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“Seven sounds about right,” Kate said, nodding back.

“A seven?” Hadley sighed sadly. She shook her head as if she justcouldn’t quite believe her failure. “I’ll work on it.”

Once they were on their own, Gia followed Kate back to the counterand kept her company while she took orders. “How’s station life?” Gia asked, inbetween customers. Kate’s job as a firefighter had always impressed her, as hadKate herself. To say she had a little bit of hero worship where Kate wasconcerned wouldn’t be inaccurate.

“Nothing to complain about. My ladder’s a good one, and there’sway more action out here than back home. That’s for sure. Handful of vehiclefires and one structure just yesterday alone.” Kate had only recently made themove from a small town in Oregon, where she’d been a lieutenant. She’d had totake a lesser role at the larger company, but it was apparently paying off.“Office building went up earlier this week, and we were able to contain theblaze and slow its progress. By nightfall, the burn was totally under control.It’s a solid group.”

“And I play in the waves all day,” Gia said, only half joking.There were times when she wished her job came with a greater good like Kate’s.Her life was fun, but that was about it. Shouldn’t there be more?

“Don’t sell yourself short. I don’t have throngs of fans fawningall over me, asking me for autographs. Girls swooning.”

“That part’s not so bad,” Gia said, feeling a hint better. Shegestured to the counter Kate was wiping down. “You got this under control? I’msupposed to watch film with my coach before a press junket later today topromote the tour.”

“Watching film, how does that work? That’s film of you?”

“Unfortunately, yes. So I can see all the ways I suck andhopefully get better. Part of the job. Just the tedious part.”

“And you have a coach?”

“Part-time. Katrina McAllister, who was a former pro herself. Wemet through Billabong, when they used to sponsor her. I was an up-and-comingnobody on the Qualifying Tour, longing to play with the big kids and be likeKatrina someday.”

Kate took a moment to wait on a customer, passing them herunderstated but incredibly effective grin and gaze. Gia wouldn’t know how toduplicate that kind of quiet charm if she wanted to. She was fairly sure Katehad no clue the effect she had on women, which was probably why it worked.

“Pretty awesome that she’s now your coach.”

“Sometimes I still can’t believe it.” Gia finished her drink. “Ibetter head over to her place. You guys got this?” she asked Steve and Kate.

Steven grinned. “Yeah. We have a new employee starting in about anhour, so we’ll have extra hands.”

“Cool. Say hi to Autumn for me. I’ll check in with you guys afterthe junket about a littleMs.Pac-Manaction.”

“Deal.”

When Gia arrived at Katrina’s house on the beach, she found hercoach already watching the footage of the most recent tournament in Fiji.Katrina didn’t take her eyes from the screen when Gia entered. “Ten tournamentsa year and five of them are already gone. What are you going to do about that?”

“Well, hello to you, too.”

Katrina relaxed into her leather couch and stared at Gia in thatno-nonsense way she had. Her blond hair was cropped short and sun bleached.Retired or not, she still sported a surfer’s physique because she hit the wavesand the gym daily. Katrina didn’t mess around. “We have a lot of work to do.Look at this.” She rewound the footage and Gia took a seat. “See the way youovercorrect on that turn? That’s what caused you to lose your balance, or thatride would have pulled in a killer score.”

Gia shook her head. “I anticipate too much.”

“Then stop.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Well, it is for your competition.” Katrina fired up the nextclip, only this one was of Elle, tearing into a wave, carving the pocket likeshe was made to do so. Gia both cringed and applauded the finesse. “Check it.She’s not anticipating anything. She’s living that wave, and if you want totake number one, you have to learn to do the same.”

“If it were that easy, I’d be doing it already.”

“You think too much. You need to learn to feel your way throughthose waves.”

Gia laughed. “The only time thinking too much is a bad thing.”

“Tons of times it’s better not to think,” Katrina said, moving tothe kitchen and taking out the ingredients for protein shakes for the two ofthem. “Dancing is one example. Sex is another. Falling in love is best servedwithout a side of overanalyzation.”

“If you say so.”

“What? You’ve never fallen head over heels for someone?”