Epilogue
Six months later
Ruben
“I can’t thank you enough for letting me spend my vacation here.”
Sighing, I glanced at Sway. “You’re going to have to start working in more prestigious kitchens. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy you’re here—but it’s not doing you much good.”
“Oh, you eternal pessimist! What I’m learning from you is much more than I’d learn in a Michelin-star kitchen.”
“Not yet,” I tried to argue.
“Relax, I’ve already applied to Connie for an internship.”
I spun around. “Why didn’t you say anything? She’s a great boss!”
She waved her hand dismissively. “The semester was pretty stressful. I’m not complaining. But I really forgot to tell you.”
After glancing at the clock, I dug out a few to-go boxes.
Sway nudged me with her hip. “Who’s coming by?”
I pushed her back. “You know very well that the surf school is picking up their lunch.”
“The surf school.” She snorted amusedly and continued serving the guests in front of the truck.
“Hello, Ruben!” I looked up into my mom’s beaming face.
“Hey, Mom!”
She waved her rainbow flag energetically. “We’re ready to party.”
Behind her, my dad grinned. “We’ve already given out hugs.”
I loved their Mom/Dad free hugs shirts.
“That’s good! Someone has to hold down the fort when the rest of us have to work.”
“Do that, kid. Now go take care of your parents. We’re starving.” My dad was beaming at me.
I pointed to my colleague. “Can you order with Sway? I need to wrap this up quickly.”
“Of course.” My mom immediately turned to Sway, and I seemed to be forgotten.
I hastily packed burgers, potato wedges, and sandwiches.
Just as I had closed the last box, there was a knock at the back door. When I opened the door, I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear thinking about Shane.
Water droplets still clung to his hair and shoulders. They sparkled like his eyes. He pulled me toward him by my T-shirt and kissed me deeply, as if no one else were around.
“Hmmm,” he murmured against my mouth. “What a delicious snack you are!”
“You’re crazy!” I ran a hand down his neck, got my own share, and then pushed Shane away from me. “You don’t want to keep the others waiting, do you?”
“Uh. They can wait as far as I’m concerned!”
As I turned to go back to the boxes, Ash came to the door with Indigo in tow. “Hey, Ruben, I wanted to grab two burgers for us.”
“Hey!” Shane patted Ash’s friend on the shoulder. “Will I see you in the water later?”
The boy nodded with excitement. “Definitely.”
“Well, if that’s the case, we won’t stand in line next time!” My mom’s voice carried across the entire square.
“Mom!” I muttered to myself. “You’re being served.”
“But it seems to me that the second-class guests are standing here at the front.” She winked at me. “Oh. Hello, Shane, I didn’t see you.”
“Mom, please!” If she kept this up, she would scare away the customers. Everyone around her was still laughing. However, when hunger became too great, patience for others often suffered.
Loaded down with Shane’s lunch, I turned to him. “See you later. I have to get back to work.”
“Ash, burgers are coming right up.”
The line in front of my truck was growing.
Sway gave me a huge grin. “Come on, boss! Don’t pretend you’re tired.”
Shane
The kids devoured their lunch like starving wolves.
“Shane, when can we finally get in the water?” Ellis asked. They gazed out at the sea impatiently.
“Once you’ve digested your food, we’ll have plenty of time. First, there’s a little theory. You can familiarize yourselves with the boards. And after you’ve warmed up well on land, we can still paddle out.”
Ellis shook his head. “Man, I don’t want to be sitting around the whole time.”
They had been the first person to sign up for my surf course for queer kids. In no time at all, the course was full, and my vague idea from the winter had turned into a full-fledged course.
“Hey, guys, can you use another person?” Carissa came up the stairs to the surf school.
Ellis jumped up and a few of the teenagers who had already finished eating followed suit. “What’s there to do?”
My boss eyed me questioningly and I nodded. She had given me complete freedom, but I was glad of her support.
“Then I need a few helping hands to get the boards for you.”
While Carissa set off, I stayed with those who were in no hurry to finish.
“What if I can’t manage the takeoff? What if I lie on my board until the end of the course without ever really surfing?” Jasmin glanced at me hesitantly and chewed on her lower lip.
I tried to appear as relaxed and unknowing as possible. “You go at your own pace. There’s no goal to achieve. All you are supposed to do is have fun.”
She nodded pensively. “That’s what my dad said.” Shaking her head, she studied her lunch leftovers.
I watched her as inconspicuously as possible and struggled with myself to ask if there was anything else on her mind.
But the wait was enough and she continued.
“However, I’m not sure if his only concern is that I finally take up some kind of sport.
” She grew quiet. “He said that after everything that happened last year . . . and I’ve never been the biggest sports fan .
. . and then he said he didn’t even know what sports girls do .
. . as if the only thing people could be interested in was sports .
. . ” She exhaled deeply and put her food back in the box.
“But you wanted to come here, right?” I felt compelled to ask. Two of her friends were sitting next to her. Tony took Jasmin’s hand and Darla watched us all intently.
Jasmin nodded. “Yes. A course on the beach is not something I want to miss out on. But I don’t want to have to win anything. No race or no final exam in the course, or . . . ?”
I shook my head. “You don’t have to.” I desperately tried to decide whether what I was about to say was right.
“And of course, I don’t know how things work at your house, but when you registered, your dad didn’t say anything like that at all.
He specifically wrote that you shouldn’t be forced to do anything you don’t want to do.
The surf camp is supposed to be fun for you. ”
“He said that?” Jasmin stared at me in disbelief.
I nodded. “Of course, I don’t know your dad, but people sometimes express their concern and affection differently than we do or than is good for us. Maybe your dad feels connected to you when he can talk to you about sports.”
Jasmin nodded slowly and Tony beamed at me. “That could be the case,” she whispered to Jasmin.
“My boyfriend, for example, cooks when he cares about someone and to show that he likes them. Of course, he wouldn’t force anyone to eat what he makes, but I can see how happy it makes him when people appreciate what he conjures up for them.
” Indecisively, I pushed my food away. “I realize it’s not the same thing.
I’m not dependent on Ruben. But maybe it’s similar? ”
Darla watched me with wide eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but then stopped.
Jasmine grabbed her phone and started typing. “Who are you texting?” Darla wanted to know.
“I’m texting my dad. Maybe he’ll be happy to know that I have a great time here.”
Within seconds, Jasmin’s phone lit up. She swiped across it and a smile appeared on her face for the first time that day. “He says he’s happy that we’ve found something I enjoy and that I am making new friends.”
Tony squealed loudly that I almost fell off my stool, I was so startled.
The next moment, I was forgotten, and the three of them ran over to Carissa and the others.
I pushed my sunglasses up onto my nose and looked back at the festival grounds.
A figure in an oversized white T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops came running across the sand toward the surf school. He was holding two bowls in her hand. Without thinking twice, I hurried down the stairs and ran toward Ruben.
When he stood in front of me, he pressed the bowl of ice cream into my hand. “I don’t know how you can stand this sweltering heat.”
Before I devoted myself to my dessert, I kissed him with a smile. “What did you bring me?”
He shrugged. “Just ice cream. I thought I’d take the opportunity before you get swamped with your coursework and I’m up to my ears in preparations for the evening rush. Your favorite singer draws the crowds.”
I kissed him again. Better than any ice cream or rock star. “An excellent idea,” I murmured against his mouth.
He sighed and pointed behind him. “I have to get back. I don’t want to leave Sway alone for too long.”
“It’s okay. I’ll bring you the bowl later, okay?”
He nodded and tilted his head slightly. “See you at the party.”
I pulled him toward me by his T-shirt. “At the party, in our apartment, in our bed.”
He smiled. “Fantastic.”
THE END