53
MILLIE
People are waiting
The cheersand whoops and whistles from the crowd packed on the beach are spine-tingling. I watch in awe as a reporter rocks up on a jet ski with a microphone to interview Noah whilst he’s still in the water, hanging out on his board. I can’t hear what he says because of the surrounding buzz. The excited squeals, the enthusiastic roars of fellow surfers, clapping vigorously, grabbing bottles of celebratory champagne in anticipation of his arrival on shore. My eyes water with pride.
As another jet ski collects Noah, he stands on the back of it, one arm scooped under his board and the other arm raised in the air as he pumps his fist. His neck muscles contort as he roars with excitement, the crowd matching his joy with deafening cheers. The throng starts moving closer to the water’s edge, waiting for their new champion to arrive. I’ve seen this part on TV before, where they almost suffocate the winner, crowding them with hugs and backslaps, lifting the victor on their shoulders all the way to the podium. It’s even better experiencing it in person, with the man you love as the focus.
Mack, Callum and Gabby race towards the sand, whooping and screaming themselves hoarse. Joan and Rick are hugging, tears pouring down their faces. Rick looks like he’s about to combust with pride. Sofia wipes tears away behind her sunglasses and when I glance at Dan, his mouth twists in an apparent effort to stem his own.
Noah nearly falls over as he jumps off the jet ski, still roaring with pride as fellow surfers and supporters clamber across to him. People kiss his cheeks and scream in his face, and someone whisks his board away so he can enjoy the moment with two hands. As he’s getting slapped on the back, a couple of guys lift him up, resting him on their shoulders. Noah continues to cry out in victory, punching his fists in the air, tipping his face to the sky. Tears are quietly rolling down his face and his smile looks like it could shatter his cheeks.
Friends and supporters continue to cheer for him, reaching out to high-five him as they carve through the onlookers, making their way to the podium at the top of the beach.
I lean across the wooden fence lining the bank and I can finally see his face clearly. The importance of this occasion shines through his eyes, his shoulders trembling as the tears pour more freely as he’s lowered to the ground.
Mack, Callum and Gabby jump on him as his feet reach the sand and I bark out a laugh at how boisterous they are. Gabby kisses his cheek and says something into his ear, and his eyes widen. He stares at her face, and she grins, before tilting her head in my direction. He follows her line of sight and when his gaze settles on me, my stomach flutters.
My gaze is watery as I smile at him. “You did it,” I mouth.
Someone approaches him, seemingly to prep him for his acceptance speech and trophy raise. Noah says something to him and doesn’t wait for a response as he locks eyes with me again.
He moves with purpose, pushing through the crowd, edging through to the pathway that leads to where I stand. My heart hammers beneath my ribs as he takes big leaps, people still cheering as they watch him go in the wrong direction.
“And it looks like our champion’s got to make a detour first . . .” An amused voice announces over the microphone.
As Noah approaches, his eyes become laser-focused on me, a million unspoken words flying between the two of us. Maybe he can tell from my invisible whispers that I forgive him, that I was never really angry in the first place. That fear pushed him away. Or maybe it’s his quick glances to Sofia and Dan behind me that give him the green light.
In three quick strides he’s towering over me, his hands scooping around the back of my thighs and lifting me off the ground. I jump into his arms, hooking my legs around his waist and tipping my head back laughing as the crowd cheers.
“You areobsessedwith the spotlight,” I murmur, meeting his heated gaze.
“I know.” Noah’s wet hair falls into his eyes, a hopeful smile on his mouth. Water soaks into my clothes from his chest and shorts. “I’m going to be unbearable for the foreseeable future.”
“So, the same as usual?”
Noah’s panty-dropping grin almost breaks his face. “I didn’t think today could get any better. Thank you for being here.”
I gently drop my forehead to his. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”
Noah shakes his head. “I’msosorry, Millie.”
“It’s okay, Noah?—”
“No, really. I hate apologising, but I really need to do this.”
I bark out a laugh and his laboured breath hits my mouth, smelling like salt. “You’re experiencing the high of your life right now. We can talk after, when the entire world isn’t watching.” I widen my eyes to remind him we are currently on show. Thereare almost certainly microphones picking up everything we say. “Get back down there.”
“No.” His Adam’s apple bobs. “I don’t want to let you out of my sight.”
“I flew across the world in your ex-girlfriend’s private jet last night.” I smile at him, holding my hands to his sandy cheeks. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Noah smiles and I close my eyes as he presses his mouth to mine, wrapping his arms around me and clutching me even closer to his body. The kiss is from a fairytale, fireworks exploding in my stomach and on my tongue as he coaxes my mouth open, gripping onto me like he’ll never let me go.
The cheers and roar of the crowd escalates again, and I laugh into Noah’s mouth, pulling back to look at him. “This is the most cliché thing I have ever been a part of.”
“Get used to it, Maelstrom,” he says, grinning like a fool. “Romantic dinners, corny one-liners, flowers just-because. I’m going to cliché the shit out of you.”
