Girl Out of Water(80)

“Holy fucking shit! You asshole!” She leaps off the counter and bounds over to me, wrapping me in a tight hug. And I was worried she might be mad at me. Maybe I freaked out over nothing. I hug her back, and my entire body relaxes, comforted by the familiar smell of her coconut aloe shampoo.

As soon as we release the hug, Tess takes a step back and shoves me. “But seriously. Asshole move. You’ve been back for like, what? Twelve hours? And you’re just seeing my shining face now?”

“I was tired?”

Tess gives me a no-bullshit look. “Sure, too tired to see me but not tired enough to resist the water.”

“How did you—”

She points down the hallway. “Shouldn’t have left out those ocean clothes.”

“Right.” I shift on my feet. “Sorry. But I’m seeing you now!” I smile and move to hug her again.

“All right, all right, I get it. On Anise’s scale of all things important, everything comes after surfing. But you could’ve texted me so I’d know you didn’t die in a fiery crash of fire.”

“Sorry,” I repeat, then hug her again. “Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m here. You’re here.”

Tess hugs me back, then pulls away and nudges her forehead to mine. “Best friends together again.”

It really is hard to believe there can be bad in the world with her by my side. I hug her one more time for good measure.

“Anyway,” Tess continues, “While you were sleeping this beautiful day away, I was busy getting to know your new…friend.”

Lincoln looks up from the stove, where he’s sliding the sandwiches onto a plate. “I like her,” he says. “She also scares me a little.”

“Exactly the aesthetic I’m going for,” Tess says.

“Yeah,” I say, drawing the word out slowly. “What exactly were you guys talking about?”

“You,” they say at the same time. It makes me think of Parker and Nash and their twin timing. I miss them. I wonder if they’ll get my postcard today.

“Right. I don’t know how I feel about that.” I wait for either of them to expound, but neither of them volunteers more information, which is maybe for the best. “So, Surf Break?”

Tess grins. “Surf Break.”

Lincoln brings the sandwiches to the table. We all sit down together, and again I’m hit with how strange this situation is, but I must be the only one who finds it strange, because Lincoln and Tess both start digging into the food and chatting away without me.

“So you’re the only one who doesn’t surf?” Lincoln asks.

Tess nods. “I prefer to chase literary pursuits, not waves.”

I cut in. “By literary pursuits, she means thinly veiled erotica.”

Tess rolls her eyes. “Like your Detective Dana books are great works of American literature. Don’t be a snob, dude. A good book is a good book.”

“Very cool.” Lincoln nods. “I always mean to read more, but I have trouble staying still for that long.”

“You should totally try audiobooks,” Tess says. “Listen to them while you skateboard or whatever.”

Lincoln grins. “I’ll definitely do that. Do you have any suggestions?”

Tess starts to respond, but I cut her off. “SO,” I say loudly. “Surf Break.”

“Right,” Tess says. “Surf Break. Marie’s party isn’t for hours. You sure you don’t want to meet up with everyone before then?”

I shake my head. As excited as I am to see my friends, I’m also overwhelmed and nervous at the prospect. For this afternoon I want to enjoy Tess and Lincoln in solitude. Besides, Tess told me she accidentally slipped up on the Lincoln secret, so now everyone including Eric knows about us, and I don’t know how to handle that.

“Okay. We’ll see everyone tonight then.”

Everyone. My nerves churn. Tess isn’t mad at me, but Tess is my best friend. She’s prone to be more forgiving than everyone else.

“Motel/Hotel is playing near there, so we’re going to meet around eight, pregame some, go to the show, and then wander around and watch drunk people doing irresponsible shit.”

“Also be drunk people doing irresponsible shit,” I say.

“Yes, that’s a legitimate possibility.”

“So what do we do until then?” Lincoln asks.

Tess and I exchange looks and then we start laughing.

“What?” Lincoln looks bewildered.

Tess leans forward on the table and takes Lincoln’s hand in her own. “Lincoln, darling, sweetie. Anise just got back to her beloved Santa Cruz after a two-month separation. What do you think she’s going to do?”

“Oh,” he says. “Right.”

I grin. “Hey Lincoln, want to learn how to surf?”

? ? ?

“You disgust me,” I say as Lincoln trudges through the shallow water and back to shore, surfboard tucked under his arm, ocean water beading down his dark abs, that infuriating self-assured smile pinned to his face.

“No, I don’t.”

I grab Dad’s surfboard from him, and his smile widens. “There’s no way you learned to surf that well in one afternoon.”

Lincoln inches closer to me, sweeps down, and plants a quick kiss on my lips. The taste of salt is sharp. “I have a really good instructor. Plus, having one arm gives me eighteen years of off-center superhero balance. Come on, give me the board back. I want to go again.”