“Did you bring your boyfriend?” Babe asked.
“He’s not really?—”
Just then, Todd’s voice rang out. “Maileah, good to see you. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
She turned. “Todd, what a surprise.”
“Everyone turns out when a local is on the championship tour, or any surfing tour or competition,” Babe said. “I’m sure we can find another chair for you.”
Todd looked slightly embarrassed. “No, that’s fine. Actually, I’m here with another friend,” he added quickly.
“No worries,” Maileah said, gazing past him to see an attractive dark-haired woman watching him. “It’s a small town. Have a good time thisevening.”
“How about next week?” Todd asked.
Maileah shrugged. “We can talk later. I don’t want to take you away from anything or anyone.”
“It’s not like that,” he said. “And I would like to see you again.”
“It’s okay, Todd. It’s not like we’re exclusive to each other right now.”
“Thanks for understanding,” he said, looking relieved. He turned and made his way back to his date.
“That’s Jennifer,” Babe said, watching him join the other woman. “She was a sorority sister and works in real estate here. This is a little awkward for me, being friends with both of you. I hope you’re not jealous.”
Maileah thought about that. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel a speck of envy. Todd was interesting enough, but she still had no real passion for him.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw how Jennifer looked at him, her eyes alight with adoration. It was as if he were the only man in the room for her.
At that moment, Maileah knew she would never feel that way about him.
She turned back to Babe. “As I said, he’s not my boyfriend. But Jennifer looks like she’s crazy about him.”
Maileah assumed this comment would go back to Jennifer, and she was okay with that. She’d been trying to make Todd fit into an idealized version of her life—the life she thought she should have.
She had wanted to give him a fair chance, especially for Junie’s sake. Her sister had gone to so much trouble to put them together.
Still, as much as Maileah longed for that loving version of the family she envisioned, she couldn’t force it. And she wouldn’t fake it.
Babe whispered, “I hope you’re not upset.”
“Not at all. Todd is nice, but I don’t think we have a future beyond friendship.”
She knew she’d been holding back when they were together, seldom talking about her goals and what she loved to do. Even though she asked a lot of questions, he hadn’t seemed that interested in her beyond the superficial niceties. She’d mentioned marathons, skiing, and snowboarding, but he didn’t ask any questions. That wasn’t a dig against him; he simply didn’t have much of an interest in her. They were equal in that regard.
“Let’s sit down,” Babe said. “We can order from our table.”
Maileah followed her. Skeeter sat at the table next to them. Her eyes were trained on every movement on the screen.
“Go, Caroline, go,” Skeeter chanted, urging on the young woman surfing through another barrel wave. When she came out of the wave still on her board, Skeeter stood and shook her fist. “Yes, she did it! Whoop, whoop! You go, girl!”
“Skeeter used to compete,” Babe said. “She loves it. Wait until Sailor is up.”
Maileah assumed that was how Skeeter and Sailor met. He might not be interested in the spectators, but the competitors were a different story.
Still animated, Skeeter turned to them. “Did you see that? Absolutely superb.” She paused, recognizing Maileah. “Hey, good to see you again.”
Skeeter’s wide smile and enthusiasm were infectious, and Maileah found it impossible not to like her.
