Read Rough Waters for Free Online Page B

about his distance right now. We have
bigger things to worry about.
    “Once we open a second store, it’s going to
get crazier,” he continues. “I don’t want you to think I’m ignoring
you on purpose or that I don’t want to talk to you or see you. It’s
just that Drenaline Surf isn’t going to slow down any time
soon.”
    “Hey, it’s alright,” I say, pushing off of
the desk. I run my hand down his arm and pull him toward me. “Shark
would be proud of you. He’d be so proud of how much you’ve done for
this store and to grow Drenaline Surf into something more. It’s
totally okay.”
    Vin pulls away and walks over to the desk,
sits in the spinning chair, and shakes his head. That smirk from
last summer when we first met sneaks onto his face.
    “If Shark was here, he’d be the one
dating you instead,” Vin says. He then hits ‘play’ on the answering
machine to listen to the first of nine new messages.
    I have no idea what that little remark was
supposed to mean, but I decide to just let it go and take it as a
compliment. If I’m worthy of Shark McAllister, then I can’t
complain too much. The automated female voice announces the next
new message, and another reporter mumbles through his message about
an interview regarding Colby’s parents. Shoot! Colby’s parents! I
need to have this conversation with Vin before Drenaline Surf opens
today.
    I wait impatiently as Vin scribbles down
names and phone numbers onto a notepad. Miles knocks on the door
and pokes his head inside between message six and seven. He
whispers the word ‘training.’ Vin nods and waves him away with his
hand. I follow Miles back into the store.
    Miles grabs his surfboard from behind the
front counter and says that he’s heading to the gym to meet Theo
for a cardio session. As he pushes his way through Drenaline Surf’s
entrance, Colby makes his grand entrance. My oxygen is ripped away
the moment he steps inside.
    Colby’s face is the exact what-the-hell
expression I expected. He stands in front of the door, looking
across the room at Logan as if he were a sea creature that somehow
learned to survive on land.
    “Taylor!” Vin barks from the office door.
“You’re late. When I tell you to be here for a business meeting, it
means be here on my time, not whatever magical surfer time zone you
live in, got it?”
    Vin crosses the room toward Colby, motioning
Logan to follow. I open my mouth to speak, to let Vin know that
Colby was here on time, but my words are instantly swallowed.
    “This is Logan Riley,” Vin says. “You’ve
probably heard of him. He’s as big on the east coast as you seem to
be out here. Except he doesn’t come with a package of drama, lies,
and secrets. What you see is actually what you get.”
    Logan extends a hand toward Colby. “Looks
like we’re both going to be surfing under the Drenaline Surf logo,
huh?”
    Colby shakes his head. “I don’t have time for
this,” he says.
    Vin folds his arms across his chest. “And I
don’t have time for your attitude. If you can’t do your job and
make Drenaline Surf look good, then it’s up to me to do my job and
find someone who can.”
    Colby glances from Vin to me and then shakes
his head. He spins around and slams his palms against the glass
door, forcing it open in a fast swing. As quickly as he’s outside
and onto The Strip, I lunge forward to go after him. Vin’s arm
catches me.
    “Let him go,” Vin says. “It’s not worth it.
He’s not your responsibility anyway. If he wants to act like a
fool, let him. There are more important things going on than to
worry with him.”
    He asks Logan to wait just a minute for him,
and I follow Vin back into the office.
    “I need your help with something, if you have
time,” Vin says.
    As much as I want to chase after Colby, to
reason with him or try to come up with a plan of action, I can’t
deny the excitement bubbling in my heart right now. I wouldn’t even
mind setting up the Drenaline Surf tent