the car too quickly for me to have a chance to really read it. I lock the door before I settle in to examine it. When I pull the contract out, another paper falls to the floor.

  The contract on top is dated last week with Vin’s signature. I reach for the fallen paper, retrieve it, and see that it’s also a Drenaline Surf contract – undated, with Jake McAllister’s signature. The terms of the sponsorship read exactly the same – the promotions, the payments, the little extras that none of the other contracts have.

  I’ve never seen a Drenaline Surf contract that was longer than one year. Drenaline Surf isn’t Hurley or Quiksilver. “We don’t sign on to sponsor a surfer long-term. You never know what can happen.” That was Vin’s motto. He always played it safe.

  But Vin didn’t set these terms. It wasn’t his decision to sign Topher for five years or to pay him more than any other Drenaline Surf surfer. This was Shark’s doing – and this is Vin honoring those wishes.

  I flip to the second page of the contract, which Topher hasn’t signed. A string of lime green sticky notes is plastered to it. Vin’s handwriting is one of a kind.

  Topher – I know you think I always tried to hold you back. Maybe I did. Who knows. This was never my decision to make. You were always meant to be Drenaline Surf’s first signed surfer. You were just too young. Taylor was a test run for you. That was Jake’s plan all along. This was his plan for you. It’s not mine to decide. It’s not mine to hold back either. I think he always knew that you’d be the next Shark McAllister. I was just afraid you’d end up where he is. So just be careful. And please buy a new truck with your sign-on money. Yours won’t hold out another year. Trust me – I know these things. I’m proud of you, even if you don’t believe it. Love you, Vin

  My heart softens for just a moment. I put aside all the anger, neglect, and hurt that I felt this summer from Vin and try to remember him as he was before – when he was excited about expanding Drenaline Surf and doing big things, when he’d lie down and die for his brother, when he did all he could to keep Shark’s dream alive and A.J. out of jail. Maybe the pressure of Drenaline Surf and Shark’s legacy really did wear him down. And maybe I can forgive him for all he did to me.

  But I can’t let it go that he abandoned Topher. That’s where all the anger and sadness stems from for me. He left Topher, and that’s unforgivable.

  Stone consumes my heart again, refusing to let me feel another moment of weakness for Vin. He’s gone. The only people I’ll focus on now are the ones who are still here, whether that’s on land or in the Pacific Ocean. Right now, the only thing that should be on my mind is Topher Brooks, and more importantly, why he didn’t sign this contract.

  My cell phone wakes me up the next morning. The sunshine pours into the room and casts a blue glow through Solomon. Topher waited until after the sun was up…barely.

  “Good morning,” he says when I answer.

  “Hey you,” I say, refusing to get out of my bed. I turn over to avoid the sunlight. “I have a question. You didn’t sign your contract.”

  “Um, I know it’s early, but that’s not a question,” Topher says through the earpiece. “And yeah, I know I haven’t. I, um…don’t…I don’t know if I’m ready.”

  Did he seriously just say he doesn’t know if he’s ready? He’s been ready since the first time Shark put him on a surfboard! This is his life. This is his dream. He was literally handed everything he ever wanted. Miles says something in the background about ‘better get fucking ready.’ I agree with Miles.

  “So, uh, you are coming to Joe’s tonight, right? For the Drenaline Surf meeting thing?” Topher asks, his words rushing together.

  “Way to change the subject and avoid conversation, Topher,” I say. I pull the blankets up because the sun is still too bright. It’s also too early to argue with him. I’ll let him have this one.

  He laughs through the phone. “So that means I’ll see you tonight?”

  “See you tonight,” I say.

  I toss the phone aside and force myself to get up. I’m not a morning person, but once this PR job gets underway, I’ll be following surfers around at the crack of dawn, just like the day of the Sunrise Valley Tournament. It wasn’t so bad then, though. It’s definitely better than I imagine any other job being. And even if it’s not official, I’m starting my job right now.

  Dexter runs from the shoreline toward the house when I step onto the back patio. The lights are off inside, which means Colby is still out there amongst the waves. I let myself in with A.J.’s key and entertain myself with SurfTube on Colby’s flat screen for the next hour while I wait for his return.

  When he comes home, he lingers on the back patio for a few minutes, taking off wet clothes and motioning through the glass door for me to turn around and not look. I wonder if he strips down on his back patio every morning. It’s a miracle the surf paparazzi haven’t snapped it yet.

  “What are you doing creeping in my house?” he asks as he walks inside, a towel around his waist.

  “I expected to see boxes and moving trucks,” I say.

  “Well, you can’t just sell a house and get it out of your name overnight,” he says. “Some things are going to take a little time. I’m not a miracle worker.”

  He tells me he’s going to go put some clothes on and disappears into the back bedroom. He comes back out wearing board shorts and a Drenaline Surf T-shirt. Seriously? This guy was meant for Drenaline Surf. He sits next to me.

  “Did you hear about Vin?” I ask.

  He nods. “A.J. told me about it. I know we never really saw eye-to-eye, and he thought I was a fuck up, but I didn’t want him to bail on the place. Or his brother, for that matter. I never thought Vin would leave. Horn Island is in his blood.”

  “I know,” I say. “Drenaline Surf is going to go through some major changes. You should come to the meeting at Joe’s house tonight. In fact, you should talk to Joe about what’s going on. He’s going to need all the help he can get with the store, and he knows your intentions are honest.”

  Colby hesitates for a moment, almost like he’s considering it, but then he shakes his head. “I can’t, Haley. I’ve ruined Drenaline Surf. I wanted to make Shark proud,” he says. “I wanted him to have a store that had a solid reputation and a surfer to back it up. I wish I was the same guy I was when I walked into his store. I still had hope back then.”

  I wish he could see that he is the same guy who walked into Drenaline Surf three years ago. He has the same heart, drive, and motivation that he had when he was eighteen, homeless, and broke. I know Shark gave him a chance, and Shark’s reputation helped build Colby’s career, but Colby earned everything he has with his talent and his passion.

  “You still have a chance to fix things,” I tell him. “Come to the meeting tonight.”

  He looks at me with sad eyes. “Haley, I have to turn over a check before five o’clock today. My deadline is before that meeting. I’m sorry, but this is honestly the best thing I can do for Drenaline Surf at this point. If I show up, it’ll be to hand over a resignation letter.”

  With that, the Drenaline Surf family loses another member, and my heart shatters. I don’t care what anyone says. I’ll be Team Colby always.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The usual suspects are all at Joe’s house when I arrive. I park next to Ja
ce’s truck and peer through the windows from a distance before getting out of my car. I feel a bit awkward about having us all in one room since Reed said he and Topher never really talked again after Shark’s death until that party last summer. Then again, we were all there in the hospital waiting room when Topher nearly drowned. Maybe it won’t be so bad.

  Reed parks behind me, so I wait for him and Alston before going inside. I never thought I’d be so dependent on my roommates, but Reed and Alston feel safe. A.J. feels safe. The rest of my world? It’s in shambles.

  My legs actually shake with nerves as we ascend Joe’s steps to the front porch. The screen door is shut, but the front door stands wide open. For this to be such a solemn situation, everyone seems to be in good spirits. Topher, Miles, and Kale stand in a huddle discussing what I’m sure is something to do with Hurley. Their backs are turned to me, so I assume they don’t notice our arrival.

  A tiny brunette pops up over Miles’s shoulder, facing us, and waves all too happily. I can’t help cracking a smile. I wonder if Emily is even aware that Vin is gone. She has to be. She dates Miles, and Miles knows everything in Topher’s life. She should not be that happy, especially standing with the oh-so-abandoned Topher.

  I follow Reed and wedge myself between him and Alston on a couch. Jace and Theo sit on two barstools close by. Reed makes small talk with Jace about Strickland’s Boating and the music store where Jace works. I wish A.J. was here already, but Mr. Manager had to shut the store down.

  I scan the room to see who we’re lacking. Colby is a no-show. I don’t know why I thought he might be here. He’s probably in a meeting with his parents and their lawyer or filling out paperwork to change his name again. I just truly believed, deep down in my lungs or somewhere, that he’d have this moment of realization and speed toward Horn Island. It was a fool’s hope to think it’d happen.

  A tanned brunette stands off to the side talking to Joe. I can’t quite place him just from seeing his silhouette. I lean in toward Alston, hoping only he will hear me.

  “Who’s the guy talking to Joe?” I whisper.

  Alston looks at me. “Seriously? That’s Logan,” he whispers back.

  Idiotic is an understatement for how I feel. Aside from the day I met him, I haven’t seen him so up close and personal. I kept a distance from him at Drenaline Surf’s celebration sale, for Topher’s sake, and I completely avoided him at the Sunrise Valley Tournament. Honestly, I don’t even know Logan Riley, and I’m about to start managing his career. That’s one hell of a note.

  Once A.J. arrives, everyone gathers around, and we play musical chairs because Miles has to be in the middle of Emily and Topher, and A.J. demanded that I sit by him. We’re worse than preschoolers. Joe asks if everyone is here, and aside from Colby, we are. I almost ask him to wait a little longer, but I know Colby Taylor isn’t going to show.

  “Well, we all know why we’re here,” Joe begins. “I don’t want us to dwell on what we’ve lost, though. Tonight, I want us to look ahead and see where we want to go. We’re all a part of this, which is why you’re here tonight.”

  I don’t know how he does it. His only son is ashes in the ocean, his son’s best friend just abandoned us, and his son’s protégé doesn’t know if he’s ready to sign a Drenaline Surf contract. Yet Joe stands before us, speaking wisely and with motivation. It’s like he’s been here before.

  “Let’s just dive into this,” Joe says. “We were looking at opening a second location between the store and Sunrise Valley. This will require a lot of training, hiring new employees, and a lot more paperwork. I want to know what you guys think – should we move forward or hold off for now?”

  As much as I want to glance around and read everyone’s faces, I don’t move. Instead, I wait for someone else to speak up first. I’m relieved when someone does.

  “Let’s do it,” Jace says. “The music store is going under, and I’m about to be out of a job. I’ll take it on. If you think about it, A.J., Topher, and Haley could run a store on their own. We have a training team. I can step into Vin’s position.”

  I almost laugh because that night at Toledo’s Bistro and Lounge, I entertained the idea of Jace running the store. And here he is, standing in Joe’s living room in ripped jeans and a Sebastian’s Shadow T-shirt, offering to run two stores.

  “A.J. can train me, and I can manage the other store,” Alston says, catching me and my other two roommates off guard. He turns to A.J. “No offense, dude, but if you can do it, then I know I can.”

  A.J. flips him off but laughs. I hope this doesn’t mean Alston will move out. Yeah, the silences with him are awkward, and he’s an outright diva, but he’s my fashion consultant who breaks down guy code and deciphers messages for me. I sort of need him to stay in our household.

  As Joe talks about plans for the second store, lights sweep across the room. I don’t even look outside. I know whose truck that is. Colby is here. It takes everything me in to stay planted like an anchor and not run to him with open arms, thanking him for showing up. He slips in the door, motions for Joe not to stop his meeting, and sits away from us at the dining room table.

  Fifteen minutes later, after Logan goes home and Miles takes Emily to get the strawberry milkshake he promised her, I make a dash for Colby. He glances around the room at everyone else before he speaks.

  “Let’s walk outside,” he says, keeping his voice low.

  We manage to slip out without being noticed. Bugs fly around the porch light, like many moons orbiting a single planet. He motions toward his truck and lets the tailgate down when we get to it. He holds an envelope in his hand – the resignation letter.

  “Is that what I think it is?” I ask as I sit next to him.

  He laughs. “My resignation letter for Drenaline Surf? Yeah. Since you’re technically the PR rep-slash-agent, I figured I should turn it in to you.”

  I reach across him and grab the envelope from his other hand. I’m terrified to read it, but at the same time, I want to see what kind of lame ass excuse he used for wanting to breach his contract and be let go from Drenaline Surf. I open the envelope to a hundred pieces of tiny, shredded paper instead.

  “What the hell?” I ask. “Is this a joke?”

  He shakes his head. “That was my resignation letter…until I talked to Joe this morning. You know, you weren’t supposed to tell a Hooligan about the lawsuit, but I’m glad you did. Topher went with me to talk to Joe about it, and he’s already hired me a lawyer, someone Reed’s family knows. We’re going to fight until the very end.”

  This morning? Colby was planning to stay when he talked to me. He let me sit there in his living room begging him not to give up when he was already staying. No wonder he hadn’t packed or called a moving truck to come in.

  “So you just let me ramble on this morning, begging you to chase your dream and all that crap?” I ask, annoyed.

  Colby shrugs. “You were creeping in my house. I figured you had a big speech prepared. I didn’t want to steal your thunder. There is one condition, though, as far as staying with Drenaline Surf goes. The only person I want handling my career is you. I’ve already told Joe. He said there was no better option. So if you’re in, I’m in.”

  “Well, I guess this is the start of our forever then,” I say. “I’m in.”

  After the Hooligans leave and my roommates head home, I linger around with Joe and Topher to return Topher’s envelope. I watch as Joe shares his excitement with Topher over the future possibilities for Drenaline Surf. For him, that store is what remains of his son, and to see it thrive and live on is sort of like seeing Shark live on. The hell with grief – I hate that I never knew Shark McAllister.

  Topher walks across the room and wraps me up in a tight hug. “I’m really glad you’re here,” he says.

  “I had to return this to you,” I say. I pull away and hand him the envelope with his contracts.

  He sighs. “You’re all about business these days, Haley. All about the PR and the contracts
. You need to loosen up a little bit, and I’m going to make you.”

  He takes the envelope and walks over to Joe’s dining room table. “Just so you know,” he says. “I bought a tie.”

  My heart skips three beats. He bought a tie. Topher bought a tie. That means…

  “Do you have a pen?” he asks, unfolding the contracts.

  Joe walks over, hands Topher a pen, and watches him scribble his name on the dotted line of not only the new contract but the original one Shark wrote up for him. Topher caps the pen and smiles.

  And Joe says exactly what we’re all thinking. “It’s about damn time.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  It’s taken a year, but I’ve finally accepted that in Crescent Cove, you can party or celebrate any damn night of the week. So it doesn’t matter if Topher and I are celebrating on a Tuesday night. That’s just how we roll.

  Topher is officially a sponsored surfer through Drenaline Surf, and he’s signing an endorsement with Ocean Blast Energy next week. They finally get their poster boy, and he finally gets to surf with Shark’s store’s logo on his wetsuit and boards. His dream is a reality, and in a way, Shark’s dream is a reality. Even my dream is a reality. I get to be a part of the best moment in Drenaline Surf history.

  “Are you seriously wearing that?” A.J. asks from the doorway.

  I hesitate and reexamine A’s little black dress in the mirror. It’s a perfect fit. It’s flirty and sexy and fun, just like Alston said before. It shimmers, and tonight is all about shimmery moments.

  “Yes, I’m seriously wearing this,” I say, reaching for my lip gloss.

  I run the clear gloss over my lips and try not to regret the sparkly eyeshadow that Emily gave me. I’m usually not so glitzy. Maybe it is too much sparkle. A.J.’s right. I can’t wear this.