AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is that her?” Damian said, his gaze drifting beyond Hugh.
“Yes. Do I look okay?”
“Yep.”
“What about the cap?” His hand went up to adjust the peak. “Does it look stupid?”
“No, you look hot. I reckon she might even want to hold your hand again.”
Snatching the hat from his head, Hugh swatted at Damian with it.
“Put it back on,” Damian said. “It looks good.”
Hugh shook his head, wishing he’d left the cap at home, or better still, never bought it. “Can you go away?” he said to Damian.
“Now?”
“Yes. Just while I say hello to her. Come back in a minute … and please be cool. Don’t embarrass me with your immature jokes.”
“I’ll go,” Damian said, backing away. “But stop panicking so much. She obviously likes you or she wouldn’t have suggested surfing today.”
Hugh didn’t have the chance to reply as Damian slipped inside the converted container, leaving him alone. He stepped towards Allie and attempted to relax his shoulders before he called hello.
“Hi.” She breezed over to him, looking radiant but casual in a pair of jeans and a jumper.
When she kissed his cheek, the scent of her took him back to the previous evening. If anyone had told him there’d be dancing involved, he’d have reconsidered his choice of venue. But those three minutes of closeness had left him a firm convert to the idea of dancing.
“Great weather today,” she said, her cheeks flushed and her hair slightly tousled by the breeze.
“Yes.” He glanced up at the smattering of fluffy clouds in the otherwise blue sky. “Perfect for surfing. Just enough of a breeze for some decent waves, but nothing too wild.”
“I’m nervous,” she said, her chest heaving as she inhaled deeply. “I might make a complete fool of myself.”
“You won’t,” he said, desperate to reassure her for fear of her changing her mind. “You’ll enjoy it when you’re out there.”
“It’s not just the surfing that has me worried.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I’ve never worn a wetsuit before. How do you even get them on?”
He chewed on his lower lip, then smiled. “Okay, I’ve changed my mind … you might make a fool of yourself.”
“There must be a way to get into them elegantly. Give me your best tips.”
“I don’t think the words elegant and wetsuit go together. But we’ll look stupid together.” He tilted his head to the shack and they ambled over to the patio with the racks of wetsuits and surfboards.
Damian wandered out, and Hugh made quick introductions before Damian picked out a wetsuit for Allie.
“I’ll be around if you need anything,” he remarked, giving Hugh a subtle punch on the shoulder and then moving to go back inside.
“I might actually need some sort of lesson,” Allie said. “I’ve never surfed before in my life.”
“Hugh will teach you,” Damian said, tapping on the doorframe. “He’s practically a pro.” The teasing had vanished from his tone and he gave Hugh an affectionate nod, then made himself scarce.
“Is he the friend you mentioned last night?”
“Yeah. We’ve been friends since we were kids.”
“That’s nice,” Allie commented while looking dubiously at the neoprene suit in her hands.
“I’ll help you with it,” Hugh said, before realising that would involve her revealing a lot more skin to him. “Or, if you’d rather, you can go around the corner and I won’t look. Whatever you want.”
