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“Sorry!” she called out to Sam. “Can you help her up?”

Taylor started frantically paddling over as Sam hauled Belle up onto the pontoon, legs flailing everywhere. Belle shook herself off, making Sam squeal as the water hit her before she could shield herself in time. Then Belle was licking her all over again, like they hadn’t just seen each other a few minutes ago.

Taylor smiled at the display as she pulled up to the edge. “Right, you two, coming?” She patted the board and scooted to the back, her legs dangling over the sides.

“Are you sure we can all fit?” Sam asked nervously, as she brushed off the water from Belle.

“There’s plenty of space, and they’re super stable too. Way better than kayaks, in my opinion.”

“All right, if you say so!”

Taylor stabilised the board alongside the pontoon and held up her other hand for Sam to take. Sam gently stepped onto the board, lowering onto her knees with only a slight wobble.

“Right, Belle, you’re up next,” Taylor said. Belle jumped back on like a pro and moved straight to her spot at the top of the board. “Good girl. Sam, if you want to sit in the middle and cross your legs to start, I’ll paddle us out.” Taylor moved up onto her knees and pushed them off gently.

“Woah, it’s smoother than you’d think, even with all of us on here.”

“I told you. I was thinking of taking us to the end of the rocks, and maybe a quick duck out of the marina entrance if you have the time?”

“Fine by me. Lead on Macduff!”

Chapter Twenty

They’d made it out to the end and were floating around by the rocks just outside the marina. Sam had tried standing—with medium success and minimum wobbles—as Taylor had shown her a few techniques on how to paddleboard properly. She finally felt like she was getting the hang of it.

“Watch this. I can do a headstand,” Taylor proclaimed.

“Oh really? Now you’re just showing off. Go on then, prove it.” Any excuse to stare at Taylor was great in her books.

“Fine. But, uh, I haven’t tried it with anyone else on the board except Belle.”

“Where’s the bravado now? Chicken?” Sam goaded.

Taylor narrowed her eyes.

“All right, move back towards Belle.”

Sam did as she was told and waited. Taylor let her breath out slowly, gearing herself up. She leaned her head onto the board, cradling it with her arms and slowly bringing up one leg, kicking up the other until she was in a complete headstand. She held it for a few seconds before she wobbled as a small swell went under the board, sending her straight over.

“Taylor!” Sam scrambled back to the middle as Taylor spluttered to the surface and grabbed onto the board, Belle barking at all the commotion, her tail wagging nervously.

“Well, that was embarrassing.” She pulled herself back up, straddling the board and flipping her wet hair back out of her eyes. Sam’s throat went dry as she drank in the scene before her—all of those Baywatch memes finally clicking into place right in front of her eyes.

“Not from my perspective,” Sam replied, looking her up and down.

Taylor looked down at herself, then back up, a coy smile on her lips. “That’s a little unfair then.”

“Huh?” Sam questioned as Taylor sent her flailing into the water. The cold hit in a rush, almost stealing her breath away. She righted herself, breaking through the surface and throwing the biggest daggers straight at Taylor as she swam back to the board.

Then something touched her foot and her eyes went wide.

“Shark!” she yelled, scrambling for the board. She heard a bark behind her and Taylor cracked up laughing.

“That would be Belle, the traitor, who jumped straight into the water afteryoufell in but didn’t do a thing whenIfell in!”

“Aww, thanks Belle. You’re my hero, saving me from your mean mummy.” Sam narrowed her eyes at Taylor while Belle continued to paddle around, seemingly content to stay in the water.

Then Sam got an idea. She swam straight at the board. A look of confusion crossed Taylor’s face—morphing into horrified realisation as Sam grabbed the board and lifted, throwing Taylor back in.