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“It’s not a problem at all.” Michael smiled, adjusting his board in his arms. “I’d help anyone out after a fall like that.”
Hannah’s heart sank. He’d help anyone out? Michael was a nice person, so she shouldn’t have been surprised. She doubted that he’d say that if he saw her as anyone besides Hannah, the girl who worked at The Crab.
But then again, he’d taken time out of his schedule to make sure she was okay, way more time than he had to. He ran a business and was a pro surfer with sponsorships—his schedule was probably packed.
Hannah tried to untangle her hair again, even though it frustrated her more than she already was. What did all of this mean? She felt like he’d finally noticed her, but was he noticing her in the way she wanted to be seen? She wished she could see into his head and understand where he was coming from so she wouldn’t drive herself crazy trying to figure it out.
“I’ve got to get going,” Michael said. “Take care.”
“Thanks again,” Hannah said softly as Michael left.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” Willis asked, studying Hannah for cuts and bruises. “You should go home and rest of the day.”
“I’m fine, Dad. I promise.” Hannah took her board toward the back. “I can work my shift.”
Besides, she needed a distraction from her disappointment, and juggling everything that came with a day at the restaurant.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Wow, really?” Sandy said to Daniel as they walked through the store. Luke perked his ears up. The two of them knew a lot about everything that was going on in town, and he couldn’t help but be curious. Something about Sandy’s tone told him it was very important.
“Yeah. She hit a rough wave and went tumbling off, super far out from the shore. She was lucky that Michael was out there. It could have been so much worse,” Daniel said.
“What happened?” Luke asked, peering his head around the end cap of a shelf.
“Hannah Jenkins took a spill when she was out in the water. Apparently it just happened this morning,” Sandy said.
Luke’s heart leapt into his throat. He didn’t know much about surfing around here, but falling off your board in the middle of the ocean sounded terrifying no matter where you were.
“Is she okay?” Luke asked.
“Yeah, just shaken up. Or so I heard,” Daniel said with a shrug. “You know how things can be here. The actual truth of the situation gets a little bent as it travels.”
“Oh. Maybe I could swing by The Crab a little before my shift ends?” He ran his hand through his hair. “Just to see if she’s really okay, I mean.”
Nothing got past Sandy. She gave him a sly smile that made his cheeks go hot. Was he that transparent about his crush on her? He hoped not. Sandy knew him better than most, but he feared everyone else in town knew about his feelings.
“Of course it’s all right,” Sandy said.
“Thanks.”
Luke finished up his work and left, walking over to The Crab. He pushed his hair out of his face, hoping it was lying flat. Luckily he was just wearing a t-shirt and jeans, which he would have worn anyway.
When he walked into The Crab, he saw Hannah delivering baskets of sandwiches to clusters of people around the shop. She moved with practiced ease through the tables, though she looked even paler than usual.
“Hey,” Hannah said when she noticed him.
“Hey.”
“What can I get you?” Hannah asked, slipping back behind the counter.
He hadn’t thought this through. “A soda would be great.”
Hannah laughed half-heartedly. “They sell soda at the store, you know. There’s a whole aisle of the stuff.”
“Okay, true.” He smiled. “But it doesn’t have fountain soda.”
“You have a point. Sometimes it’s extra good and bubbly.”
