Page 97 of Fragile Hearts

Chuckling, I pull back, slinging my arm around her shoulders as I turn us both to the water, pointing at the group of people currently sitting out on their boards beyond the break, waiting for us. Everyone waves, Kai yelling something that doesn’t quite reach us.

Sloane laughs, her head falling to my shoulder. “You totally set this all up, huh?” she asks.

I pull her close, pressing my lips to her temple. “Well, I had some help, obviously,” I reply, gesturing to her custom Olsen board, featuring a design Nate created just for Sloane.

“Thank you, Owen,” she says, turning to me, her hand resting on my stomach. “You are amazing, and I am so lucky you were so patient and waited for me.”

“Would’ve waited forever, babe,” I say, kissing her. “Although for the record, really glad you didn’t make me wait that long.”

“Me too,” Sloane says with a laugh.

“So, what do you say we go try out your new board?”

“Hell yes!”

Sloane runs back to the house to change and drop Mochi off, and when she returns, we grab our boards and head out to join our friends. Everyone is here, and as we paddle out to meet them, I fucking love the huge smile on Sloane’s face.

“You look good, babe,” I say as we both lift our boards over a wave. “Board suits you.”

She grins, the two of us sitting up to straddle our boards when we reach the others. “I love it, Owen, seriously. Thank you.”

Reaching over, I grip the back of her neck, pulling her in for a kiss. “Love you.”

“Alright, you two,” Kai yells, splashing water at me. “Let’s keep things PG here.”

“Since when?” Flynn asks, a huge grin on his face as he looks at Alana.

I laugh, kissing Sloane once more as I say, “You ready to give it a go?”

She nods, a huge smile on her face as she turns to Nate and says, “Thank you, this design is...it’s awesome.”

Nate smiles as he nods at Sloane. “Thanks.”

She knocks her knuckles against the board, at the line of hibiscus flowers that span from one end to the other, gradually increasing in size in the middle before decreasing again. The biggest one is in the center, and it’s a brilliant blue color, just like her eyes. Sloane smiles at him as she says, “You’re really good at it, Nate.”

He blushes now, dropping his gaze as he says, “Thanks, Sloane.”

“You ready to give it a go?” Kai now asks, a grin on his face.

Sloane nods, looking at him and then Miles. “Thanks for this, guys, and to your dad too.”

Kai laughs, waving her comment away as he tips his head in my direction. “Owen here is the one who organized it. He’s the one you should be thanking.”

“Oh, I will,” she says, giving me a secret smile.

“Okay, are we surfing or what?” Flynn calls, a smile on his face.

Kai laughs, turning his attention to Flynn. “Alright, Mister-Five-Time-World-Champion. Why don’t you show us what you’ve got?” Kai teases.

Flynn grins, flipping him off before saying, “How about the future world champion schools you boys in how to catch a wave? You know, like she’s always done?” He tips his head toward Alana just in case none of us were clear on who he was talking about.

Alana bursts out laughing as she throws her arms up and yells, “Boom!”

Kai scoops his hand through the water, splashing both Flynn and Alana, who are still laughing as I turn to Sloane and say, “Come on, babe, let’s go try this board out.”

She nods, and we both paddle in to where the swell is breaking, only having to wait a few moments for a wave to come in. I let Sloane catch it first, watching as she paddles through the water, her eyes on the swell as she pops up on her brand-new board, her feet straddling the giant center hibiscus as she catches the wave and rides it in.

I follow behind her, never taking my eyes off her as she surfs the wave. Behind us, our friends start to catch their own waves, everyone hollering and cheering.