Page 79 of Suddenly Beck

‘Pia, Georgie,’ I introduce them.

‘I like your hair.’ Pia smiles up at her, staring at the vibrant blue and green locks.

‘Thanks.’ She grins. ‘Nat, we got a new board in for you to try. I know Beck’s progressed you up to a nine six, but this one’s better than the one you were using.’

‘Thanks, Georgie.’ I nod.

‘You surf?’ Pia blinks incredulously.

‘Yeah,’ I tell her. ‘Beck and I surf every morning, well, every morning but today, and that was largely due to the amount of Jack Daniels we sank last night.’

‘Who are you?’ Pia shakes her head with a small smile.

‘You going up to Sully’s?’ Georgie asks.

‘In a bit.’ I nod, shading my eyes from the sun.

‘Bring me some tacos.’ She flutters her eyelashes at me.

‘Come and get them yourself.’ I grin. ‘I’m not your delivery service.

‘Aw, come on.’ She pouts. ‘Please? I did save you the best board.’

‘Fine,’ I concede. ‘I’ll get one of the wait staff to run it down to you.’

‘Thanks, hun.’ She blows me a kiss.

‘I think I should try these tacos everyone keeps raving about,’ Pia says.

‘You will.’ I nod. ‘I’ll take you up to Sully’s for lunch, but first, there’s something I need to do.’

‘What?’ she asks curiously as I take her bag and shoes and set them down in the sand.

‘This.’ I laugh, and I grab her, slinging her over my shoulder and running for the water.

‘No, Nat!’ she screams, laughing wildly. ‘You wouldn’t dare.’

‘Wanna bet?’ I grin.

‘No!’ she shrieks with laughter and everything inside me lights up. This is my sister; this is my Pia. Not the woman I’ve seen at boring society functions for the past several years. This is the wild fun girl I grew up with. I know there’s still so much unsaid between us, but I’m so happy to have her back.

I reach the water’s edge, but at the last-minute drop her to her feet so she’s only in the water up to her ankles.

She kicks her foot and sprays me with sea water, and I dance nimbly out of reach as she laughs again. We chase each other in and out of the water, laughing like idiots and playing like children. I pick her up and spin her around and around until she’s breathless.

‘You idiot,’ she laughs happily. Her hair is falling out and spilling over her shoulders untidily, her cheeks are pink and flushed, and her blue eyes are dancing merrily.

I look up and see Beck standing at the railing beside Georgie, watching us with a smile on his face, and I can’t help but stare at him, fortunately I manage to catch myself before I start sighing like a lovesick dickhead.

‘Not serious, huh?’ Pia huffs in amusement. ‘You two might as well have little hearts in your eyes and be running in slow motion toward each other along the beach to Celine Dion’sMy Heart will go on.’

I glance at her sharply at the Titanic reference, wondering if she’s somehow accidentally seen the painting Beck did. Christ, I hope not.

‘Er, lunch?’ I offer as we head back up toward the swim shack.

I watch as Beck climbs over the railing and drops down from the promenade onto the sand easily. Picking up Pia’s bag and shoes as he hands her a pair of pink flip flops.

‘Georgie said to give you these,’ he says.