Sun-Kissed Summer

by Marta Brown

  “Right,” Ollie says, lifting his hand and brushing it through my hair, his breath floating across my cheek and leaving a flutter in my stomach in its wake. “We can do anything as long as we’re together.”

  “Actually, I beg to differ,” Brad says from behind me, his unexpected arrival snapping me out of whatever moment just passed between Ollie and me and making me stand abruptly. “I can think of a few things you can’t do together. This being one of them.” Brad shoots Oliver a sharp look before wrapping his arms around my waist, dipping me backwards, and crashing his lips to mine.

  With my head swirling higher than the clouds gathering above us, I blink a few times at Brad when he sets me right side up. Now that was a kiss.

  Too bad I can’t stop the quiet nagging in the back of my mind telling me that kiss had less to do with me and more to do with getting under Oliver’s skin. And by the looks of my best friend—it worked.

  Responding to Brad’s not-so-subtle dig about being able to kiss me while Oliver can’t, Ollie clenches his fists tight around the kite’s control bar, making his knuckles whiter than the sand beneath us, before growling under his breath, “That’s what you think, asshole.”

  “What’d you say, bro?” Brad asks, clearly not hearing Ollie—or worse—understanding what he meant by it.

  I avoid shooting Oliver a silent ‘why in the hell do you care when you made it loud and clear you didn’t want me’ look since he still thinks I was too drunk to remember the whole incident and instead, jump in and answer for him.

  “Uh… he said ‘that’s one thing he can’t do, for sure.’ Yep, lucky you, getting to kiss me and all,” I stutter as I drag Brad away from Ollie and back towards the prize table until we’re a far enough distance away that I can barely see the ticking in Oliver’s jaw. “Hey, it looks like the race is going to start soon… so you and Lacy should finish getting ready, but thank you for coming to say hi.”

  “Yeah, yeah, of course.” Brad nods before leaning down and giving me one more kiss, this one feeling a bit more like the one we shared yesterday at the beach after I rode on the board for the first time. Congratulatory. But it’s the smirk he flashes Oliver as he walks off that makes me wonder who won. And what exactly is the prize.

  “Sorry about that,” I say when I make it back to Oliver, relieved to see he no longer looks quite as nervous as he did. Now he just looks mad. And mad I can work with. “You ready to do this?” I ask, hoping to rev him up since we’re going to need every bit of his expertise to pull this off. “You ready to win?”

  “You. Have. No. Idea.”

  …

  Oh, I’m starting to have an idea a few minutes later as I line up at the water’s edge with my board in one hand and the control bar in the other, my kite whipping back and forth above me. An idea that this was a terrible idea. I don’t belong in a kite-surfing contest. Not even an amateur one.

  I peer over at the other eleven racers to see if anyone is as nervous as me and breathe a sigh of relief when I see Lacy chewing on her fingernails.

  “Racer’s ready?” a booming voice says over the noise of the crowd gathered around the beach, startling me back into the present and reminding me to keep focused on winning this race. For Oliver. For my grandparents. But also for myself.

  The girl who barely two weeks ago would have rather stayed home and read a book about a heroine breaking out of her shell to win a race, rather than being the girl who has sea spray blowing in her hair and adrenaline pumping in her veins in anticipation of the starting horn sounding. The heroine of her own story. This win will be for her.

  For me.

  Just like the foghorn that blared from Jessica’s cruise ship when it set sail, leaving me shell shocked onshore with a suitcase of adventures I didn’t even know I was about to have, a horn screams from behind me, signaling the start of the race. And a whole new adventure.

  Rushing into the water, Oliver’s voice breaks through the cheers of the crowd as I body drag a safe distance from shore and away from my other competitors. “You’ve got this, Katie. You can do it!” he shouts as I slowly bring the kite overhead with one hand, then use the other to hold the board until I can slip my feet into the footholds, drop my weight onto my back leg, and point the nose of the board in the direction of Sunset Key.

  With a quick jerk, I’m up on the board and cutting through the water as my kite whips back and forth in the strong winds above me. A lot stronger than yesterday.

  A rush of fear shoots up my spine as a gust lifts me up and out of the water for a split second, but Ollie’s advice to keep calm and in control settles my nerves enough for me to land safely back on my leading edge and continue the race like an old pro. Or at least, that’s how it feels in my mind. I imagine the video Big Pop is shooting might tell a different story, but right now, it doesn’t matter. I’m fully in control, and with a quick glance over my shoulder, I’m also in first.

  Unable to contain my excitement as I whip around Sunset Key, where the hotel’s beach front bungalows sit oceanside, I let out a yell that would rival any scream heard from the top of a rollercoaster. And that’s what it feels like. A rollercoaster. A rollercoaster of happiness, fear, and excitement all rolled into one wild ride.

  “You did it, Katie!” Oliver shouts from the edge of the water as the distance back to shore grows closer by the second until my board banks on the sand and I come to a complete stop. “That was amazing.” Oliver rushes to my side, wraps an arm around my waist as he carefully takes the control bar with his other hand, and crushes me in a hug. “No. Scratch that. You are amazing!”

  My smile is uncontrollable, but luckily, my mind isn’t. It remains focused on the task at hand—despite feeling weak in the knees by Oliver’s praise. “Ollie, the race isn’t over yet. Go! Go! Go!” I shout as I flail my arms out at the sea, the other racers in Oliver’s leg already tagging in and taking off.

  “Oh, shit.” Oliver laughs as a lightness I haven’t seen in his eyes for a couple of days returns.

  Scrambling into the water, Ollie takes almost no time to get situated before he’s up and gone. And victory is in our sights.

  Chapter 28

  Oliver

  She did it. And kicked some major ass while doing it, too.

  Pride swells in my chest at my best friend as I pull back on my kite and let the familiar pull lift me up and start to drag me out to sea, briefly distracting me from the fact that now I’m the one doing it.

  A shot of adrenaline shoots through my body. After almost a year without getting up on my board, not since the accident, and just recently getting back in the water to help Katie learn to body drag, I’m doing it. And it feels like breathing. Like I’ve never stopped.

  I let the feeling wash over me as I cut past two other boarders and head towards Sunset Key, trying to make up the time I lost celebrating with Katie when she made it to shore.

  The soft cheers from the beach, echoing out over the water, get further and further away until the only sound I’m left with are the birds cawing above, the wind whipping against my face, and the water peaking beneath my board—that—and my heart beating. Loudly.

  Like the ocean pounding against the shore during a hurricane, the sudden and unrelenting hammering against my ribcage suddenly doesn’t feel all that familiar or like breathing at all. The opposite actually as I slice across the water while trying hard to draw in a breath.

  Despite the almost chilly winds blowing in from the distant storm, my hands are clammy and my skin is hot. So hot, I lessen the drag on my kite to slow the board, lean back until my body is almost parallel with the ocean, and drag my free hand across the water to cool down, momentarily shocking my mind away from my rapidly beating heart and overheated skin just long enough for me to focus on one single thought.

  What the hell is happening?

  Before I can come up with a coherent answer as to why I feel like I’m about to have a heart attack, a loud voice cuts through the pulsing in my ears. “Hey, Oliver,” B
rad calls out from only a few feet away, his kite dangerously close to mine. “How you liking the weather today?”

  How do I like the weather? Well… it’s pretty shitty at the moment since the winds are too strong and the waves are too sharp. But a better question is what in the hell kind of question is that?

  Narrowing my eyes, I try to figure out his angle, while simultaneously trying to keep our lines from tangling and sending us both crashing into the water, when it hits me.

  Almost as hard as it did the first time—like concrete. The invitational. My accident. The day before Hurricane Isa slammed the Keys and the last time I rode. And just like a brewing hurricane produces low pressure, the sudden pressure of the moment barrels down on my chest so hard that I gasp to grab a breath right before Brad drops his shoulder to the left, guides his kite into the power zone, and cuts his board directly into my lane.

  Without a thought, I pull in on the control bar and boost myself into the air to avoid a collision, and then freeze when total panic washes over me, the memories of my accident flooding my mind.

  Jerking the bar down so it’s almost completely vertical to my body, I send my kite into a tight loop, allowing myself to safely drop the almost forty feet back to the ocean.

  The minute the board hits the water, I activate the emergency system by pushing the control bar away from my body, depowering the kite, and sending me sinking into the salty surf while Brad races forward and snags the win.

  “Son of a bitch.” I pound my fists into the water as Brad hits the shore, wraps Katie in his arms, and spins her around just like he did yesterday on the beach. I don’t wait for the inevitable kiss to come before I body drag back in, all the while trying to come up with a reason why I freaked the eff out—besides being a total loser. No wonder Katie chose a guy like Brad.

  “Hey, you okay?” Katie asks when I finally reach the beach, her face twisted with worry. Brad and his entourage are already standing on the podium with a Garrison and Sons banner held high above their heads in victory.

  I drag in the first real breath I’ve managed to take since the start of the race before collapsing on the beach, the nervous energy surging through my veins slowly dissipating every second I’m out of the water.

  “What happened? You were doing so well and then…”

  “And then I failed,” I say, dropping my head into my hands. “But what’s new these days?” I’ve failed at letting Katie know how I really feel, in stopping my mom from getting engaged to a guy I know isn’t right for her, and now I’ve failed Katie’s grandparents ,too.

  “Ollie, you did not fail.” Katie sits down beside me in the sand, her stern tone forcing me to look at her. “Just because we didn’t win does not mean we failed. We put ourselves out there and tried, and that’s what really matters, right?” she says, knocking her shoulder against mine. “And frankly,” she drops her voice so she’s almost whispering, “I really couldn’t care less about whether we won or lost. I’m more concerned about you. Your face out there, when you rounded the island, was whiter than the sand on the beach—even before you released your kite and let it sheet out. I mean, I saw how close you and Brad were to running into one another. Was that it?”

  Yes. No. Maybe?

  I take a deep breath, unsure how to answer since I’m not totally sure what in the hell just happened out there, but I know I owe her something as concern etches a deep line in between her brows.

  “I guess that was part of it,” I say, glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one is standing too close. The last thing I want is someone finding out I totally freaked. “It was weird. I was so amped up at how well you had done that it wasn’t until I was halfway to the island before it dawned on me that I was out there riding. Which, to be honest, is the first time I’ve actually ridden my board since the accident,” I admit sheepishly.

  Katie’s eyes widen. “Ollie, why didn’t you tell me that? I mean, I knew you hadn’t been in the water since the accident, but then we had that body-dragging session and you seemed fine, so I guess I just figured…”

  I shake my head, embarrassed to admit I was still too scared to ride even after Katie got me back in the water after so long. “I know, I know. I figured it’d be fine, too. You know, like riding a bike,” I say and then laugh at how stupid that sounds when I say it out loud. Yeah. I probably should have said something—or you know—at least tried to practice before testing out my whole easy-as-riding-a-bicycle theory in front of the entire town. “And then, before I knew it, my heart was pounding so hard I couldn’t catch my breath, and I know this probably sounds stupid, but the weather’s been acting the exact same way it did last year, and that was it. Like a trigger or a flashback, I’m not sure—but either way—I totally panicked.”

  “Ollie, I’m so sorry.” Katie scoots over, wraps her arm around my back, and drops her head on my shoulder. “I wish you would have told me sooner because we totally could have dropped out if you weren’t ready yet. Best friend over here, remember?” She pokes my side to help lighten the moment. “You should know by now you can tell me anything, right?”

  Anything? Like how I’m crazy in love with you and have been for years? Yeah, that conversation might have to wait for the moment. One major fail a day is enough.

  “No, I know,” I say, resting my head against hers, knowing she’s right. I should have said something. “I just didn’t want to let you or your grandparents down.”

  “Oliver, you could never—” Katie starts when my mom’s voice blasts through the megaphone and interrupts her.

  “Is this thing on? Oh, good.” Mom smiles before continuing. “On behalf of Key West’s Resort and Spa, I’d like to congratulate Bradley Garrison and Lacy Roberts for their unbelievable win! Congratulations, you two,” Mom says, hoisting a large trophy off the table behind her and handing it to Brad.

  “I’d also like to take a second to thank all the amazing local businesses that turned out to participate. We couldn’t have done this without you, and as an extra thank you, please come up and get your participation ribbons and a coupon for twenty-percent off at Garrison and Sons Aquatic Rentals.” Mom smiles at Thomas before letting out a girlish giggle when he winks back. “And last, but not least,” Mom continues, over the steady round of applause, “everyone is invited to tonight’s final celebration on the boardwalk. There will be food, drinks, dancing, and a big beach bonfire, so be sure to get here early and plan to stay late!”

  I try to stifle my groan, but fail—again.

  Oh. Yeah. The party.

  …

  With the sun setting just over the horizon, I shove my kite, board, and the rest of my gear into the back office of the Griddle and put on a happy face since I volunteered to man the booth for a couple of hours so Gerald, Betty, and Katie could go out and enjoy the party. It’s the least I can do considering my stupid freak-out lost them the contest—and even worse—lost them their hefty entrance fee because we didn’t even place.

  The other added bonus to handing out samples of the Griddle’s famous Key lime pie pancakes instead of roaming the boardwalk or hanging on the beach with everyone else? Getting to avoid Katie. And Brad.

  I’m still trying to shake off all of her sympathetic smiles, and solidly in the friend zone pats on the back, since I admitted to totally panicking out there. But it’s the condescending smirk Brad gave me after sauntering over, trophy in hand, and kissing Katie right in the middle of us talking, that’s still burning under my skin.

  And speak of the devil…

  “Hey, bro,” Brad says, snatching up one of the small plates of pancakes, giving it a sniff, and then tossing it back down on the table with his nose turned up. “Can’t win ‘em all, right? But then again…” He smirks, and it’s the same damn one from earlier. “You haven’t really won any in a while, so…”

  “First off, I’m not your bro,” I snap back, sickened by the idea that once Mom and Thomas say I do, he actually will be. “And secondly, I could have taken you easily i
f it weren’t for you jockeying into my lane and screwing me up.”

  “So, that’s what you’re going with, huh?” Brad cocks an eyebrow, an air of superiority written all over his gloating face.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I shoot back, despite feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand up at the thought he just might know exactly what happened out there.

  “Nothing, it’s just—from the way Katie tells it…” He trails off, smiling.

  From the way Katie tells it? No way. She wouldn’t.

  “And what exactly did Katie say?” I ask, trying to figure out if she really did tell him I freaked out, or if he’s just trying to dig the knife in deeper. He got the girl. He got the win. Now he wants a pound of flesh, too?

  “Sorry, bro, wouldn’t want to betray any pillow talk with my girl, but I’m pretty sure there are people you can talk to. You know? Like a mental health professional,” Brad says with a laugh before sauntering off and disappearing into the crowd, leaving me shell shocked.

  A mental health professional?

  As each word crashes over me, waves of hurt, fury, and total disbelief rattle every bone in my body until my mounting anger is stronger than the hurricane brewing out at sea.

  I can’t believe she told him.

  …

  Two hours. Two. Damn. Hours.

  That’s how long I’ve had to cool down, and I’m still furious.

  Making my way down the boardwalk to the beach where Gerald and Betty told me I could find Katie after they relieved me from my self-imposed volunteer duties, I scan the crowd looking for her. But even with the light bouncing off the bonfire and casting a heavy glow over the mass of people packing the tiny beach we raced from earlier, it’s hard to spot anyone I know, let alone Katie.

  I push through the bodies, weaving in and out of the small groups gathered all around the fire and at the water’s edge until I finally catch a glimpse a of someone I recognize. Lacy Roberts.