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“Hey, your secret’s safe with me.” I wink. Her grin falters and I get the sense that I’m losing her again. In a panic I add, “Got to make sure she shipped safely, right?”
“Yeah, it cost a fortune and she was well packed but you can’t be too careful. I couldn’t see any visible dings or dents but I wanted to make sure she wasn’t taking on water.”
“Well, judging by the session you just had out there, I’d say she’s yar.”
She smiles tentatively at me again, tucking a long lock of hair behind her ear and turning the board slightly in invitation to admire it. The entire underside is decked out in a pattern of fish or mermaid scales, all in different coloured woods. There’s a single, rainbow coloured glittery fin protruding from the base.
“She’s stunning. Can I see the top?”
Wordlessly, she spins the board around and plants it vertically so that it’s sticking up out of the sand. The front is mostly made up of light wood, but has a dark wood edging, and a starburst design in the centre that looks as though it’s been done by pyrography.
I give a low, impressed whistle.
“Oh yeah, she’s a stunner alright. Just like her owner. Does she have a name? Mine’s Betsy.” She gives me a blank stare and doesn’t reply.
I try a different tack. “Can I take you out sometime, Mai-Tai?”
“What did you call me?”
“Sorry, the name just sort of stuck in my head. Malia-Tarni reminds me of Mai-Tai.”
“The cocktail?”
“Yeah. Sorry. So…can we go out some time?”
“No.”
“Oh…why not? I could show you the best surfing spots on the island,” I offer.
“I’ve been here a while, I’m not doing too badly.”
She has a point. She’s a long way from campus, and I wonder if she hired a golf cart to get here. Transportation on the island is limited, pretty much public only, and private vehicles are almost non-existent. Though of course, the prof has a car. He has special dispensation from the council due to our mission. Fucker won’t share the keys with us though.
“Yes, but unless you know the locals, there are some secret beaches that aren’t even on the map. Some you can only reach by boat too. I could take you.” She looks torn, like she really wants to find those secret locations, but seems close to refusing anyway. In a panic, I throw out what I hope will be a deal-breaker: “I even have my own transport.”
Okay so that’s a white lie. I have a golf cart. But I can steal the prof’s keys when he’s not looking. He barely uses his car, wanting to keep a low profile and not draw attention to us, so he swears it’s just for emergencies. He actually likes using the golf carts. Says they’re green or some shit.
But wining and dining the girl of my dreams is a damn emergency.
“Okay.”
“Okay? Okay, as in, yes, you’ll go out with me?”
“It’s not a date. But okay, you can take me to these secret spots of yours.” I can work with that. I fire her my most charming grin.
“Maybe if I can impress you enough with them, you’ll reconsider having a drink with me sometime.”
“Maybe.” She laughs, a light and musical sound, before grabbing her board and turning away. “Bye, Cove.”
“See you soon, Mai-Tai!” I call after her, feeling a lot lighter and more excited than I have all week.
