Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Emmalyn had been staring at the menu for at least two minutes, not really seeing it, and not all that interested in eating or even being on this date. She didn't know why she couldn't get more excited about it. She'd been looking forward to getting to know Steven. He'd invited her to dinner at a popular restaurant with a great view of the water. He'd been on time and eager to see her, but she felt oddly disconnected.
"What looks good to you?" Steven asked, his voice bringing her gaze to his.
She forced a smile onto her face. Steven Matthews was exactly the kind of guy she should be interested in. Friendly, open, with an easy smile that reached his eyes. A middle school history teacher who also coached baseball, he had sandy blond hair that fell across his forehead in a boyish way, and when he laughed, which was often, it was infectious.
"I'm leaning towards salmon," she said. "How about you?"
"Steak. The pasta looks amazing too." He smiled at her over his menu. "I'm really glad we're doing this. I don't usually like setups, but ever since I heard about you from Erica, I've been excited to meet you."
"I'm happy we're doing this, too." She had agreed to the date because Erica, another teacher at Ravenswood had said Steven was a great guy, and he did seem to be very nice. It certainly wasn't his fault that her mind kept drifting to Hunter's dark eyes, to the way they'd gotten angry when she'd told him about her mother's choices, and the way they'd softened when he'd looked at Olivia eating her ice cream. There had also been an odd note in his voice when he'd asked about her date, as if he didn't really like that she had one. But that was ridiculous.
Hunter didn't care that she had a date, at least not for any personal reason. If he cared at all, it was only because he had to deal with Olivia on his own. That was probably why he'd looked a little disappointed when she'd turned down his invitation for dinner.
Hearing Steven laugh, she realized she needed to pay attention. Steven was sharing a story about his day at school, something about a student's hilarious misinterpretation of the Civil War, and she forced herself to focus.
"So then," Steven said, "this kid asks, in complete seriousness, 'But Mr. Matthews, why didn't they just text each other instead of fighting?'" Steven laughed, shaking his head. "Seventh graders, I swear."
Emmalyn smiled. "One of my students asked me yesterday if the sun turns off at night like a light bulb."
"It's fun to watch their brains develop." Steven reached across the table to touch her hand. "That's what I love about teaching. Every day is unpredictable."
His touch should have sent a little thrill through her, but instead, she found herself comparing his easy gesture to the brief moment when Hunter's fingers had brushed against hers as she'd handed him coffee that morning. Hunter's touch had been accidental, fleeting, and yet, somehow, it had lingered on her skin for hours.
"You seem a little distracted," Steven said gently. "Long week?"
"I'm sorry," she said, genuinely apologetic. "It was a busy first week back."
"No need to apologize. We could have done it another night."
"No, no," she said quickly. "I'm fine. Let's order. I'm starving."
Two hours later, she'd eaten a good meal and enjoyed getting to know Steven, though they'd spent most of the evening exchanging stories about teaching. Still, by all objective standards, it was a good date with a good guy. She just didn't feel anything special. There wasn't any heat. No nervous tingles.
As Steven insisted on paying the check, he said, "Would you be up for doing this again sometime? Maybe next weekend?"
She hesitated. The right thing would be to say no. It wasn't fair to waste his time. But she couldn't let her mixed-up feelings about Hunter send her down the wrong path. "I'd like that," she said finally, deciding to give it another chance.
"Good. I'll text you."
After paying the bill, they walked out to her car. Steven gave her a kiss that was warm and perfectly nice but did absolutely nothing for her.
"Night, Emmalyn," he said with a smile.
"Thanks for dinner." As she got into her car, she wished she hadn't agreed to another date, because there was no way Steven was going to drive Hunter out of her head.
She didn't even know why she was thinking about Hunter. They were barely friends. Although, she had shared her deepest secrets with him for some crazy reason, and she didn't know what to think about that. She could have easily told him nothing or the made-up story she'd spent most of her life sharing.
But instead, she'd gone deep into her past, saying things she hadn't said out loud in years. In some ways, it had felt cathartic to see his reaction to what she had gone through and to hear his compliments about her survival skills. But she also felt vulnerable now. He knew more about her than everyone at Ocean Shores. Not that she thought he was going to shout her story from the rooftops, but she'd put her trust in a person she didn't even know, and she had no good reason for doing it, except that he'd asked, and somehow, she'd wanted to tell him.
It was probably because her mother was on her mind, but that still didn't completely explain her sudden desire to tell all her secrets.
And he'd told her next to nothing about his own life. That was definitely a debt she was going to collect on, not just because he owed her, but because she was interested in learning more about him. He'd seemed so one-dimensional before Olivia arrived, but now it felt like he was shedding his protective layers one by one, and she was intrigued to see what else he would reveal.
Saturday morning, after too much wine the night before and too little sleep, Emmalyn woke up with a headache and a grumpy attitude. She took a shower, threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top, then made coffee. She was feeling marginally better when a knock came at her door just before nine. She opened it to find Hunter and Olivia on her doorstep and her mood lifted when her gaze met Hunter's. He was also in shorts and a T-shirt and looked more relaxed than she'd ever seen him, his smile warm and inviting, sending a tingle down her spine.
"Good morning," he said.
"You two look like you're ready for the day."
"And we're hoping you'll join us."
"We're going surfing," Olivia put in with excitement. "And we want you to come."
"I'm not a good swimmer."
"We're going to be wading more than swimming," Hunter said.
"Please come," Olivia begged.
She hesitated for another minute, then said, "Okay, I'll come to the beach. But I'll leave the surfing to the two of you."
"It's going to be easy," Olivia said. "Hunter showed me a video, and we practiced on the floor last night."
"Really?" Emmalyn said, the image of Hunter and Olivia practicing together making her heart do a little flip. He was really trying hard to connect with Olivia, and that was impressive. "That was a good idea to practice beforehand."
"I've been known to have a few," Hunter said dryly. "We're going to leave in about twenty minutes."
"I'll put on my suit, and I'll meet you at your place." She was probably making a mistake to spend more time with them, but Olivia would be there, so nothing would happen between Hunter and herself. It was just a day at the beach with friends, she told herself, but she couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face as she went to put on her bikini.
Twenty minutes later, they walked down to the beach together. The sandy area near the surf school was already alive with movement—five kids, their parents, and a scattering of beach bags creating a little semicircle around Liam and a tanned, teenaged instructor named Jack.
"Hey, you made it!" Liam called when he spotted them. "And Emmalyn—finally. I’ve been trying to get you on a board for years ."
She shook her head with a smile. "I'm just here to watch, Liam."
"We'll see about that," he replied with a wink. "We start in ten."
They set their things on the sand, and Emmalyn slipped off her cover-up, revealing a modest teal bikini that felt more daring than it looked. She was a teacher, after all, and she was acutely aware of the possibility of running into parents and students on the beach. Still, she felt Hunter's gaze brush across her, lingering.
She flushed, thinking he looked unfairly good in his shorts and T-shirt, the sleeves clinging to his biceps in ways that made her thoughts go in a dangerous direction.
Hunter knelt to spray sunscreen over Olivia's wiggling limbs, coaxing her to hold still long enough to protect her nose and cheeks. Emmalyn watched, a quiet warmth stirring as he gently dabbed her face with careful attention. Whatever Hunter did, he did with a lot of focus to detail.
"Nice to see you both here," Paige said, dropping her bag next to Emmalyn's. "Henry had a great time with Olivia the other night."
"She had fun too," Hunter said, standing up as Olivia dashed toward Henry and the stack of boogie boards.
"She’s a sweet kid. I’m sorry about her dad, Hunter."
Hunter gave a quick nod. "Thanks."
Paige turned her gaze to Emmalyn, a little smirk forming. "So...how was your hot date last night?"
Steven paled in comparison to the man standing beside her now, and she really didn't want to answer that question, especially in front of Hunter.
Hunter apparently wasn't interested in her answer. "I’m gonna help the kids," he said, walking off without a glance.
Her stomach dipped.
Of course he didn’t care. Why would he?
"Emmalyn?" Paige prompted.
"It was fine."
"Fine doesn’t sound hot."
"He was nice. Maybe my expectations are too high."
"They should be high, especially on a first date. No sparks at all?"
"Not really."
Paige gave her a sympathetic look. "Too bad. Hopefully, you at least got a good dinner out of it."
"I did. What about you? Are you seeing anyone?"
"I’ve been on a few dates, but it’s tough to find time as a single mom. And I’m not introducing anyone to Henry unless I know it’s serious."
"I’m happy to babysit whenever."
"Thanks. But I might take a break from dating unless someone amazing pops up."
Liam called the group together, and they moved over to join the rest of the class.
Liam planted his surfboard in the sand like a flag. At thirty-two, he had the sun-lined skin and easy confidence of someone who’d spent more time in water than on land. "Welcome to Little Wave Riders!" he said. "Rule one: Respect the ocean. Rule two: Look out for each other. Rule three: Have fun!"
The kids giggled. Liam grinned.
"We’re starting with boogie boards," he continued. "These little beauties will catch your first waves. Who’s been in the ocean before?"
Olivia raised her hand proudly. "I went with my daddy. He held me real high!"
Hunter’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. But when Olivia looked at him, he smiled and nodded.
"That’s brilliant," Liam said. "You're already mates with the ocean."
Henry flailed beside Olivia. "I know how to splash!"
"Love that energy!" Liam said with a laugh. Then he demonstrated how to lie on the board and paddle.
As the kids and parents followed his directions, Hunter knelt to adjust Olivia's position. "Just like we practiced, Liv."
Emmalyn’s heart squeezed at how gentle and enthusiastic he was. Hunter was definitely putting his heart into this surf lesson, which surprised her, since one, she hadn't known he had a heart, and two, she couldn't have imagined he'd be so interested in a kid's lesson.
"Adults too," Liam called, catching her eye. "No spectators!"
Hunter appeared moments later with two boards, holding one out to her.
"Don’t be scared," Olivia told her. "It’s fun."
Hunter smiled. "What she said."
She took the board because, apparently, she was weak in the face of encouragement from six-year-olds and men with devastating smiles.
They practiced on land, then moved into the water. Foam lapped at their ankles. Liam explained how to read the ocean. Then they waded in. Everyone but her.
She sat on her board just above the water line, content to watch.
Hunter positioned Olivia on her board and then gave her a gentle push with the first gentle swell. Olivia rode the wave all the way to shore, beaming.
"Did you see me, Emmalyn?"
"I did," she said. "That was amazing."
"Let's do it again," Olivia said to Hunter as she ran back into the water where he was waiting.
Emmalyn smiled at Olivia's excitement, but it wasn't just Olivia who was having fun; it was Hunter, too. He looked younger, lighter, the weight of his grief momentarily lifted. It was like he was a different person. He and Olivia were paddling side by side now, and when they finally came in together, she caught her breath at the look of pure joy on both their faces. The grief was still there, just underneath—but so was life. And it was beautiful.
Fifteen minutes later, the class wound down. Olivia and Henry began building a sandcastle under Paige's watchful gaze.
Hunter walked over. "Your turn."
"I’m good. Watching was fun."
"Come on. Body surfing’s better."
She hesitated. "I didn’t learn to swim until I was a teenager. The ocean… scares me."
"It should," he said. "But it can also make you feel invincible. I promise I’ll keep you safe."
She raised a brow. "Stronger than the ocean, are you?"
He grinned. "This shallow and calm part of the ocean—I'm going to say yes." He held out his hand.
She reluctantly took it, and they waded into the water. When they got waist-deep, Hunter said, "Lie down on the board."
"What about you?" she asked, realizing he'd left his board on the sand.
"This is your ride," He kept a hand on the board as she stretched out. Then he pushed her board a little deeper into the water, and her nerves tightened.
"I think this is good," she said, looking over her shoulder at the waves gathering behind her.
"I've got you, Emmalyn," he said. "Are you ready?"
She looked into his dark eyes and saw the promise there. "I'm ready."
"We're going to wait for the right wave."
She tried to focus on the ocean, but her awareness kept shifting to Hunter—to the droplets of water clinging to his shoulders, the way the sunlight caught in his dark hair, and the unexpected gentleness in his eyes when he looked at her.
"This one," he said, nodding toward an approaching swell. "Get ready to paddle when I tell you."
She turned to face the shore, arms extended as Liam had demonstrated. She could feel the swell building behind her, water drawing back slightly in that telltale sign of a wave gathering force.
"Now!" Hunter called, and she pushed off with all her strength, kicking her legs as the wave caught her.
The sensation was indescribable. She was probably barely moving, but she felt like she was flying, carried by a force so much greater than herself, momentarily part of something powerful. She could hear Hunter shouting encouragement, then his deep laugh carrying over the rush of water as her board hit the sand. She rolled off into the water, breathless and smiling, and then got to her feet.
"That was amazing!" she gasped as Hunter waded out of the ocean. "I know I wasn't very deep, but it was more fun than I thought."
"Told you," he said with a smug smile. "Want to do it again?"
"So much," she said with a laugh. "But you should get your board, too."
He looked over at Olivia, who was content working on the sandcastle. "Let's do it."
For the next fifteen minutes, they rode the small waves, and she loved every minute. When they finally called a halt and sprawled on the sand next to the sandcastle under construction, Paige gave her a speculative smile, but didn't say anything until Hunter took the kids down to the water's edge to fill their buckets with wet sand.
Then Paige said, "So you know what you told me about no sparks last night with your date…"
She gave her a warning look. "Don't say it."
"You and Hunter are throwing off some serious electricity. You like him, don't you?"
"I'm just helping him with Olivia," she said, desperate to hang on to that narrative.
"That's not what I asked you."
"I barely know him, Paige."
"Seems like you're getting to know him."
"I am, but to be honest, I'm not sure it's worth it. He'll be going back to active duty soon."
"Soon isn't now. You still have time for fun. Not everything has to go somewhere."
She knew that, but every minute of fun with Hunter seemed to make her want another minute, which meant the end of the fun could be brutal. And she didn’t really want to deal with that kind of emotional fallout. After today, she should put some distance between them.
But fifteen minutes later when Olivia declared she was starving, and Hunter asked if she wanted to grab a burger, she couldn't find the will to say no. However, she did have the good sense not to meet Paige's amused smirk.
They asked Paige and Henry to join them, but Paige said Henry had a birthday party, so they'd see them later. Then they gathered their things and headed down the path to find lunch.