Page 34 of Out in the Surf

Luca had an innate exuberance for everything he tried. Surfing, volunteering at the rink, taking oddball elective classes... He could balance on a board in the ocean, help wrangle sweaty hockey equipment with a smile on his face, and thanks to his Intro to the Beatles class, Luca could recite more trivia about the Beatles than anyone needed to know. And I had to admit his ceramic-making skills were impressive too.

I smiled whenever I used the coffee mug he made me. It was ridiculously huge and lined with colorful surfboards. But the best part was that he’d signed the bottom with the tiniest heart, like a love letter.

Whatever. The point was…Luca was gifted.

And surprisingly Zen. I’d always considered myself to be pretty chill, but I had nothing on Luca.

He didn’t sweat the little things. Ever. Sure, he had a hot temper and a tendency to go for the most dangerous option when he felt cornered. But that fiery spirit was what drew me to him in the first place. Luca lit up every room he walked into with his mischievous grin and devil-may-care attitude.

I liked the way he responded to me. When he was angry or frustrated, I was usually the one who calmed him. When he was sad, I was the one who reassured him everything would be okay. I’d thought our age difference had something to do with our complementary natures, but I realized now that it worked both ways.

He calmed me, reassured me, made me stop and think too. And he was always rooting for me. Always. In a relatively short time, he’d become a close friend, a confidante, a lover. He might be impetuous and occasionally reckless, but he was wise beyond his years.

Not gonna lie, as the weeks slipped by, I was beginning to seriously worry about what I’d do when he graduated and moved on.

And no, he hadn’t said he was going anywhere, but he’d been excited enough about an assistant coach opportunity in Northern California to insist on a celebratory dinner. Then again, Luca could find a reason to celebrate practically anything—an A on a test deserved ice cream; hitting all green lights on the drive home deserved an extra ten minutes ofCall of Duty. I supposed it only made sense that a possible job offer warranted a steak dinner at a bougie restaurant on 2nd Street. His treat.

I had a million questions for him, ranging from interview details to how a college student could afford a forty-dollar filet, but he kept steering the conversation to me. He claimed my aura was off, and he couldn’t relax until he knew what was on my mind. I probably should have been pissed that he thought I overreacted to Hannah’s surprise visit today, but maybe…he was right.

And did I mention he was hot?Fuck me.If he flicked his tongue over his bottom lip one more time, I might have to undo my zipper.

My gaze traveled from his mouth to his eyes, lingering for a moment as we shared a smile about nothing at all.

I cleared my throat and sat up a little taller in the leather booth. “Did I say I was ordering fries?”

“No, but you didn’t have to. You always order fries.”

“I do?”

“Yup.” Luca flashed a radiant grin my way before greeting the waiter in his customary friendly fashion. When we’d placed our orders, he leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. “So…Hannah. I have to admit, I’ve been low-key jealous about her for months.”

“Really?” I frowned and quickly assured him. “Don’t be. Seriously, Luca. We broke up a long time ago. There’s no reason to think twice about it.”

“Hmm. Tell me about her,” he prodded.

I pulled a piece of bread from the basket between us, then proceeded to make a production of buttering it before setting it on my plate without taking a bite.

“We just didn’t want the same things anymore. It sucked, though. I’ve had other girlfriends and been through a few breakups—they’re never fun. It was harder with Hannah than anyone else.”

“Why?”

“I think I wanted it too much.” I shrugged and finally bit into my overly-buttered bread. “We both did.”

“You loved her,” Luca said softly.

“I did. But not enough. I mean…I loved my friend. Maybe I still do to a degree. She’s someone who’s always been part of my life. It’s complicated.”

“You mentioned that you grew up together.”

“Yeah. I’m two years older, so we weren’t in the same classes, but we went to the same schools and because our families were friends, our worlds always blended. Hannah was like a little sister to me. Until…she went to college. She came home from a winter break after her junior year and I swear it was like I was meeting her for the first time. Everything she said and did seemed kinda magical. I was…smitten.” I smiled at the memory.

Luca scowled playfully. “Okay, now Iamjealous.”

I slid my calf over his under the table. “Don’t be. Infatuation doesn’t last. Or it didn’t in our case. I think we were too…convenient in a way.”

“How so?”

“Well…in my head, I made us into something we weren’t. I decided we were good together ’cause on paper, we should have been. My family loves her, my friends assumed we’d get married. And it was just too perfect to fall for the girl whose family business sponsored my surfing career. She talked about building her own apparel business and I’d design boards, we’d take over the family biz, expand it nationwide and…boom!” I brushed my hands together. “Happily ever after.”