Page 48 of Riptide
“Look at you cooking.”
“Service with a smile,” Seth joked.
“You’re looking…what is the word? Domestic. Yeah, very domestic.” Garrett glanced out to the pool. “Comfortable even. Like you’re settling down. I like this side of you. Next thing you know you’ll have a cat.”
“I’m a dog person.” Seth grinned as he worked.
“Ahh, I see.” Garrett opened a cabinet and retrieved a mug. He set it into the coffee maker and pressed a button.
“I’m definitely getting a dog one day soon. Teaching it to surf.” Seth shot Garrett a smile and waggled his eyebrows. “Right on.”
“Wait. I thought you had a cat.”
“Nah, it was my sister’s. I was babysitting.”
“So what’s stopping you from getting a dog?”
“I don’t know. Maybe my funeral. Good thing that’s over.”
“I see a pet in your future.”
“I’ve been waiting for a lull in work and my surf schedule. Maybe I’ll get a dog when I get back to Hawaiʻi.”
“Hawaiʻi?” Garrett held his cup up to his lips and blew onto the piping hot coffee.
“Yeah.” Seth shrugged. He carefully laid the sliced bacon in the hot pan, and it sizzled, its distinctive scent instantly filling the kitchen. “I’m thinking of spending more time at home.”
“You are home.” Garrett found a seat at the counter and glanced out to the pool.
“One of my homes is here. But my home? My home’s in Hawaiʻi.”
“You leaving San Diego?”
“I’m thinking maybe it’s time to plant some roots is all. I’ll always keep a place here. Not giving up the waves at Lowers or Windansea, dude. Of course, I’ll be back.” Seth waved his spatula in the air and set to flipping the bacon. “Just thinking. I don’t know.”
“Wouldn’t have anything to do with that girl in the pool?”
“She’s a woman. But not just a woman.” Seth whipped the eggs. “She’s…maybe something more.”
“You just met her,” Garrett said with little emotion.
“I know but we’ve been through some things. Let’s just say I want to get to know her a little more.” He turned to his friend. “You know…without being shot at or thrown off a cliff. Just a regular old boy meets girl sitch.”
Garrett sighed. “Club Altura?”
“I don’t know about that anymore. It’s been hard since…” Evan. “I think maybe since the fire…it might not be the same. You’ve got Selby. Lars is off chasing Braelynn again. My money’s on them getting married someday. Chase is with Penny. We’re getting older.”
“You’re not going to jump anymore?”
“Dude. Why would you say that?” Seth turned to Garrett once again, noting how his friend’s focus stayed on Kaimana. “Of course I’m going to jump. But I’m thinking I want to spend more time at home. My mom’s in Hawaiʻi. Spend time with family. You know. I’ll be back here a couple months out of the year.”
“And Emerson?”
“Of course I’ll still do work for you. But I’ll be remote. I’ll focus my research on the South Pacific. I’ve done a lot of work in the Caribbean and my plan is to make more research contacts on the islands on this side. Maybe head on over to Fiji.”
“I’ve got some contacts in New Caledonia who are planning an expedition next year.”
“See? And that’s what I’m talking about, bro. Do a month or so on an island. Hopefully discover some cool new shit. Expand my company. There’s a lot of work to be done in Maui.” Seth stopped speaking as Kaimana exited the pool and reached for her towel. A broad smile bloomed on his face. “I’m gonna date that woman right there.”
