With a light laugh, Kiana said, “We make it work. I decided to home-school our oldest so we could continue traveling with Aaron on the surfing tour. Many others do, too, so the kids can learn together.” As she spoke, she picked up a ball one of her kids had tossed and threw it back to them.
“Sounds like you have a unique lifestyle.”
“We love it. We see so many wonderful places; I would hate for the kids to miss out. Like many sports, competitive surfing isn’t forever. That’s why I run another business for us.”
“Doing what?”
“I design a line of surf-inspired clothing, so we manufacture and ship directly to customers. Our fulfillment house handles the distribution, freeing us to be anywhere.”
Maileah’s mind was whirring with ideas. “Was it hard to set up?”
“Not really. The marketing and advertising take up most of my time now. I could do a better job of it, but with three little ones and homeschooling, it’s a lot to juggle. And we love to spend time with the kids and friends. You only live once, so we might as well enjoy the journey.” Kiana paused. “Sailor said you manage social media and online marketing.”
Maileah nodded. “I could probably give you some pointers. My sister runs a boutique at the Majestic Hotel, and I set up her online shop and marketing.”
Kiana’s eyes brightened. “We should talk. I could use someone to take that over.”
“I might have some ideas.” They spoke briefly, and Maileah agreed to meet with her later. She learned they were staying on the island for several days.
Aside from that, a realization dawned on Maileah. Her goals could coexist. Adventure and family weren’t mutually exclusive.
“Are you a surfer?” Kiana asked.
Maileah smiled and shook her head. “I’ve only tried it a couple of times. I’m an absolute beginner, but it’s a lot of fun.”
“Has Sailor explained how the scoring works?”
“Only a little.”
“Since this is for charity and not part of the tour, everyone is more relaxed,” Kiana said. “Surfers will still be judged on the degree of difficulty, innovation, and variety of maneuvers. And, of course, their power, speed, and flow.”
“How can they judge that if the waves are different?” Maileah asked.
“The wave difficulty is scored, too,” Kiana replied. “Surfers are also judged on what they achieve in each heat, or limited amount of time.”
Kiana went on to explain what was going on as they watched.
After a while, April arrived with Ryan, and Junie followed with Knox and Penny. “We couldn’t miss this,” April said. “We were late, and it’s so crowded we worried we wouldn’t find you.”
“I’m so glad you made it, Mom. And all of you.” Having her family interested meant a lot to Maileah. She quickly introduced them to Kiana.
Behind them, Skeeter raced to join them. Breathless, sheducked in and hugged Kiana, who explained they’d surfed together.
Adrian greeted everyone, too. “You’re just in time. Sailor’s group is up. And Aaron, too.”
Maileah’s heart leapt. Skeeter must have noticed her tension because she touched her shoulder and said, “They’ve got this.”
Maileah watched as Sailor got into position. The wave rose heavily. Sailor dropped into the wave’s hollow tube as it curled, crouching and dragging a hand in the water. Her breath caught in her throat, not from fear now but from sheer awe.
Her adrenaline spiked, and she could imagine the exhilaration he must feel. Today was more than a charity competition; it was a view into how Sailor lived—boldly and without reservation.
And he encouraged her to do the same. She loved that about him.
As the wave broke, Sailor disappeared in the frothy white water. She sucked in her breath, waiting for him to surface, but it was taking a long time. She tried to control her fear, but her heart was pounding.
Even Penny’s sweet little face scrunched with worry. “Where did he go, Daddy?”
Knox said, “He’ll come up soon, sweetheart.”
