Just then we arrived at the art fair, and I was happy to end the relationship conversation. I knew I would most likely be spending a lot of time with Brenna over the next few months,and I didn’t want to convolute anything by focusing too much on the idea of dating or romance.
I also knew that since I would be spending so much time with her, Rylan would also be spending time with her. This made me even more cautious about avoiding any romantic overtones.
We both got out of the car, and Brenna was looking around excitedly. We spent the next two hours looking at all of the artwork, and as I expected, she found the inspiration she was looking for.
Once the art fair closed we went and got some tacos. We quietly ate while enjoying the view and the pleasant weather.
After we talked for a while longer, about the challenges of running a business, what her vision for the B&B was, and how she could market it to attract guests. She had some really creative ideas, and I could see that this place was going to be special under her care.
“Well, I should probably get going,” I said after a while. “But if you need anything, just give me a call. I’m always happy to help.”
“Thank you again,” she said, standing up. “I really appreciate it.”
We said our goodbyes, and as I walked back to my car, I couldn’t help but feel excited about the future. There was something about Brenna that made me believe that this B&B was going to be an incredible success.
Chapter 9
Brenna
I heard my phone buzz on my nightstand and reluctantly opened my eyes.
Glancing at the clock, I instantly knew who had just texted me. There was only one person who would try to contact me at 6 AM on a Saturday. Even my friends in New York, where it was 9 AM, were still sleeping since it was Saturday morning. Josh, however, never slept in.
I was tempted to close my eyes and try to get back to sleep, but I also wanted to see what he had to say. I was pretty certain about the text's content. I opened my phone, and my suspicionswere confirmed. One text from Josh, and when I opened it, there were only two words on the screen:
Surf’s up.
I smiled and laid my head back on my pillow, looking at the ceiling for a few minutes before deciding what I was going to do. I made up my mind, picked up my phone, and wrote my response:
Meet you there.
I jumped out of bed and quickly got ready to surf. It had been a busy week, and although I was enjoying every minute of my work, I knew it would be nice to relax for a bit.
I went into the kitchen and started the coffee, then loaded my surfboard into the back of my truck.
I was so thankful for my truck. My mom's brother Mike lived in Oklahoma, and when he found out what I was doing, he wanted to support me by giving me a truck he no longer used. We stayed with him as we drove across the country, and when we left, he handed me the keys. My mom and I drove the rest of the way to California in my truck, following my dad in the moving truck.
I smiled as I remembered the last thing Uncle Mike had told me before we left his house.
"Remember, Brenna," he had said. "If you don’t cart a surfboard around in the back of this bad boy, then you’re doing it wrong."
I got my phone and took a picture of the surfboard in the back of the truck, then sent a message to my uncle:
Look, Uncle Mike, I’m doing it right!
I hurried back inside, poured some coffee into a travel mug, grabbed my beach bag, and headed out.
Ten minutes later, I was standing next to Josh, looking out at the water. There were several other surfers there, as it wassupposed to be stormy later that day, and the waves were bigger than usual.
"Are you ready for this?" Josh asked.
"Yes," I said, but I could hear the nervousness in my own voice.
"You know you don’t have to," he said. "These swells are pretty big."
"Do you think I’m ready for it?" I asked. "You’ve watched me surf and you know where I’m at. You’re obviously much more experienced than I am. So what is your honest opinion?"
"I think it will be a challenge for you," he said. "But I also think you can do it. You have the balance, and you’re a strong swimmer, so I think you’re going to be fine. Plus, I’ll be right here with you."
