AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She had taken to Blueberry Bay almost right away, finding joy in bonding with the locals, who embraced her. It was so different than being in Denver. It wasn’t the biggest city by any means and the people were friendly, but there was an impermanence to it that she didn’t find in Blueberry Bay. People didn’t stop to linger in places or strike up conversations with people they saw regularly—two things Alissa had come to love about the town.
She bit her bottom lip, trying to think of the perfect way to end the article. After a few moments, it came to her, and she typed it out with flourish. The satisfaction of finishing an article was second to none.
“Hey.” Her boss and boyfriend, Dane, appeared in the doorway and knocked on the frame.
Seeing him still made her heart flip-flop in her chest even though they had been together for a few months now. He was one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen, with thick auburn hair and fiercely intelligent green eyes. He had come from New York City and still dressed the part to some extent in his slacks and neatly tailored button-down shirt. But he had lost the tie and vest that he used to wear regularly. Alissa liked him either way.
Dane was one of the best things to happen to her since her move. He had been a crabby workaholic when they first met, barely able to crack a smile or see what Blueberry Bay had to offer. But now he had fallen in love with the town just as much as she had and had rediscovered why he loved writing too.
They had fun going out and exploring, but also just enjoying each other’s company, curled up on the couch together with books. Sometimes getting him to relax took a little effort, but he was getting more and more willing to slow down the more she encouraged him.
“Hey! Perfect timing. I just finished my article on the luau.” She tabbed over to her email and opened a new draft. “Let me send it to you.”
“Nice work.” He smiled. “Want to grab an early lunch with me to celebrate? I was thinking we could go to The Crab.”
“That sounds perfect.” Alissa attached the article to the email and sent it off to Dane. “I’m super hungry.”
She gathered her purse and put it on her shoulder, leaving her office. Dane rested his hand on her back as they walked. Being with him felt so easy, but it was never boring. He kept her on her toes, but made her feel safe and secure at the same time.
“See you later, Josie,” Dane said to his secretary, who was nibbling on a granola bar at her desk.
“Want us to bring you anything?” Alissa asked.
“No, I’m good! I just had The Crab last night. See you guys soon,” Josie said.
Dane threaded his fingers in Alissa’s and led her out the door and toward town.
The summer weather was just the kind that Alissa loved—hot, but not too humid. Sunny, but not so sunny that she felt like she was getting a sunburn if she was outside for more than two minutes. The air was crisp and clean in a different way than Denver’s air was—the salt in the air, the presence of the ocean never far from any part of town.
She squeezed Dane’s hand a little as they walked in comfortable silence. Just being next to Dane made her day a little brighter—the warmth of his hand, which never felt like too much, even on the warmest days, the familiar scent of his laundry soap and shampoo.
“Want to walk along the boardwalk since it’s so nice?” Dane asked.
“Sure, I’d love to.”
Dane steered them more to the right, where the boardwalk started. With the summer tourist season in full swing and school out, it was much busier than usual. Families wrangled their kids into swim shirts or lathered them in sunscreen as they refused to stay still, couples like them walked hand in hand, and the shops and restaurants along the boardwalk were busy with the lunch rush.
Alissa looked around, taking it all in. It wasn’t nearly as busy as it could get on a Saturday afternoon, but it was still busy enough to make her feel excited.
“Oh, look at that!” Alissa said, gesturing out to the edge of the beach. “A bunch of people are learning how to surf.”
Dane stopped next to her and looked at the water too. An instructor was on his board on the sand, demonstrating how to hop up onto it. The students gave it a shot, struggling to do it even though the instructor had made it look easy.
“How cool!” Alissa looked to Dane. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to surf. I can’t imagine being that one with the ocean, you know?”
“It does sound difficult. The surfers in competition make it look so easy. But isn’t it slippery? What if the wave isn’t quite right?” Dane asked, wandering forward.
“Don’t know. I’m guessing they teach you that.” Alissa looked down the path and brightened. “Oh, look! They have surf lessons here. Wouldn’t that be fun to try together?”
Dane let out a nervous laugh. “I would be more than willing to cheer you on from the beach, slathered in sunscreen and wearing a hat.”
“Aw, come on. The wetsuits will keep you from burning.” With his auburn hair and fair skin, he’d gotten a few rough sunburns despite all of the sunscreen he religiously applied when they were on the beach.
“True. But…” Dane shrugged. “Seriously, I would have a great time watching you learn.”
Alissa’s heart sank a tiny bit. Learning to surf did sound scary—even swimming out deeper into the water scared her if the water was rough—but it seemed like it could be exhilarating if she learned the basics. It was just the kind of activity that she wished Dane would try with her. Something new where things weren’t tied into a neat bow.
But it wasn’t that big of a deal. Even Alissa was slightly too intimidated to sign up for a lesson right then and there. So, she smiled and nudged him with her shoulder.
