Chapter Two - Mirabelle
CHAPTER TWO
Mirabelle
THE WAVES LAP at my legs from where I’m sitting on my surfboard, watching the sky turn pink from the rising of the sun. Surfing first thing in the morning is one of my favorite things to do. It’s helped fill the hole in my heart that retiring from gymnastics left.
I successfully didn’t wake Bailey up this morning, stepping lightly around all the known creaks in the floor. I spent the entire night tossing and turning as Kaitlyn crashed with me, and Henry slept in one guest bedroom while Chris and Penelope stayed in the other. It was probably the worst night of sleep I’ve had all summer, knowing he was just down the hall.
Dinner went better than I expected, but that was probably because Bailey and I were sitting on opposite ends of the table. I was pretty proud of myself for that accomplishment.
I rest my hands on top of the cool water as my board bobs upward with a gentle wave. I don’t always get the best waves at this time, but even just sitting out here on the water helps me start the day on the right foot. Some days, I need all the help I can get.
“Mind if I join you?”
I jump half out of my skin, nearly falling off my board. Henry laughs behind me at my reaction, and I press a hand to my chest, trying to calm my heart rate from the jump scare. “You scared the shit out of me.” I exhale as my heart starts returning to its normal rhythm—or as normal as it can get around him.
“I can see that. Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” he says, flashing me a stupid smile that doesn’t slow my heartbeat at all.
“Well, you did. What are you even doing up this early?” I ask as he paddles to bring his board next to mine. His leg bumps mine as he sits up, looking out at the horizon.
“My brain didn’t get the memo there’s no early morning workouts today, but I remembered you saying last night you were going to be out here, so I thought I’d join you,” he explains, as if this uninterrupted moment with him hasn’t been the best thing to happen to me all summer. “Why are you out here so early? I thought the perks of living on the beach meant you could do this anytime you want.”
I can’t hide my smile as more of the sun begins to peak over the horizon, highlighting the sky with a pastel orange. “It’s my favorite part of the day. Everything is . . . quieter. My world is very loud all the time, and I love it, but for a little bit each day, it can be quiet,” I say slowly, looking over at Henry. He’s watching me curiously, and my cheeks flush. He’s a professional athlete, of course he understands how it all works. “Sorry, you probably understand better than anyone how loud it all can be.”
“That makes sense. I’m sorry for disturbing your peace.” He drags a hand through his hair, slicking back the dark strands. “I get my quiet from running,” he adds.
“You’re not disturbing my peace, but you are lucky JJ didn’t wake up, or he’d be asking you to run with him. He’s the same way.”
Henry chuckles under his breath. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I could use a few days off before everything picks up.”
“Aren’t you excited for this season?” I ask, eyeing him curiously. For once, I’m not checking him out, and I think that’s an achievement considering his wetsuit clings to every crevice of his muscular body. Yay me!
“Of course I’m excited, but it’s bittersweet at the same time. Your dad is a legend, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to learn from him, but now that he’s retired . . . I imagined how the pressure would feel, but I didn’t think it’d be like this. I had a meeting with Owen and the front office yesterday, and to say the least, there’s a lot riding on this season for me,” Henry admits, the tension practically rolling off his shoulders. I bet that’s what he was talking to Dad about in the kitchen last night.
“For what it’s worth, I think it will be fine—just show everyone what you can do.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“You’re overthinking it. It’s only football. From what I hear, you’ve been throwing a ball since you could walk,” I tease, lying down on my board to paddle further out as Henry follows my lead.
“How did you do it at seventeen? Perform with the whole world watching you?” he asks a few minutes later once we’ve settled again.
I play with the end of my braid, thinking back to the Olympics. “I don’t know. I just kind of tuned everything else out. I know that’s not much help, but I’m used to everyone watching me because of my last name. The only difference that time was the gold medal at the finish line,” I say, but it’s the truth.
I’ve lived my life under a magnifying glass and while I had my whole life to prepare for it, I still struggled some days. I’m able to tune everything out most of the time because I still keep my PR team on retainer for when anything pops up. Competing at that level brought a whole new level of scrutiny to me, and it wasn’t healthy for me to see everything everyone said about me, my athleticism, and my body. Since my retirement from elite gymnastics after the Olympics, most have lost their interest in me as an athlete. I know there’s some talk on discussion boards that I’ll be training for the upcoming Olympics, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“Have you tried talking to my dad about it?”
He falls silent, and I turn to look at him after a moment. “A little. It’ll be weird without him there, but it’s something everyone will have to adjust to. I don’t want Bash to think I can’t do it, but I feel different this season. I know I haven’t taken things as seriously in past seasons, but I want to get it right this year. Football is my sole focus.” Henry shakes his head, flashing me a quick smile. I recognize it for exactly what it is, but I don’t want to push Henry too far in case he clams up. “I’m being ridiculous. I swear I didn’t come out here to complain. Woe is me, right?”
“Dude, I complain all the fucking time. You’re allowed to be nervous. It’s stressful being an athlete, let alone a professional athlete. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve come out here and screamed because everything got to be too stressful, or to exercise free will. Don’t beat yourself up about it because I couldn’t care less.”
I’d listen to Henry talk about literally anything, but I’m selfishly glad he’s talking to me about this.
Henry laughs, and this time it’s genuine instead of self-deprecating. “Maybe it won’t be so bad having you around this season. Congrats on your internship,” he teases as we’re pushed back by a stronger wave. “I feel like I should warn you that the guys on the team don’t typically like anyone telling them what to do, but I have a feeling they’ll end up making an exception for you.”
“I’m pretty sure I won’t be telling anyone to do anything, considering I’ll be an intern,” I correct, splashing him with water. “I suppose in the event I do have to tell someone what to do, I’m hoping they’ll make an exception for me, being Sebastian Walker’s daughter and all. I’m never one to play the name card, but maybe they’ll take pity on me.”
“Well, if they don’t do it out of loyalty to your father, it probably helps your uncle is the head coach too. A lot of the guys are scared shitless of him,” Henry says, and I grin, connecting the dots.
“Are you afraid of him?”
His cheeks grow pink, but it could also be the sun finally rising and hitting his face. “No comment.”
“Seriously? He’s like a giant teddy bear. I don’t think I’ve ever even heard Uncle Owen raise his voice.” I laugh, and it’s Henry’s turn to splash me back.
“Don’t be mean. That’s because you don’t know him as a coach, just as family,” he points out in defense as I continue laughing, holding onto my board so I don’t fall off into the water.
“Fair, but your dad is a lot scarier than my uncle.”
“I think I agree with you,” Henry says. “So do you actually get any surfing done when you come out here? The water is pretty flat this morning.”
“Depends on the day.” I look at the surf suit he’s wearing, curious if he had the foresight to bring it here. “Did you bring that?” I ask, motioning toward the black material clinging to his body.
“Thalia caught me on my way out. She said I’d be glad for it, and she’s right. I think the water is warmer than the air.”
“She’s always right. You get used to it after a while, but it never stops being annoying,” I say, not surprised my mom’s awake. We’re all early risers.
The conversation drops off for a bit as we watch the sun rise completely, enjoying the quiet peace together. I don’t feel the need to fill the silence with random words, but I’m keenly aware of Henry’s presence. Honestly, I’m a little impressed I haven’t said anything stupid, because I usually end up making a fool of myself in front of him.
We’ve always been friends, but the older we get, the further apart we’ve drifted. It doesn’t help that I wear my heart on my sleeve, but I’m choosing to believe he’s oblivious to the crush I’ve had on him for years.
I know Henry’s older than me, but age is simply a number. I’m twenty, which only makes Henry five years older than me until he turns twenty-six in October. Besides, competing gymnastics at such a high level at a young age forced me to mature quickly.
I’m the first to admit I’m not perfect, though. My brothers tend to bring out the best and worst in me.
Everything would be so much easier if I were the same age as Henry.
Henry clears his throat, breaking the silence, my attention immediately shifting to him. His jaw has a shadow of dark stubble, and his hazel eyes find mine as my heart skips a beat. “I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk last night. JJ and Hunter did a good job of monopolizing all my attention,” he apologizes, and my brain skips five steps to this being the moment he asks me out.
“Don’t worry about it. You know they look up to you.” I play it off with a shrug.
“I do, but I hoped to hear more about your summer other than the bits and pieces I caught last night,” Henry continues, trailing his large hands lazily in the water. Is it bad that I find his hands attractive? Is that normal, or should I be concerned?
“It’s not that interesting,” I say, trying to not sound overeager. I need to chill out.
He raises his eyebrows at me in doubt. “Somehow I find that hard to believe, but I’m asking because I want to hear about your life, and what you’ve been up to.”
If only I could record this moment and play it back for JJ, to show him my crush is not entirely irrational. He can make fun of me all he wants, but he’s the one who has been pining for some girl he spent twenty-four hours with in France this past spring. That’s far more irrational than my feelings for Henry.
I hold my arms out, motioning at the ocean in front of us. “This is what I’ve been doing: surfing, reading, and overall, living life, while trying to have the best damn time.”
He laughs, shaking his head as he smiles at me. “Sounds like a fun time.”
“It’s not too shabby. Of course, Penelope thinks I’m a fool to start this internship when I could be traveling, but I’m excited,” I say, smiling at the thought of being back in Charlotte.
“Any boys in the picture?” he asks, and I can’t help laughing. How ironic is it that Henry— of all people —is asking me about this?
“Nope.”
“Really? I feel like I definitely heard your dad complaining about whatever ass you were dating not that long ago. Wasn’t his name Reid or something?”
What the hell is going on right now? I chuckle, shaking my head. “You got it right—Reid. He broke up with me the day we got back from winter break. He was much more interested in my dad and my gold medal than he actually was in me. It sounds worse than it was,” I add, as Henry grimaces in disgust. I definitely did the right thing leaving out the part where he thought having a girlfriend meant he could get it whenever he wanted, and I apparently told him no too often. I only know this because Reid made the mistake of running his mouth to some of the guys on the football team who knew me.
It definitely was as bad as it sounds.
“He sounds like an asshole.”
Henry’s not the only one who thinks so. My best friend from Duke, Emily, hated Reid with a burning passion. Too bad I didn’t listen to her when she tried to tell me that before we started dating.
“Funny you call him that, because you’re not the first to. Reid was an asshole.”
An asshole who only ever cared about getting himself off, and would get annoyed when I didn’t orgasm in five seconds. I have no problem when I’m by myself, but when I’m with a partner, I clam up, and it’s nearly impossible for me. Maybe I didn’t communicate well enough, but his attitude didn’t help me relax. I know I can orgasm with a partner, but it’s just harder for me to lose myself in the moment. That was actually one of the reasons he broke up with me. Reid said kissing me was like kissing a piece of cardboard, but he sure didn’t have any problem trying to stick his dick in me. Emphasis on the word try . Once, he just thrusted up and down without actually penetrating me, and he never realized.
What the fuck was I thinking? Actually, I know what I was thinking. I was trying to give the cute guy from my business class a chance instead of holding out for Henry. All it turned out to be was a fucking mistake.
“What about you? Are you seeing anyone?” I ask, knowing full well his answer could crush me forever. I’m fairly certain the answer is no, but I guess if Henry is dating someone, I could fall off my surfboard and pretend to drown. He’d be forced to give me mouth to mouth and then Henry would see what he’s been missing.
Sweet Jesus. I need some fucking help.
He shakes his head to my relief. “Nope,” he mimics me before cracking a smile. “I’ve tried relationships, but it never seems to work out.”
Well, duh. All the girls you’ve tried dating aren’t me. Oh shit, I realize how conceited that sounds, but it’s true. Our interaction right now is a perfect indication of what a relationship would be like. We’re enjoying each other’s company with periods of silence. I think that’s a pretty good sign at least.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I finally say, when in all actuality, I feel like throwing my hands up in the air and cheering loudly. Hallelujah.
Our peace is interrupted by arguing behind us, and I swallow my groan when I turn to see Bailey’s blond mop of hair. It’s not the end of the world because JJ is with him.
“ Merde ,” 2 I swear under my breath.
I love my brothers— I do, I swear —but I don’t want my bubble with Henry right now to be popped.
There’s nothing I can do unfortunately, short of telling them to go away, but the odds of them listening to me are nonexistent.
“Here they come,” Henry teases, and I splash him again, rewarded by the sound of his deep laughter.
“Where’s Hunter?” I ask once they’re in earshot.
JJ flashes me a knowing smile, paddling up next to me. “He’ll be out in a couple minutes. He was grabbing a surf suit for Kaitlyn to change into.”
“And you didn’t wait for them?” I ask, causing Bailey to stick his tongue out at me.
“Pot calling kettle. You could have woken everyone up instead of just Henry, and then no one would have had to wait,” Bailey retorts.
“That’s literally not the same thing at all, so you can’t call me a pot calling kettle.”
Henry laughs quietly under his breath. “Mirabelle was out here by herself. I woke up early, so I joined without asking. She was staring off into space, and I scared the shit out of her.”
“You don’t have to ask if you can join. That’s what Mom says, at least. The ocean belongs to no one.” Bailey runs his hands through his hair, and I laugh at his choice of words.
“If you’re talking about what Mom says, then you might want to say it the right way,” I say, causing JJ to laugh.
“B, are you too cool to say the ocean belongs to mermaids?”
For as long as I can remember, Mom has always insisted mermaids exist. Once I was old enough to question it, I asked my dad about it, and he explained Mom always wanted to be a mermaid. He’s not sure if she actually believes in them, but he asked us to go along with it because it makes her happy.
Sometimes I forget my parents have known each other their whole lives.
Kinda like me and Henry. Coincidence?
Bailey rolls his eyes. “Mermaids don’t exist.”
Excuse me? That’s sacrilegious in our family. What the hell is he upset about this early in the morning he’d be throwing those words around? JJ speaks before me, and it’s probably a good thing. I’ll end up saying something that will probably end in another argument.
“Just don’t say that in front of Mom. You’ll hurt her feelings,” JJ warns.
I shoot JJ a questioning look, and he shakes his head subtly.
Tell you later , JJ mouths to me.
I hate being out of the loop with them. I know I’m older, and not always around, but still.
I push the thought out of my head, slipping off the side of my board and into the water, dunking my head under to wet my hair. Henry’s right, it is warmer under the water than above it, but the chill in the air feels good as I resurface, grabbing for my board. In the background, I spot Hunter and Kaitlyn walking across the beach, carrying their boards under their arms.
A part of me is sad we’ll all only be here another week. I love this place, but I’m ready for this opportunity. I just hope it’s ready for me.