Page 51

Her eyes widen as she takes in the surfboard with her name written across it in perfect detail. She steps forward and runs her finger over the letters in her name. “What… You got me a surfboard? Ethan, this is—wow.”
She’s speechless, and I’m relieved. I wanted this to hither right in the heart, to show her that I’m serious about supporting her. I’m not always good at saying the right thing, but I can definitely show my affection through gifts.
Besides, after talking about Madison with Janine today, I realized that while we may not be able to act like a real couple out in the world, we can pretend it in our own private homes.
“There’s more. Wetsuit, leash, wax. Everything you need if you ever decide to start that surf school you were talking about.”
She stares at me for a moment, like she can’t believe what she’s hearing. Then she reaches out, running her fingers over each of my gifts as I lay them on the couch like sacrifices. “Ethan, I… I don’t even know what to say. This is incredible. But you didn’t have to?—”
“I wanted to, because I believe in you, Madison. I know you can do this, and I just wanted you to know that I’ve got your back, no matter what.”
Her eyes meet mine, and there’s a vulnerability in them I don’t often see. Madison’s tough and independent. She doesn’t let people take care of her. But right now, she looks at me like maybe, just maybe, she’s letting herself lean on me a little.
“I don’t know how you knew.” She laughs for a second, and I can tell that she’s shutting off her real emotions. She’s scared to show them to me. “Wax is the way to my heart.”
I laugh along with her, but I want to get back to that moment of vulnerability. I want to know Madison more. I want to understand her. “I want you to be able to start the surf school so you don’t have to dog-sit anymore. Or you could only do it if Samson gets too lonely.”
Madison smiles and pats Samson’s head. “He would never get too lonely. I would take him to my surf schoolevery day. He’ll learn to surf on my board, and he’ll be my mascot, right, buddy?”
Samson pants eagerly like he would happily go along with the plan.
Madison steps toward me and wraps her arms around me. I hug her back. Samson runs in a circle around us as I stroke Madison’s hair.
“Thanks for supporting my dream, even though it feels impossible.”
“It’s not impossible, and you don’t have to do it alone. You’ve got me.”
She pulls back from our hug just enough for me to see her lips quirk into a small smile. “You’re something else, Ethan.”
I chuckle softly. “Yeah, well, I try.”
We stand there for a moment, the silence between us comfortable. Then she shakes her head, laughing a little as she looks at the surfboard again. “I can’t believe you did this. You’ve got me all emotional over a piece of fiberglass.”
“It’s more than just a piece of fiberglass. It’s your future. And I’m here to remind you that you’re capable of anything.”
She looks up at me, and for a moment, I can see all the hesitation that she is trying to hide from me. But then she smiles—a real, genuine smile that lights up her whole face. “Thank you, Ethan. Seriously. I don’t know what I did to deserve this but thank you.”
“You don’t have to deserve it. I just want to see you happy.” Geez, I don’t know where that came from. It’s true, but I feel like I have to hide my feelings from Madison.
Her eyes soften, and for a brief second, I think she might cry. But Madison isn’t one to break down in front of people,so she just takes a deep breath and nods. “Well, you definitely succeeded. I’m beyond happy right now.”
I reach out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Good. That’s all I wanted.”
She turns to Samson, grabs his front paws, and does a little dance with him in the living room. This makes the other dogs jealous, and they all start barking crazily from their kennels.
Finally, she glances back at the surfboard and grins. “So, when do we break this thing in?”
I laugh, feeling the tension ease from my chest. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Madison looks at me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Do you know how to surf?”
“No, it’s not really a hobby I’ve ever picked up.”
“Youcould be my first surfing student. I could try out all my teaching techniques on you like a guinea pig.”
“It’s almost Christmas. There’s no way I’m getting in the ocean.”
Madison picks up the wetsuit. “We just need one of these in your size. Then, we can go no matter how cold it is.”