Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter
twenty-six
WE HEADED THROUGH THE YARD back toward my car. Theo held the surfboard. I had the pictures tucked into my bag. Before we reached the gate, Theo pointed to a hose snaking through an extra-long patch of weeds against the side of the house. I immediately felt the dirt on my skin again at the thought of being able to wash it away.
After Theo’s confession earlier, I had met his stare with what I could only assume was a terrified expression. It was really just a reflection of feeling my heart explode in my chest. I’d nodded and said thank you or something equally stupid, and we finished looking through the pictures. I’d found a couple more. Then we’d freed the surfboard, and now we were heading to the front of the house to talk to Alice. But not before using the hose.
I set my bag down by the house, and he propped the surfboard against the wall. Then he twisted on the spigot and followed the tangled line until he found the end.
“Here,” I said. “I’ll hold it so you have two hands to wash.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Why don’t I trust you?”
I gasped. “I’m so trustworthy.”
He didn’t seem to believe me but handed over control of the hose. I held it extra still while he scrubbed his hands and forearms. He had really nice forearms, all corded and strong. Then he cupped his hands and splashed water onto his face. Dirt dripped down his temples and chin.
“Not even close to clean,” I said.
He tried again, this time running his hands up and down his face. A few streaks remained on his forehead, and I motioned him forward. He leaned closer, and I dipped my hand in the stream of water and then ran it across his forehead and by his ear. I studied his skin closely, making sure I got it all. When I finished, he was staring at me.
I gulped. “All done.”
“Your turn.” He gestured for the hose, and I handed it over.
I replicated his cleanup, scrubbing my hands and arms, then my face. And in turn, he helped me with the remaining streaks I couldn’t see, his hand running gently over my cheek and then right below my bottom lip. His eyes carefully traveled my face until my insides were hot and melty.
We must’ve drifted closer together at some point because suddenly the stream of water from the hose he held was pouring down the front of my body.
I yelped and jumped back. “You did not!” I scream-laughed. “That is so cold!”
“It was an accident!”
“I trusted you!”
He laughed. “I’m so trustworthy!”
“Obviously not!” I wrestled for the hose.
He held on tight. “I don’t deserve reciprocation!”
“You more than deserve it.”
“I was distracted!”
“I was distracted too, but did you see me pour water down your fully clothed body?”
He laughed, then somehow managed in one swift motion to grab me by the arm and twist me around, pinning my back and arms against his chest. The hose in his other hand was still pouring water off to our left.
“No fair,” I said, kicking my feet.
His cheek was against mine, and I could feel him smiling. “Truce?”
“Truce?” I asked. “Nothing has happened to you. A truce can only be called when both people have been victims.”
“Is that so?”
“That is very so.”
“Okay, if you insist.”
Before I realized what that meant, he sprayed water into the air so it was raining down on both of us. He loosened his grip on me, and I turned in his arm so I could look him in the eyes and say, “You are so annoying.”
“But you still like me.”
Water dripped down his face and onto mine, and his smile turned serious. His hand holding the hose fell to his side, dropping it so water now flowed through the weeds and wildflowers at our feet. My wet hair continued to drip onto my forehead and shoulders and arms. His now-free arm joined his other one around my waist, pulling me closer. He paused for a moment, searching my eyes. I wondered if he was waiting for me to make a move because I had rejected a kiss on the boardwalk. But before I had even finished that thought, his mouth was on mine, hot against my cold lips. I sucked in some air, but then my hands traveled up his chest and around his neck, into his wet hair. My tongue brushed past his lips and tasted his mouth. His hands moved from my waist, up my back until they gently cupped my face.
He felt amazing against me, warm and steady. He tasted good too, like mint and cool air. My entire body felt like it was being dipped in that barrel on his back porch. Both hot and cold tingles all over.
“Did you find it?” a voice called from behind me, and Theo pulled away. I wanted to pull him right back. I was breathless and lightheaded when I turned to see Alice walking toward us.
Theo shut off the hose and pointed to the board. “No, this isn’t the one we were looking for, but we thought we’d take it for a spin.”
I smiled at his words, the same ones Andrew had said to my grandma all those years ago.
“Please do,” Alice said, finally reaching us. “It probably misses the ocean.” She looked over Theo’s shoulder at my car. “You’re going to put it in there?”
“We are going to attempt,” he said, his brain obviously much more functional than mine, because as I was trying to think of responses to each of her questions, he was already answering them.
“We found some pictures,” I finally spit out. “Of my grandma and the board we’re looking for.”
“Oh?” she said.
I pulled the photos out of my bag and handed them to her. “Have you seen this board?”
Alice squinted. “You know, it does look vaguely familiar. I’ll ask my sister about it—maybe she’s seen it.”
“Can I…?” I gestured to the pictures. “Can I have those?”
“Yes, you can.” She placed them gently back in my hands.
“Thanks,” I said. “We didn’t quite make it all the way through the shed. Is there any way we can come back, maybe when you’ve emptied it out more?”
“Of course. I’ll keep you updated. It might take a while.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she replied, and then she was heading back to the house. Theo picked up the board, tucked it under his arm, and made his way to my car. I straightened my shirt, slid the pictures back into my bag, took a deep breath, and followed after him.
He was studying the trunk. “This board is longer than yourcar.”
“My back seats fold down,” I said, opening the trunk, then walking around to the side door to release the seat latch. “It’s definitely going to hang out, but I’ve seen people do worse.” It was a beach town; the roads were full of surfboards being transported in various ways. I once saw a guy riding a bike holding a board.
“True,” he agreed as he slid the board into my trunk.
I joined him to help with the task. Our eyes met over the board. My insides still felt melty and my brain mushy. We both leaned forward but were immediately stopped by the barrier between us. I tried to shove the board farther into the car, but it got caught on the front seats, not budging another inch, three feet still hanging out the trunk. Theo came around the end, and then my back was pressed against the taillight and my front was pressed against him.
“Do you know how long I’ve wanted to kiss you?” he asked before his mouth covered mine.
“Three weeks?” I guessed, against his lips, referencing the day in the bathroom. The day I’d realized how hot he was.
“Longer than that,” he said, his hands sliding around my waist. “And it was worth the wait.”