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Susannah follows the direction to a T and manages to get to her feet, balancing for about three seconds before jumping into the water. Ivy lets out a loud whoop, and I can’t fight the grin pulling at my lips.
She’s so great with the kids; so patient. I can see why she’s chosen teaching. I’m so caught up watching Ivy that I’ve completely forgotten about the kidI’vebeen tasked with watching. That is until his board connects with my ribs.
I let out a hiss of pain, only just catching myself from cursing. Soft board, my ass. Still, I manage to ignore the burning sensation in my side as I swoop out an arm and drag Jonah, spluttering, out of the waist high water. I reach out to capture the board with my other hand.
“Did you see that?” he asks. I set him on his feet while he brushes dark curls away from his face. “That wave was gnarly.”
“Totally gnarly,” I agree, grimacing as I shift the board under my arm. It hurts to breathe, and though it was just a “soft board” I’m worried I took too hard of a hit. That’s all I need. Coach won’t be happy if I injure out before the season even starts. I’m thankful that the session is over as I lead Jonah back to shore, the kid grumbling the entire way.
“I would have ridden that wave all the way in if you hadn’t got in my way.”
“Probably.” I drop the board and look down at my chest, where there’s already a bruise starting to form.Fuck.
“Are you alright?” Ivy asks, drawing my gaze in with those hypnotic green eyes of hers.
“Fine,” I grunt out. With no more questions, she nods and turns away from me, praising all the junior surfers on their efforts this week. I watch Jonah take his younger brother’s hand to lead him back to their parents.
“Here. You need to ice that.”
I turn around to catch the ice pack Ivy tosses at me. I think I need more than that, but I’m not about to tell her. “Thanks.”
She shrugs. “Whatever. You should’ve been paying attention. You can’t take your eyes off the kids in the water. Anything could happen.”
“I know,” I groan as I bend over to grab my t-shirt, somehow managing to pull it on with only a small twinge of pain. “I don’t need a lecture. I think I learnt my lesson.”
Ivy narrows her eyes. “You should get that looked at. You might have cracked a rib.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Quit being stubborn,” she snaps.
“I’ve copped worse on the field.” I try to pick up one of the surfboards, but a sharp pain in my side makes me hiss drop the board to clutch at my ribs.
“Just go, Conrad. I’ll get Brady to help me put the boards away.” Great another reason for Brady to hate me: leaving his sister alone to clean up.
I ignore her, gritting my teeth and managing to get two boards tucked under my good arm. Ivy mumbles something but I’m already too far away to hear what it is. I manage one more trip before I collapse against the wall of the shed, my body drenched with sweat. I lift my shirt to wipe my brow and I hear a soft gasp.
“Christ, Conrad.” I look up to find Ivy’s eyes locked on my chest. “That looks really bad.”
“I didn’t think you cared, Princess.”
If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under. “I don’t. But I also don’t want to bring a lawsuit onto the club.”
“Will it make you happy if I listen to you?” She rolls her eyes but nods anyway. “Fine. But…” I grin sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’m, uh, going to need a lift home. I jogged here this morning.”
“You’re so infuriating,” Ivy groans.
I can’t help but grin. “You love it.”
She huffs. “Wait here while I get the last of the boards.”
Ten minutes later, I’m in the passenger seat of her car, trying to focus on anything other than the sharp pain in my side. “What made you volunteer for the junior surf program?” I ask in an attempt to distract myself.
“Don’t misinterpret me driving your sorry ass home as us being anything remotely close to friends,” Ivy says without taking her eyes off the road.
“You wound me.”
She snorts. “I think your ego can handle it.”
