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They came to a stop at the top of the hill. From there, he could see the beach where he first met Eloise perfectly. People surfed, something he hadn’t decided he wanted to try while he was there until now. He’d have to ask Skyla if she was serious about learning. If they had someone showing them the ins and outs of it, they had nothing to lose. Others spread out on the beach, with their umbrellas and cabanas. Kids played in the waves and people walked along the surf, some holding hands. Kiel could easily see him and Eloise doing that as the sun set, as it rose, and any other time during the day.
Eloise twisted the throttle and moved forward after the light changed. Kiel appreciated the movement because it brought him closer to her. He tightened his grip on her waist. She turned her head slightly, and he swore she smiled at him. It didn’t matter if she hadn’t. Eloise didn’t scoot forward to put space between them.
They came closer to the water and Kiel’s stomach turned, and Eloise slowed down. “What are you doing? Don’t slow down. It smells so bad.”
They idled behind a long line of traffic. “It’s bad this year. The smell!” Eloise had to yell over the noise from the other vehicles. “My aunt says this is the worst it’s been.”
“What is it?”
“Sargassum,” she said as they moved forward a bit. “The brown seaweed. Normally, the beach crew removes it, but for some reason, they’re leaving it. Honestly, it’s annoying.” Eloise swerved into the bike lane and cruised past the lengthy line of cars waiting to merge. As they zoomed past, Kiel glanced at the motorists. Some looked absolutely irritated, while others sang and danced in their cars.
At the next light, Eloise turned right, and drove a bit before she took another turn. They were back along the water, with houses on their left facing the ocean. Each home had the perfect view. People gathered on their porches, on their lawn or across the road on the green space. When Kiel saw a pink house coming closer, he somehow knew this was where Eloise lived.
He laughed when she pulled into the driveway. She parked, shut the moped off, and turned to look at him.
“What’s so funny?”
Kiel removed the helmet and tucked it under his arm. “I was laughing at myself because I had a feeling this was your house.”
She looked at the pink clapboard and then pointed to a two-story shed in front of them. “I actually live there. This is where my aunt lives.” Eloise stood so Kiel could get off the moped easily, and then she put the kickstand down.
“You’re lucky.” Kiel handed her the helmet.
“Why’s that?”
“You get to live by yourself?—”
She opened her mouth to say something, but he held his hand up.
“In the sense that you have privacy if you need it but can still have your aunt close.”
Eloise smiled and nodded. “We keep different hours. It’s just easier this way.” She gathered her things and motioned for him to follow her. “Do you want a tour?”
“Of course.” He wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to learn more about her.
They walked the length of the driveway until the pavement turned into a well-manicured landscape of mulch, wildflowers, and hydrangeas in pinks, purple, white and blue. It would thrill his mom to sit out there and read.
“So, this is my outdoor shower.” Eloise pointed to a jut out attached to her home.
“Do you have indoor plumbing?” He looked out for an outhouse and then back at the main house.
“Yes.” Eloise laughed as she opened the door. “I use the outdoor shower after I’ve been in the water. I don’t want to track the sand into my house. It can get into the paint or on my brushes.”
“That’s probably bad, right?”
Eloise nodded. “They can be hard to clean. Sometimes it’s easier to throw them away.” She stepped inside and waited for Kiel to do the same. He looked around and took in her couch, coffee table and television, and then on the back wall—her kitchen. She had a small dining room table that sat two.
“It’s small,” she said.
“It’s perfect.” The statement was out before he could stop it. He didn’t know much about Eloise, but he knew this place was a representation of her. “How long have you lived here?”
“When we first met, I had only been here for a couple of days. This used to be my grandfather’s studio. When he died, my aunt converted it into an apartment. She’d rent it occasionally. Come on, I’ll show you the rest.”
Kiel followed her up the wooden staircase to her bedroom. At the top of the stairs, she moved aside and let him enter. The ceiling was nothing but skylights, letting in so much natural light, Kiel had to squint. Along one wall, racks held her clothes. And against the other was her wrought iron bed, blankets thrown back as if she was in a hurry when she woke.
Eloise carried her bags to her workspace and set them down. She opened the door and stepped out onto her deck. Kiel followed.
“Wow,” he said, as if he was out of breath. “This is your view?”
