Page 1 of Free Wind (Lifeguards of Barking Beach #2)

As another wave washed over the white sand at Barking Beach under a cloudless sky, Blake reminded himself he was supposed to be watching the water—not the lifeguards.

There was one in particular who always caught his attention with long blond hair, a lean swimmer’s build, red sunnies, and a crooked smile. Even though he was only in his early twenties, he clearly knew the beach like the back of his hand.

It was impressive to watch him paddle out now, navigating the shore break flawlessly as he rescued a tourist who’d quite literally gotten in over his head. Blake could only hope to be half as skilled in the water eventually, but he was learning.

And he could only hope he might catch the lifeguard’s attention one day.

He shifted on his white plastic chair under the sunshade he and his fellow Barking Surf Life Saving Club members had set up.

It was a busy Saturday morning, and they were parked in front of the safe swimming area marked with red and yellow flags, keeping watch while the lifeguards spread out over the kilometer-long beach.

The official name was Barkininy Beach, but hardly anyone called it that. It was Barking or “Barkers” to the locals, and it still gave Blake a thrill that he could finally count himself as a bona fide local now.

It was early February, and the days had been hot and dry. It hadn’t rained a drop since November, and Blake didn’t think he’d seen a single cloud that week. The lifeguards had their work cut out for them. He loved that he and the other clubbies could help even a little bit.

Beside him, Kat pitched their voice higher. “Oh, Damo, you’re so brave and handsome.”

There was no point denying his little crush since Kat had clocked it the very first week Blake volunteered. He watched Damo bring in the patient, catching a wave that took them right onto the sand.

Blake smiled and muttered, “Yeah, yeah.”

Kat lowered their voice an octave and flipped imaginary long hair over a shoulder to impersonate Damo. “It just comes naturally, bro. You’re quite brave and handsome yourself. For a clubbie.”

Blake and Kat both laughed. The surf lifesaving club had patrolled the beach on weekends and holidays since the nineteen-sixties—long before Barking was busy enough to warrant professional lifeguards.

The lifeguards were in charge now, and the rivalry between the two groups was all in good fun. Mostly.

“As if he’d look twice at me,” Blake said.

“I’m telling ya, he has.”

“And I know you’re having me on.”

Kat sighed long-sufferingly as they gazed at the throng of people splashing and swimming between the flags.

Taking off their red uniform cap, they ran a hand through their tumble of chin-length brown curls.

They had dark skin and striking, thick-lashed brown eyes that were often crinkled in laughter.

Kat and Blake wore the same uniform: red cap and shorts and a yellow long-sleeved rashie to protect from the sun emblazoned with Surf Rescue in red.

“I’ve known Damo since we were nippers, and I’m telling ya—he might’ve only dated chicks when we were at school, but he’s got eyes for blokes as well. And he definitely had an eyeful of your arse last week when you were helping that woman up.”

Blake groaned. “Right, and I’m sure he was really impressed by me getting smoked by that next wave.”

An older woman had struggled in the shore break, mired in sand and tumbled around by the incoming waves.

Blake had bent over to help her when another wave broke.

It took him off his feet, and what followed had been a comedy of errors as he tried to assist the woman only to have her pull him down more than once.

Kat grinned. “It was like one of those old slapstick routines my gramps loved. Black and white and everything. Except you’ve got a much hotter arse than those fellas.”

“I’ll be sure to add that to my profile on the apps.”

Not that he’d been very active on them lately. He’d been eager for hookups when he’d first moved to Barking after living back home in the middle of nowhere for three years, but now…

He needed more. It’d been years since he’d had a proper boyfriend, and that was the next item on his plan that he needed to tackle. He needed to go on dates that were more than a few pleasantries—and sometimes not even that—before sex.

About ten meters up the sand amid the clusters of families, sunbakers, and a small group doing yoga headstands, Damo crouched beside the coughing man he’d rescued, speaking to him in what Blake imagined was a gentle tone.

Damo always seemed to wear a smile, that laid-back surfer attitude in place even when he had to be frustrated with patients ignoring the warnings to only swim between the flags.

Speaking of which…

Blake forced his gaze back to the water, watching a few kids splash safely in the shallows before looking out farther to where swimmers bobbed in the swells. Even though he was a volunteer, he still had to focus on his job, and he huffed softly, disappointed in himself for the attention lapse.

Kat said, “Talk to him.”

“What? No. He’s working.”

“I don’t mean right this second. Surely you’ve seen him here surfing? He practically lives at Barking.”

“Yeah, but he’s incredible. I’ve only been at it regularly for six months. I learned during uni, but I’m barely better than a grommet at this point.”

“Fake it ’til ya make it. You’re a fit, gorgeous guy. Ask him to come to Rodeo one night. Then we’ll know if I’m right.”

“And as soon as I do that, you and the others’ll jump out from behind a sandcastle to take the piss. I know newbies get pranked. I—”

For a moment, they both watched a young woman wearing shorts and a T-shirt sputter and cough after mistiming the shore break and copping it in the face.

Then she got up and laughed with her friend, retreating to the sand. Tourists who couldn’t swim often went in the water fully dressed, and it could have disastrous consequences. Blake exhaled, glad she was back on dry land.

Kat said, “You’re not that new, mate. Been on the team a couple of months now.”

“And I’m still waiting for the inevitable prank to happen.”

When he’d moved to Barking six months before, the first thing Blake had done after finally finding an apartment was ring the life-saving club to ask when he could join. Now he’d finished his training, completed his certifications, and was a full-fledged clubbie—just like he’d planned.

Check! Another box ticked.

He hadn’t just planned it—he’d dreamed of it. Barking was everything he’d imagined, from the soft white sand between his toes to the crystal-clear turquoise water under clear, cerulean skies. To the brave, gorgeous lifeguards.

Blake allowed himself a glimpse of Damo, who was now watching the water, speaking into his radio.

Kat wiped their Aviators with a cloth and said, “If I was gonna prank ya, you’d’ve had to clean out the clubhouse storage closet and organize the contents alphabetically by now.”

Blake frowned. “Does it need organizing? I can come early tomorrow and have a go.” He could pull everything out and categorize into groups and subgroups…

Kat shook their head. “Glutton for punishment.”

“But if I can help…”

They motioned to the water. “You’re helping. You’ve volunteered both days every weekend and Chrissie and New Year’s.”

“I was happy to.” He genuinely had been, since the thought of spending Christmas in particular alone in his apartment was decidedly not merry.

He’d have come down to Barking regardless, but being alone in a crowd wasn’t much better. Getting to know the other clubbies and sharing a barbecue dinner that night under a starry sky had been magical.

Kat added, “Trust me—that storage closet is above our paygrade. Besides, that wouldn’t be a prank. It would just be mean.”

Considering they were all volunteers, Kat was probably right. They whistled sharply at a teenage boy. “Oi! Don’t even think about leaving that empty bottle in the sand to get broken and stepped on. Yes, you. The one in desperate need of a haircut.”

The kid sheepishly fetched the juice bottle and stuffed it into his rucksack before hurrying on.

Blake chuckled, and Kat said, “That’s not mean.

That’s teaching a member of the community to take responsibility for his actions.

Suppose I could’ve left out the commentary on his hair.

” They grew serious. “I wouldn’t tell ya to ask out a bloke if I thought he was straight. We queers have to stick together.”

They offered a fist to bump, and Blake did as Kat added, “It’s not a stitch-up. Talk to Damo sometime. Bit of a knob, but he means well.”

“He’s not a knob!”

Kat grinned slyly. “It’s adorable how you defend his honor when you don’t even know him.”

A girl of about eight in pink bathers and a short-sleeved white rashie approached through the growing crowd. Eager for the interruption, Blake jumped up.

“You right, sweetheart?” he asked.

Her chin wobbled, eyes glistening. “I, I—” She bit back a sob. “I can’t find my dad.” Tears tracked through the white zinc on her pale nose and cheeks.

Blake dropped to his knees, wishing he could give the poor girl a hug but needing to maintain boundaries. “We’ll find him, no worries. What’s your name?”

“Z—Zoe.”

“It’s okay. Here, come sit on my chair.”

She did, sniffling and shivering even though the morning was so hot that Blake’s hair was damp under his uniform cap just from sitting in the shade.

She answered questions about her dad’s appearance and clothing and when she’d seen him last while Kat radioed the information to the lifeguard tower, which sat at the middle of the beach with storage underneath and lifeguard headquarters and viewing windows up top.

A few of the other clubbies on shift gathered, then fanned out to search. In all likelihood, the man was looking for his daughter or unaware she couldn’t find him, but any missing person could potentially be in the water.