To the Sea (Follow your Bliss) by Deirdre Riordan Hall Page A

8:30.”
    “The
Boardroom?”
    “Mmmhmm.”
    “I
just so happen to be heading there right now.”
    They
walked along the shoreline. Something beneath Kira’s skin tingled. She was
nervous about the water, but walking with Ian brought up an unfamiliar kind of
excitement, almost an eagerness to hear him talk, for his eyes to land on hers.
They headed inland to a battered wooden building with a sign made of driftwood
painted in wavy letters that spelled out, Boardroom . Arranged outside
stood a rack of surfboards, marked-down clothing, and other beach accessories.
    Inside
the shop, crammed from floor to ceiling was surf gear, clothes, sunglasses,
beach towels, and flip-flops. Toward the back, a counter, piled high with baked
goods and coffee, ran the length of the shop. The aroma of coffee mixed with
coconut carried Kira back to that morning she first met Ian. Beyond that,
tables and a large deck provided a panoramic ocean view.
    Ian
motioned Kira over to a display case, topped with a cash register, computer,
and brochures. A guy in his mid-twenties, with brown hair overlaid with
bleach-y streaks that reached just beneath his ears, typed on the laptop.
    “Ian,”
he said looking up and speaking in a booming Australian accent.
    “Jamie,
you’re here. Andy didn’t mention anything.”
    “My
stoke is up and I’ll be gracing you with my presence for the next couple weeks
then I’m off and running again. Live free and surf, bro.”
    “Nice,”
Ian said, lacking enthusiasm. Jamie bent over to pick up a pen that rolled off
the counter. The sunglasses perched on top of his head rattled to the floor by
Kira’s feet.
    “Oops,”
Jamie said. They both reached for them and softly knocked heads. Jamie grinned
at Kira. Something about the slant of his lips made her unsure where to look
and her cheeks flushed.
    Where
to this time?” Ian asked.
    “South
Africa.”
    “Sweet,”
he said.
    Kira
detected his comment was less sweet than the baking cinnamon rolls she smelled
wafting from the café in the back. She sensed a hint of tension between the two
of them.
    This
is Kira; she has an eight-thirty lesson,” Ian said.
    She
smiled, surprised that Ian remembered her name.
    “First
one of the day. Make hay while the sun shines, they say. Your lesson will be
with—” Jamie looked at the laptop screen. “Perfect. Looks like Ian’s taking you
out,” Jamie said pointing.
    After
Kira paid, Jamie pointed to the backroom. “Ian’ll get you suited up.”
    “Thanks,”
she said, feeling Jamie’s eyes lingering on her.
    Kira
poked her head through the double doors. She noted the muscular angles of Ian’s
bare back as he riffled through a box and then stacked a few. He turned when
she entered.
    “Ready?”
    “As
I’ll ever be.”
    “First
a suit. Let’s see—” With his warm brown eyes, he looked Kira up and down. She
suddenly felt naked, but like she wanted to tear off her polar fleece and
jeans. Her cheeks grew warm. Underneath, she wore the bikini she got from Saks
with Nicole. Despite its impracticality, it was the only one not packed away
with her summer clothes.
    Ian
pulled a stiff neoprene wetsuit off a loaded rack, and he held it up in front
of her. “This one should fit. Um, we don’t have a changing room or anything.
Usually we just change behind the rack, so—”
    Kira
carefully stepped over a basket of water bottles bearing the Boardroom logo
along with other display items. Ian returned to looking for something in the
mess of boxes while she got undressed then redressed in the sticky and tight
wetsuit.
    “How’s
it?” he called over his shoulder.
    “Tight.”
She stepped out from behind the rack of suits and gathered up her things.
    “Just
how it’s supposed to. Looks great,” he said smiling broadly.
    “Um,
the zipper?” Kira said feeling a draft on her back.
    “Right.”
He reached down for what she hadn’t noticed was a long ribbon-like tether
attached to the end of the zipper. She was acutely