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Elle seemed puzzled. “Okay, then where did you learn to surf ifnot here?”

“Hawaii. My mother was a captain in the Air Force and we werestationed at a base there. I had this friend who would come to the islands tovisit her family each summer. She talked this huge game about wanting to learnto surf.”

“An influencer.”

“Big-time. I looked up to her in every way.”

“What was her name?”

“Hunter, which I thought was so much cooler than a stupid namelike Gia. She was smooth, and put together, and knew she was gay way the hellbefore I did. Everyone wanted to be around her. Meanwhile, I was just trying tofigure out how to string two sentences together around girls I thought werepretty.” She laughed. “Still am.”

“So, the girl with all the cool moves taught you to surf?”

“Hardly. She was awful at it. But then I gave it a shot, and it’slike the world came into color.” She shook her head at the still-vivid memory.“When I finally managed to stand up on that board for the first time, it’s likeI’d found my purpose. Sounds stupid, hearing it out loud.”

Elle shook her head, and her eyes held understanding. “It’s thefurthest thing from stupid I’ve ever heard. Tell me more.”

“I practiced. Mornings before school. Afternoons following school.All summer long. Hunter gave it up after that first summer. Spent her timechatting up girls at the mall while I lived in the ocean with my board.”

“And what happened to Hunter? The suspense is killing me.”

“Honestly? I’m not sure. We lost touch when my mom was transferredback to the mainland. I’m confident she’s still landing more girls than I evercould.”

Elle set down her wine. “Oh, I bet you do okay.”

“Apparently the dream version of me does.” They looked at eachother and laughed.

Elle glanced away, a blush firmly in place. “As I may havementioned before, it was the article about us that caused the whole thing. Theone that wasshippingus.” Elle smiled at her own use of the term. “I read it before going to sleepthat night.”

“Aha. So you find tabloid gossip…inspiring.” Gia tilted her headand caught Elle’s gaze. “I’m sorry if the dream made you feel awkward or upset you.”

“It didn’t upset me,” Elle said. “Well, it did for a while.” Apause. “And then it didn’t.”

They stared at each other. Gia wondered where all the sound in theroom had gone. Her head felt light, like it might float away at any moment. Sheblinked and reached for her glass of wine. “Good. That’s good, then.”

Their waiter returned and they ordered food, a combo of differentSpanish tapas to sample. Again, she let Elle, who seemed more adept at the menuoptions, do the choosing. They each went for a second glass of wine as theychatted. Slowly, and with the help of time and alcohol, the mood shifted asthey each relaxed.

“What about you?” Gia asked. “When did you first get on a board?”

“Oh. Well, I was a California kid through and through. My parentswere beach people, so my brothers and I were in the water from the beginning.Got my first surfboard at seven. Won my first competition at nine.”

“You were a surf prodigy. I do remember hearing that part of thestory.”

Elle had the decency to demur. “I practiced a lot.Prodigyis a strongword.”

“I don’t think it is, in your case. Not that it’s going to helpyou in San Clemente.”

“You’re ruthless, you know that? And you’re not going to win.”

“I’mdriven.And I am, too.”

Elle raised her glass and touched Gia’s. “To taking each otherdown. That should be the story of our joint memoir.”

“Wow. First, you’re dreaming about me, then you’re asking me outto dinner, and now we have a joint memoir? You move fast.” She watched therecurring pink hit the tops of Elle’s cheeks and blossom, enjoying that sheinspired it and wanting to inspire more, while at a loss at just how tonavigate this new circumstance.Getout of your own head.Don’toverthink. She exhaled. She was trying.

“I think about you differently since the dream. Is that weird?”Maybe Elle was really feeling the wine, but that comment sent a sweltering wavedissolving over Gia. She was glad they’d taken an Uber to the restaurant. Theyshould definitely take separate ones home.

“Do you have a crush on me, Elle?” She said it as a joke, adeflection, because that was easier, but she honestly had a stake in theanswer.