The Truth About Sex & Surfing [Featured Story]

Chapter twenty-one

It had to be a prank. Someone's cruel idea of a joke.

Hailey had taken a step back from the mic, but it still picked up the sound of her voice saying: "Dylan?" She could hear her own stupid hope. In a second, she recovered. "That's not even funny, you guys. It'll be like twenty years before that is funny. If ever."

She looked around to find out who the joker was, her eyes skidding around the room. That's when she saw him standing just inside the door.

Could he be just a mirage, some trick of the light cast off by the disco ball? He was taller than almost everyone else, and his tan set him apart too—as if he were an artist's representation of what a human being would look like in some kind of utopian future.

Yet, now Hailey kept on staring, she had to admit the details were convincing: There was that sleeve of tattoos down his arm. And he had a girl with him, who he was holding on his hip. She was about two, with blond tuft-y toddler's hair and what looked to be a tiny purple hoodie on. This girl had once seen Hailey nearly naked, but hopefully, she'd forgotten all about that. Kylie.

She loved the way he held his daughter. She loved the half smile on his face, the touch of wondering mixed with confidence and self-assurance. It was almost endlessly sexy. And here he was. To see her. Well,  that had to be it, right?

It didn't matter how or why—it was like she'd been crowned prom queen. It was like she'd stepped up on that stage to be awarded an honorary doctorate in some impossibly difficult field she knew nothing about. Nanotechnology, maybe, or chemistry. It was like some spokesperson with blinding white teeth and a television crew had shown up from the state lottery to hand her a check for ten million dollars.

"Uh, oh my god. Hello." She realized she was still speaking—stuttering, more like it—near the mic. Her legs numb, she bumped off the stage and pushed through the crowd until she was facing him. Then she just stood there blinking. After a second, she reached out and went to touch his shoulder. It was hard and warm through the light cotton of his t-shirt. She was dumbfounded, still couldn't believe it.

He leaned closer toward her so she could hear him clearly over the music. "You kept skipping your lessons. So I thought I'd come to you."

She swallowed. Couldn't speak.

"I hope this is a nice surprise. Your boss..." The way his mouth moved, forming words and saying things was even better than she remembered. She wasn't sure she'd ever noticed such a thing about anyone else before. "Anyway, now I'm here. Wasn't sure I'd make it in time."

Say something, Hailey, she instructed herself. She blurted out: "I'm so glad you showed up. I'm still finding sand in weird places."

"It's cool." Dylan smiled down at her. "I can help with that."

"Great. Um. So let's do that." Hailey didn't want their faces, their bodies, to be apart for one moment longer.

But there was Kylie to think of, not to mention about sixty other people, all gawking. It'd be rude to start making out in front of them, maybe even ruder than making out in front of a bunch of elderly people in Australia. It was just that she could hardly contain herself. She wanted to be with him, skin to skin, alone. In bed.

He put his hand on her neck. She blinked at him again. His eyes were that gorgeous green, soft and bright at the same time. What she felt was even greater than lust.

"Dylan, I'm sorry I left like that. I should have said something. Anyway, in case this doesn't go without saying... I'm still really into you."

Like always, his voice was the best part. Deep and low, mellow and warm. "I kind of think I'll always be really into you, Hailey."