Waves - Book #2 [completed]

38 ~ Aspaldiko

Her blue eyes bounce between mine, assessing me and the honestly in my words. They glaze over with something soft and glistening. I know that if I want Riley – if I want to win her heart – Samir's going to be in there too. And I need to come to terms with that because I could never hold that against her.

"He was good," Riley starts. "Really good. When he fell into that coma, I needed to take care of him and spend most of my days in that hospital, talking to him, holding his hand and hoping for a miracle. I smuggled Baby into his room once." She gives me a shallow smile. "I took his last name when we got married, but I kept surfing under my maiden's name. When Samir died, Riley Rizos died too because surfing was never going to be the same without him. I'd missed most of the tournaments that year and got disqualified. The year after I couldn't bring myself to sign up. It felt wrong. I hadn't trained because I felt lonely and lost. The people in Connor Head were avoiding me like the plague, so I pictured what it would be like if I had to travel alone, face my opponents alone. I was scared people would pity me and see me as Samir Saada's widow rather than the athlete I was. Or worse, what if I showed up and people thought I was a soulless bitch for doing it. I was miserable, missing my rock, my companion, every day and dealing with the lingering guilt of making the decisions I made for him."

"You did the right thing," I tell her softly, tracing my hand up to the back of her neck.

Riley snakes her arms around me, hugging me close and pressing her cheek to my heart. Inside my chest my lungs feel like they're on fire, the heat melting my heart into a puddle inside me. Something fluttery and calming settles in it's place because, instead of pulling away from me, she's leaning on me, wanting my strength and clutching my t-shirt. And, you best believe me, I'll give her all the strength I've got.

"I know," she murmurs. "I know I made the right decision, though it took a while to sink in. When you're making such weighty decisions, you always ask yourself if it was the right thing to do or if you should've waited for the miracle."

"I get that." I drop my cheek to the top of her head, closing my eyes. Baby whimpers next to us, getting bored and flopping down on the asphalt with a huff.

Well, this day took a turn. Taking a plunge – because why not get this burning question I've been carrying with me over with? – I ask, "Have you ever thought about surfing as Riley Saada?"

Riley loosens her grip on me, looking up at my face. Hers is unreadable. "What?"

"It's just an idea," I lie, playing it down. I've been thinking about it for quite some time. Since before Tasmania actually. "It's your name now. And his too. It would be like, I don't know, maybe you could keep his legacy alive with your success. I'm sure you'd be successful. I mean, I saw you surf. You're incredible. It's like watching ballet." The fuck?! "Think about it. You could surf and do what you love, what he loved. And with his name, you'd be surfing for the both of you. A part of him and a part of you."

I'm rambling and Riley's just blinking and watching me. I bite my lip to stop myself from saying more.

"Ballet?"

Shit, that's what she got from my speech?

"Ignore that."

"No, no. You like ballet, don't you?" Her eyes twinkle with amusement.

"It's art. Don't get distracted."

I don't think I've ever seen Riley smile so brightly before when her lips stretch across her entire face. It's blinding and incredibly beautiful. If she got that from my ballet comment or from my suggestion, I don't know. Nor do I care. Just, please, let me be the guy who makes her smile like this for the rest of my life.