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A giddy feeling rolls over me as I run my eyes over each board on the rack. I’ve always been good at surfing, but just for recreational reasons. I love it out there, coasting over the waves on my stomach even when the water is too flat to really do anything with it. River had been a pro since the day he learned how to walk, or so claimed our third best friend Luca, who wasn’t as much of a surfer.
We were both convinced River would probably go pro someday, traveling the world and gracing the cover of magazines, but River always insisted his love for surfing wasn’t something he could ever monetize. Over the years, he’d tried to convince Luca to love surfing just as much, but Luc always preferred the arts like I do, only his talent has always been music. For being best friends, the two couldn't possibly have been more different, in both looks and personality. Don’t get me wrong, Luca still surfed with the best of them, but River was the real shining star of this beach.
Once again, a heavy, cloying sadness pulls at my heartstrings as I realize I’ve been sitting here in the back seat of the stopped Uber for way too long and I’m pretty sure the driver is getting uncomfortable. He’s glancing at me in the rearview, probably wishing I’d just leave already.
A part of me dreads stepping out of this vehicle because I know the second I do, this all becomes real. My life in New York is really over and all I can think about is the fact that I wish Jax was here to make it all easier. I find myself missing the smell of his aftershave already, the hum of his deep baritone, and the sly, knowing smiles that made my insides feel like jelly. That kiss plays on repeat in my head and it’s like I can still taste him now.
After hefting my numerous bags out of the car and up the set of wooden stairs one by one, I wave as the car drives away and take a deep breath before making my way to the front door. I have no idea what the protocol is here.Do I just walk in?I mean...I’m supposed to live here now, but it feels so awkward.
Ringing the doorbell, I wait nervously for what feels like hours, but time tends to move slower when your heart is racing and you're ready to bolt. The door swings open, revealing none other than Elena Blair in the flesh with her long, white-blonde hair that looks just like mine, but where my eyes are a very-light golden color, hers are seawater blue and sparkle in the sunshine. I can’t stop myself as I fling into her arms, crushing her in a hug that should embarrass me. Despite the fact that I’m still pissed off at her, I feel nothing but relief.
“Oh, baby, I missed you so much,” she mumbles into my hair as she hugs me tight. She smells like salt, sunscreen, and her Estée Lauder perfume she always wears. Pulling back, Mom takes my shoulders in her hands and looks me over as if I might be hurt somehow. Her eyes flit over my lightly-freckled face and she smiles softly. “Don’t hate me?” she asks with a cheeky smile and a mock cringe and I can’t help but laugh.
“Only a little,” I grumble, but my smile is too wide for her to take me seriously. She shuts the door behind me after we bring all my bags in before linking her arm with mine. Her gemstone-covered flip flops flap on the hardwood flooring as I follow her through the house.
The clicking of nails on the hard floor perks me up and suddenly, a black ball of fur and slobbery kisses practically tackles me right there in the foyer. Cat jumps and yips as I scratch behind her ears and place small kisses along her adorable face. “My precious baby sweetheart! I’m so sorry momma left you for so long. I swear I’ll never do it again!”
Cat yips and whines, twirling in circles with her tongue lolling out of her mouth in excitement. I don't care if talking to my dog like a human baby seems weird, because Cat is my world and just seeing her here lifts so much heavy weight off of my shoulders. My family is with me, so that means nothing can hurt me, right?
“I can’t wait to introduce you to everyone, Carson took the whole day off work just to meet you,” Mom says while I’m too busy taking stock of my new home. My brain turns off at the mention of the new fiancé whom I’ve never met.
The house is admittedly gorgeous. I was afraid when I first found out that my mom was marrying a wealthy man from California, that we’d move into some sterile mansion filled with furniture I’d be forbidden to touch—you know the kind, where there exists off-limits rooms and couches covered in plastic wrap.
Instead, I’m greeted with an open-plan space filled with greenhouse plants and floor to ceiling windows. The hardwood floor beneath my feet is a pleasant, neutral-gray color that complements the blue-gray walls. A staircase winds up the side wall to the left of the entryway and its railings are made of pristine glass panels and more of the same gray wood planks.
Framed photos cover the walls, intermixed with eclectic-looking canvases showcasing all sorts of abstract and modern art that melds well with the cool, beachy vibe of the home. All in all, I can tell whoever this man is, he at least has good taste, so he earns points for that.
We enter through one of two entrances that lead into a large, bright kitchen. The space is just as clean and open as what I’ve seen so far and oddly enough, the countertops seem to be made of some sort of petrified beachwood. It’s artsy and just a little bit hippie, which suits my mom perfectly.
A man waits next to a bar area with his back to us. He’s extremely tall and from what I can tell, his hair is closely cropped and dark brown with streaks of salt and pepper mixed in. He turns around and I can immediately tell what drew my mother to the man. He’s incredibly handsome and his wide, pearly-white smile welcomes us along with a twinkle in his eye as his baby blues land on my mom. She leaves my side and dances over to him before smacking a wet kiss right on his cheek to which he only grins before flicking his eyes back to me.
“You must be Nora,” he expertly deduces as he strolls further into the kitchen with an outstretched hand. “You mother’s been bouncing off the walls waiting for you to get here,” he teases and in the corner of my eyes, I see Mom roll her eyes dramatically while I reach out and shake his hand firmly.
“Sounds about right. You must be Carson. I’m sorry, but Mom’s never mentioned you before,” I tell him honestly. I’m really not trying to be mean, I’m just super curious as to why this is all happening so fast.
“Nor—” Mom starts to admonish me but Carson cuts her off.
“It's okay, she’s right.” His eyes pass over my face, but not in an irritated way, more like in a...thoughtful way. “I suppose this must seem crazy to you, and sudden. But I promise you right now, Nora, I have every intention of making your mother as happy as can be.” He smiles reassuringly, raising a brow. “And that goes for you, too. I want you to be happy and comfortable here. This is your home now.”
Something about the guy puts me at ease even though everything inside of me wants to be a brat. I’m twenty-three now and much too old to be acting like a spoiled child just because my mom has a new fiancé. Clearly, she’s smitten with the man and I don’t intend on doing anything to jeopardize that.
“It’s cool, Carson. I have a good feeling about you.” My mother just snorts next to us. Carson's lips threaten to twitch into a smirk. “But out of obligation, I have to warn you. My mom is my best friend, and I'll kill a man if I have to.” I can’t help but smirk as Mom smacks her palm to her forehead.
“Good to hear,” he says with a grin before clapping his hands together. “Now, who’s ready for some bbq, yeah?” He turns back to me, but then stops short. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, Nora. My, uh… nephewis out back tending to the burgers if you’d like to join him. Your mother and I can get the drinks and salad and meet you out there.”
I nod vacantly as they turn and head further into the house to what I presume is a garage. I’m assuming they have some sort of alternate fridge out there for party drinks and such, but I can hear my mom giggling the whole way. Rolling my eyes at her teeny-bopper antics, I wipe the clammy sweat from palms onto my jean shorts before making my way to the back patio. A large, glass door slides open letting the sea breeze waft over me, allowing me to greedily huff in the smogless air that my body had been deprived of in New York.
The backyard isn't much more than a glorified deck. Since all the other homes are basically beachfront, there's really no need for individual yards and so instead, I stand on a large, fenced-off deck that overlooks the rolling waves. Close to the railings stands a tall, well-built guy in a tight, black t-shirt and dark-gray board shorts. From the back, I can tell he stands somewhere around 6’3” or so. He leans casually to the side on one leg while he flips burgers, humming to himself. I allow my eyes to roam the planes of his muscular, tattooed arms. He’s tanned from the sun all the way down to his flip flop-clad feet.
I clear my throat for lack of a natural way to alert him of my presence like the awkward human being that I am. The guy’s shoulders stiffen as he whips around. Our eyes clash and my stomach threatens to expel its contents right on this shiny, wooden deck. Luca flits his dark-brown eyes over my face, taking in the subtle differences seven whole years might have made.
This can’t be happening right now. I’m not ready. I need more time…
He says nothing as I clench my jaw tight and greedily memorize every single line, freckle, and feature of his familiar, yet changed, face. His black hair is buzzed into a crew cut now, drawing attention to the high arches of his dark brows. Luca is half Polynesian, so he’s a big man with a strong jawline and deep eyes. His ears are pierced and his arms and neck are covered in black-ink tattoos that hadn’t been there the last time I’d seen him...the last time I licked him.
Stop thinking about that, Nora, you idiot. You don’t deserve that memory after what you did to him…
My heart feels like it’s beating out of my chest. Mom had mentioned that Carson had a nephew living with him. Actually, more like an adopted nephew since he belonged to Carson’s best friend, but she never mentioned his name. For a moment, I can’t help but think that this is all a part of some sick, twisted joke the universe is trying to play on me.
