“Parker. We need you at the Hurley table for photos.”
I make it back to the hotel at 8:30, having refused four different offers to hang out and celebrate. It doesn’t even occur to me that the contest coordinator may have booked a block of rooms for us on the same floor until I get to the 10th floor and find Nathan at the ice machine with a bucket under the dispenser. This is my chance to make things right or make things worse.
“Hey.”
Nathan whips his head around, his eyes wide as the ice tumbles out of his bucket, half of it spilling onto the floor. “What the fuck?”
Nathan was always a nervous little shit. He used to smoke speed a few years ago. He thought it gave him superpowers in the water. He ended up finally making it to the ASP tour a few months after he quit, though he placed near the bottom. I try not to rub in my former ASP ranking because it’s just that, a former ranking. It’s the surfer I used to be. It’s not the surfer I am now, though I’m sure I have it in me to get back up there. I’m just not sure I have the desire to get there.
In some ways, Claire makes me a better man. In other ways, she makes me want to give up everything just to be with her. I’m not sure if these two aspects of our relationship cancel each other out. All I know is that my love for Claire is quickly gaining on my love for surfing.
“You have something you want to tell me?” I say as he places the bucket back under the dispenser to get more ice.
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“Save the posing for the cameras. I’m talking about Lindsay.”
He stands upright once his bucket is overflowing with ice and looks me in the eye. “She didn’t do anything wrong. She’s just waiting for the baby to be born. Then she’s going to get the test and if it’s yours she was going to call you. She ain’t trying to keep it from you.” I open my mouth to respond, but he cuts me off. “She said you guys used condoms all the time so it can’t be yours.”
I want to clock him in his gold mouth. “Fuck yes, I used condoms with her. I always knew she would do some shit like this.”
He looks at me with what might be a trace of sympathy in his eyes. “She knows where to find you and you know where to find her. We don’t need to make a big fucking deal out of this. She’s due in two weeks and then this will all be settled.”
I can’t help but think of Claire and how she kept the pregnancy from Chris then gave the baby up. “And if it’s mine? She’ll call me?”
“Dude, what the fuck kind of question is that? Of course, she’ll call you.”
He looks at me warily as if he’s not sure if I’m going to hit him or walk away. I run my fingers through my hair and grit my teeth against all the volatile impulses I’m suppressing.
“Three weeks?” I mutter, mostly to myself. I look him in the eye and he looks about ready to cover his face to block the blows. “I guess I won’t see you in Gold Coast since you placed 13th. Good luck in Fiji.”
He looks confused by this calm response, but I don’t bother sticking around to explain. I’ve got the most beautiful girl in the world waiting for me at home. I don’t need to get into any more shit with Nathan and Lindsay. If the baby turns out to be mine, I’ll deal with it because I’m not a quitter contrary to what Lindsay and Nathan might think.
I make it to my room without further run-ins. After a long, hot shower, I lie down in bed and stare at my phone. I haven’t spoken or texted Claire in three weeks, but I need to hear her voice right now. I want to call her and tell her how much I miss her, but I don’t want to call just to find out she’s already moved on with Chris. Maybe I’ll wait until I fly back to Kauai tomorrow. If I still feel the need to hear her voice tomorrow, I’ll call her.
Who the fuck am I kidding? Of course, I’ll still want to hear her voice tomorrow.
I heave a deep sigh as Myles comes to mind. If he were here he would probably tell me to stop being such a pussy and call her already. The only time you’ll discover you’ve waited too long is when it’s already too late.
I open up a new text message to Claire and begin typing.
Me: I came in 9th today. It reminded me of your birthday. I left something for you in my apartment.
I lay the phone on my bare stomach and close my eyes as I await her response. A few minutes later, the vibration startles me awake.
Claire: You broke my heart.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chris
MY MOM COMES HOME FROM the bakery early on Saturday with a lemon cake—Claire’s favorite. She makes room for it in the fridge then insists on bringing me breakfast in bed. She sets a tray next to me on my bed with some scrambled eggs and protein pancakes my trainer gave her the recipe for.