Caught in the Riptide

Chapter 18

Two weeks later.

Blake cleared another table off and brought the dishes back to Imelda, who smiled at her as she sugar dusted some fresh malasadas. Blake grinned as she took a tray out to the front to display.

Cali poured a smoothie into a cup as she watched Blake.

"You doing oaky?" she asked.

"I'm fine! I took my meds it's all good." Blake displayed the fresh donuts. The hospital had found a slight internal bruising, but nothing serious. But a gnarly bruise lingered.

They had had a re-grand opening of the Daybreak Shack that week, They had organized the inside a bit differently and had purchased new tables and chairs. The insurance covered everything, and with the money from Ramone they were able to add a few more things to the menu. It wasn't a lot, but it meant the world to Blake.

She hadn't heard much from Luke this week. It broke her heart because she wondered what trouble he got into for pulling off the raid. He and Cali came to the hospital to visit her, and she was able to leave that night. The three of them had never slept so long in their lives. Cali didn't even make it home, they all just stayed at Blake's place. 

He would call her when he could but couldn't say much about how the case was going to proceed, or if he was getting transported again. She tried to bury herself in her work. He came over one night and was gone before she was even up the next morning. She tried to stay strong but feared the worst.

She was whipping down the counter when Luke walked in, dressed in his suit and tie, his hair pulled back into a tight bun. Her heart skipped a beat. Their eyes met and he smiled at her. She returned it faintly.

"Go, I got this." Cali said gesturing to him. Blake nodded and followed him outside.

"Aren't you hot?" Blake asked.

"Extremely." He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over a chair. He began rolling up his sleeves and unbuttoning the top. 

"I've barley seen you." she started.

"I know. I'm really sorry. Turned out, Bryce had a lot more assets than we realized. I've been presenting the details to the higher ups and filling out so much paperwork."

Blake nodded slowly. She bit her lip. Bracing herself for the answer to the question she was going to ask.

"Are, you staying here or are you getting sent away?" her heart ached as she asked it. His eyes met hers. She waited for his answer. He sighed and her heart sank.

"I'm really sorry Blake..." he stared. Tears stung her eyes. She knew it. Her heart began to break. She looked down at the ground as she held back tears. "This photo of me on my driver's license is absolutely awful." He held up a Hawaii driver's license. Processing what he had just said, and her heart swelled back up. A tear ran down her cheek.

"I'm sorry, bad joke?" he asked smiling faintly, She punched his arm.

"Your damn right it is." She laughed, whipping away tears. He pulled her into a light hug, careful of her back.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." He kissed the top of her head.

"Good, because Luke Utah," she looked up at him. "I am absolutely in love with you."

His smile was wide. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. She pulled away and remained looking up at him.

"You owe me a real date though."

Luke huffed a laugh.

"Does a surfing one right now count?"

She hummed as they began walking inside.

"Partially, but I will take you up on that surfing part." She walked in to find Cali talking to Eric, who was dressed casually. He nodded at Luke and Blake as they walked in. She grabbed her board.

"I'll be back in a bit." she hollered to Cali. She nodded and went back to talking to Eric.

Luke had changed out of his suit and into board shorts. He rented another board and paddled out with her.

"That bruise looks like it grew to three times the size it was." Luke commented. Blake thought about wearing a shirt, but it didn't bother her in her bikini. She shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be surfing." She stuck her tongue out at him. "We need to buy you a real board."

"I know, I look like a rookie."

"We call 'em kooks here." she replied.

"A what?" Luke asked.

She laughed as she turned around and faced the beach. She sat there a moment, taking in the sights and the sounds. A clean healthy beach. Her beach.

"You did all this Blake. Your parents would be proud."

She turned her head and looked up at him.

"Thanks, I couldn't have done it without you."

There was a sparkle in her eyes as she smiled, it made Luke's heart skip a beat. He smiled right back at her, making Blake's smile bigger.

He leaned down again andkissed her as they floated on their boards.