Page 37 of Lowering His Guard

The rest of the class passes by in a flash. Jace is the only student who manages to ride a wave all the way in, but several others are able to ride the wave for a while before wiping out.

“Great job, everyone!” I yell once we’ve finished. “You know the drill.”

They bitch and moan as they clean off their boards before carrying them to the rack. Ah, to be young and think the worst part of life is cleaning off a surfboard.

Jace hangs back until we’re alone. “Today was awesome, May.”

“All thanks to you and your hard work. I just sat on my board and supervised.”

I’m not being modest. I can tell a person everything they need to know about surfing but if they don’t listen and work hard, it’s a waste of my breath.

I lock up the surf shed and grab my bag. Jace walks with me toward the resort. He’s acting cagey.

“Something on your mind?”

“Dad is over at Coastal State University today.”

I nod. “For his weigh-in.”

“Apparently, I’m not allowed to drive with a learner’s permit.” He rolls his eyes.

“I don’t make the rules.”

“I don’t have a car anyway.”

“Do you need to be at the college?” I ask him directly since I don’t enjoy extracting information at the pace of a flat ocean.

He kicks sand with his feet. “I’m worried about Dad.”

My gaze sharpens. What’s wrong with Brock? “Worried?”

“He gets hangry.”

I snort as relief hits me. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“He doesn’t eat all morning before weigh-in. So, if he doesn’t eat right away afterwards, he gets mega grumpy.”

I giggle. “Sounds like a medical emergency.”

“Usually, he brings some protein bars with him, but he forgot them.”

“Not a problem. The resort is catering lunch at the university. We can give them the bars. They’ll make sure he gets them.” I check the time. “They’re leaving soon. Go get those bars and meet me at the loading dock.”

He hurries away and I make my way to the loading dock, which is in complete chaos with people rushing around to fill a delivery truck. I notice Ava, the hospitality manager, standing at the back of the truck and join her.

“Can you add some protein bars to the delivery?”

“And who are these protein bars for?” She smirks. “Would they be for a certain sexy fullback?”

I shove her. “Knock it off. There’s nothing happening between me and Brock.”

“Rumor has it you had an ice cream date in a secluded location last night.”

“Couldn’t have been too secluded if you know about it. And it wasn’t a date.”

She shakes her head. “I do not understand you and Terri. You have a sexy football player panting after you and you run the opposite way. I know what I would do.”

She has no idea. I wish Brock was panting after me. I wouldn’t run in the opposite direction.