"Jace, where are we going," I asked as Jace pulled me, almost running down Front Street in Old Lahaina. He looked back giving me that evil little smirk he always gave me and stopped abruptly. I ran into his shoulder because I wasn't paying attention.
"Oh, sorry," Jace said trying not to laugh. He ran his hand over my face making sure I was okay. "We're here."
He raised his arm to point at the building in front of us. It looked just like all of the other stores on the street and looked like it hadn't been updated in about thirty years, but that was part of the charm of Front Street. On one side of the street, the stores and restaurants sat right on the water. About a half mile down the street, near the docks, was Break Wall.
I took a closer look at the sign above the door and noticed that it said, "One Love Boards." Jace's face revealed that he was nervous and gauging my reaction.
We had been official for about a month and working on the boards for the shop in that time. We were a couple of weeks away from the grand opening and I knew Jace was getting more and more excited. This shop was his baby and I knew how much it meant to him. He wanted to continue his parents' legacy that they had solidified in California.
"Oh my God!" I jumped up and wrapped my arms around Jace's neck. My feet were dangling off of the ground as I pulled back to look at him. "This is amazing! I can't believe this is actually happening."
"Well, believe it." He set me down and took my hand again. "Do you want to see the inside?"
"Uh, obviously. You didn't drag me down here to see the sign." He laughed and unlocked the door leading me inside the shop.
There were racks for the boards lined up against the walls and displays for the shirts and rash guards that I had designed for the shop. The front counter had a display case where we would display fins and leashes. There were boards that I had painted for decoration hanging from the ceiling. The walls were filled with surf photos of the great surfing legends like Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton and Bethany Hamilton. Behind the front counter, there were a few pictures blown up that Jace and I had taken together for an ad we took out in the paper. The photo in the center, the largest one was a picture I had framed in my room. Jace was holding me bridal style and kissing me while I had one arm wrapped around his neck and the other was holding my board, the first one we made together, as it stood next to us.
I felt tears fill my eyes as I realized the way he wanted this business to be represented. We were partners in more ways than one and he wanted everyone to know it.
"So," Jace said as he came up behind me putting his arm around my waist and resting his hand on my hip. "What do you think?"
"It's perfect, Jace," I said turning to face him and rest my hands on his shoulders. "Do you realize what this shop is going to mean to people? You've created something so special and I'm so proud of you."
"Well, I can't take full credit. My parents did build the business together and inspired me to move it out here."
"Still, you are doing something so amazing. They would be so proud of you." I kissed him lightly and ran my hand through his hair. He smiled down at me and pulled my head to rest on his chest.
I had two months left in whale season and after that, I would just be working at the bar and making boards with Jace. He insisted that I shouldn't have to work at the bar, but I wasn't ready to give that up. I loved working there and maybe I would cut my hours back, but I wanted to wait until the shop got on its feet and to see how it would be received.
I knew walking into the shop that day that this wasn't going to be just another board shaper out of hundreds on the island. What Jace and I were doing was special and I couldn't wait for people to be a part of it.
I pushed back to look at Jace. His face revealed everything he was thinking in that moment. He was extremely confident in everything except this shop. He was completely sure that he was supposed to open this shop and continue his parents' legacy, but he wasn't sure how the locals would respond to a kid from California shaping boards on their turf. I tried to joke with him that that's why he had me, but he was still weary. I knew that once we opened and he saw people accepting him and his work, he would relax, but there were still two weeks that he could worry and freak himself out.
"Do you want to grab something to eat at the restaurant," I asked. Mom's restaurant was just down on the other side of the street. He nodded and I took his hand as we walked out of the shop and Jace locked the door behind us.
We walked hand in hand to the restaurant, which was a typical diner that served a variety of dishes with an island flair. Spam fried rice was on the menu for me, which Mom added after she discovered I loved it so much. A lot of the menu revolved around seafood and they served the best clam chowder I had ever had. The restaurant was a local hang out, but every once in a while, they would get a group of people visiting the island that heard of it through the grapevine.
As we walked in the restaurant, I led Jace to our usual table that Mom always left open for us. We sat down without menus because I had it memorized and Jace ordered the same thing every time we came here, so there was no need. Mom came barreling out of the kitchen and we stood to meet her. She and Jace hugged and laughed over some inside joke they had going. Mom sat down with us and yelled out our order. I got clam chowder and spam fried rice for the table while Jace ordered fish tacos and tater tots. Weird combinations, sure, but irresistible.
"So, what are you two up to today," Mom asked as we waited for our food.
"Jace just took me to see the shop," I said with a shrug of my shoulders.
No one was more excited about One Love Boards than my mom. She couldn't stop telling people that her daughter and her boyfriend were opening a board shaping business. Jace and I had shown her the shed and where we made the boards one day and she just about had a heart attack at how excited she was. Jace made good on his promise to give her a board and I painted it according to her requests. It was now her favorite board to ride.
"Oh, I saw the sign this morning," she said clapping her hands. "It looks amazing. How does the inside look?"
"It's beautiful. Jace decorated and set everything up behind my back, but it's beautiful."
"I wanted it to be a surprise," Jace defended himself. "Don't worry, you have final say on everything in the shop."
"Well, I can't wait to see it," Mom said excitedly. "Are we still having the party here after the opening?"
"If that's okay," Jace said. "We don't want you to lose out on any business because of it."
"Nonsense." She waved him off like he was being ridiculous. "We're having the party here and the opening is going to be amazing. Your boards are amazing and the world needs to see them. I'm so proud of you both."
"Thanks, Jocelyn." She smiled and put her hand over Jace's across the table and did the same with me.
Our food came and we started eating. Jace could eat a horse and still never be full. Cooking for him was like cooking for an entire football team. It was amazing and he attributed it to all the time he spent in the water. I couldn't argue with him there. I knew as well as anyone how hungry you could be after being in the water for a few hours.
Man, I loved the food here. I grew up with it and you would think I would have grown tired of it, but it was like coming home. You know when you move away from home and you can't wait to go back for your mom's home cooking? That was what it was like going to the restaurant. The food made me nostalgic and reminded me of a simpler time.
Jace and I finished our meals and made plans to go surfing with Mom and Luke later in the week. We needed to get back to Jace's house to finish a board and then Jace and I were going to spend my night off relaxing, something we rarely did anymore. I had a movie ready to be watched and a Chinese takeout menu on his counter ready to be ordered from.
Jace and I worked quickly and efficiently finishing the board he wanted to be on display next to mine for the opening. It was a really cool board and almost looked like it belonged with mine. It was a little longer than mine and I painted Front Street on the yellow background. It was going to be a representation of our appreciation for Old Lahaina. When I was done painting, Jace proceeded to gloss it and then we made our way inside.
I had paint all over me so I went to the kitchen sink to try and get at least some of it off. Jace came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist resting his chin on my shoulder.
"I like working with you," he said as he kissed my shoulder.
"That's good because I kind of like working with you too," I said turning over my shoulder to press my lips to his. "We make a good team."
"The best." He squeezed me once before I turned and he lifted me onto the counter settling between my legs. Even sitting on the counter, I was still slightly shorter than Jace, but we were almost eye to eye. "So, I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Okay." I had a confused look on my face. "So talk, Cali." I was trying to be playful and he knew it.
"My best friend from California wants to come out for the opening."
"Okay, that's awesome!" I rested my arms on his shoulders while he gripped my hips firmly. "When is he getting here?"
"He'll get here the day before the opening and then stay for two weeks. I told him he could have my couch so he wouldn't have to stay in a hotel."
"That sounds great. I can't wait to meet him. What's his name?"
"Jonathan. We've been best friends since middle school and we always surfed together."
"Cool, why haven't you mentioned him before?" He looked tense, like this was something he didn't like to talk about.
"Well, Jonathan and I had a bit of a falling out before I moved out here." He took a deep breath and I played with the hair at the nape of his neck. "We got in a car accident. He was driving and we had both been drinking. No one was hurt, but he got arrested and resented me for not bailing him out. He called a few days ago and we talked everything out, so I'm hoping we can get things back to where they were. I explained that I needed a fresh start and that he could have one too. He's thinking of moving out here."
"Wow." I let the breath out that I was holding. "Is that why you don't drink?" He nodded. "Well, I'm glad that you guys worked it out and I'm glad that you told me. I understand you a lot more now."
"I want you to understand me." He kissed the tip of my nose and looked in my eyes. His golden eyes bore into me and I felt like he was looking through me. "Let's watch this movie of yours."
Instead of letting me stand, Jace dragged me from the counter and I wrapped my legs around his waist with a shriek. He walked us to the couch where I curled up in his lap and watched the meaningless movie I had picked out. I paid more attention to Jace who never failed to surprise me.
That was the day I realized that I loved him, but I didn't dare tell him and scare him away. After seeing the shop and what he did for me, then after he told me about his past and opened up to me, I could decipher the different layers that were Jace. There was the playful and confident side that I saw on the waves, the sensitive and caring side he only showed me, and the vulnerable and bruised side and I loved them all.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I'm just loving writing this story for you all so much and I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am.
Please let me know what you think and leave a review! :)