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the way I know I should go. That’s good journalism.”
    “Justine…”
    “It’s a huge story, Will. I need a huge story. But I haven’t forgotten your side of the bargain.” She ran a hand over her forehead, kneading a fist into her temple. “There’re holes in my memory only you can fill. I promise to not include your real name if you fill those holes.”
    The devil was whispering again.
    “How will I know you kept your promise?” Will asked. “Are you going to let me read it first?”
    She scoffed a laugh. “Yeah, right.”
    Will spread his hands. “I’m just supposed to trust you?”
    “Yes.”
    Now was his turn to scoff. “No go. I promise to tell you everything that happened that night, only after you turn in your story.”
    Her mouth froze pre-rebuttal.
    “Not cool being blackmailed, is it?” he said, grinning.
    After a moment, she smiled and rolled her eyes. “I suppose that’s fair. Can I ask you one more thing? Off the record.” Her voice was quieter than before. “It’s kind of personal.”
    “Okay.”
    She sank her teeth into her full bottom lip, quite distractingly. “Tell me, how does it feel…you know…when you’re out there riding the waves like that?”
    Will felt a natural smile spread across his face. “Off the record?” he asked. She nodded. “Exhilarating—on crack. A roller coaster or flying, being pushed and pulled. I’m connected to my board, tied to earth, but lighter than air, thrusting like a rocket, then weightless.” For a second, he was far away, lost in his own thoughts. “For me, it’s a rush…but it’s more than physical. It’s intellectual, an emotional high…heady and wet…like you’re screaming on the brink of the hottest—”
    He stopped before finishing the comparison.
    When he looked at her, Justine’s eyes were round and wide, like they’d been strapped together on the same ride.
    “Yeah,” she said after a moment, a corner of her pink mouth curling into a smile. “That’s what it looked like to me, too.” She exhaled and stood, moving toward the edge of the patio. Her little yellow dress blew in the breeze. “I miss it sometimes,” she murmured softly, as if speaking to herself.
    “Miss what?”
    He noticed her shoulders tense up again and he wondered what he’d said wrong.
    “Nothing. It’s stupid.”
    “I just compared surfing to hot sex,” Will said, pushing a hand through his hair, feeling sand between his fingers. “Nothing you say can embarrass you now.”
    Justine laughed. “It’s not embarrassing, but thank you for telling me about the hot sex. I’ll add it to my story…give it that human element readers love.”
    “Great,” Will said with a chuckle.
    “Anyway, the way you talked about surfing and being in the ocean.” She gazed toward the waves. “I haven’t been in the water for a while.”
    “Not at all?” He suspected this already, but he was curious. “The Justine Simms I knew was a water bug. You talked about learning to scuba dive.”
    She shook her head. “It scares me.”
    Will heard the hitch in her voice. His chest tightened, understanding what she meant and why she was now afraid of the ocean.
    So, she’d followed through with it…her promise to never swim again. Back then, he’d hoped it was nothing more than a drunken rambling.
    Evil , he remembered. She called it and everything that touched it evil .
    His mind rushed back to that last night they’d spent together. The intensity of it. The sorrow and fear and confusion. Also, how she’d clung to him, begged him to stay. And how he’d given in. Had he made the right decision? He still wasn’t sure. All he knew was he’d done what he thought was best, and now he was living with the consequences.
    “I miss it. Especially being here.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the ledge. “I mean, is there a more beautiful sight than this?” She gestured toward the ocean.
    Without realizing it, he was on his feet, moving to her side.