Chapter Eighteen

Isaac sat in a chair on his front porch, staring out over the ocean. The sun was just beginning to lower, but it wouldn’t completely set for at least another couple of hours. He heard his phone ring, but let it go to voicemail. Isaac wasn’t ready to hear Leanne tell him she was going back to L.A. He’d be ready. Eventually. But not yet.

It was times like these he should be around other people. Caleb. Adeline. Anyone, really. But he wasn’t in the mood tonight—not when he’d be without Leanne. He hadn’t been in the mood the previous evening either, which was understandable considering she’d basically stood him up, all because she needed to wait on Mr. Fancy Pants. All the man had to do was get Leanne’s hopes up, and she went running off again.

Who knew, maybe this really would be Leanne’s big break. Isaac wasn’t going to stand in the way of her dreams. He hadn’t when she’d first left for L.A., and he wouldn’t now. It didn’t make it any easier though. How many of his pills did he have left? He’d probably taken more than he should over the past month, but he could use one at the moment. It would help keep him from spiraling too deep. The depression and anxiety was lurking, waiting for a weak moment. But Isaac didn’t want to take the pills. He didn’t want them to take away his pain.

Isaac needed to feel.

He sat up straight, a subconscious glance back toward the house where Marlin awaited him. Isaac hadn’t been out on the waves for a few days. Maybe that was why he was struggling so much. Sure, Frederick’s arrival hadn’t helped, but he’d be handling it better if he’d been out surfing that morning.

Unfortunately, his depression had been in full swing since Frederick had arrived in town and he hadn’t been able to drag himself out of bed early enough.

It was very possible the same thing would happen the following morning. He hadn’t felt this bad in a long time, and he didn’t expect it would disappear overnight.

Which meant that if he was going to get any surfing in, it would have to be now.

Isaac walked to a part of the beach where he knew there would be good evening waves, and there wouldn’t be very many people. It was the same spot he and Leanne used to surf together, but he tried to not let his thoughts dwell on that too long.

Once he’d waxed his board, he walked out into the waves and began to paddle out to where the best waves seemed to be. The water was freezing, even with his wet suit, but it awakened the rational side of him, getting his nerves to start firing in the way they needed to.

He lay on the board, not yet trying to ride the waves, but instead, letting them carry him. The rhythmic motion soothed him, and he began to feel at peace again. Yes, he was disappointed that just as he and Leanne were getting back together, this opportunity for her to return to L.A. had resurfaced. Okay, disappointed was an understatement. Devastated was more like it. But he could handle it. And this time, he’d recover. Because he wasn’t being blindsided. Isaac wasn’t delusional this time, waiting around for someone who wouldn’t come back. And this time he’d be able to say a proper good-bye.

That gave Isaac pause. Was Leanne even still in town? Maybe she’d already left and that had been why she’d called and texted so many times over the past day. It could be that he’d already lost the opportunity.

The thought didn’t settle well with him and the peace he’d felt began slipping away again. Isaac focused on the movement of the waves. He could tell a big one was forming. With a few paddles he turned himself so that he faced the beach. He readied himself. Waiting. It was coming. A quick glance back confirmed it. As soon as he felt it lifting him, he popped onto his feet. As he rose, his gaze scanned the shoreline and it landed on a figure who was standing next to the water’s edge, a surfboard in hand. Even at a distance, he recognized that board. The wetsuit was different, orange claw marks across the chest, but that was definitely Leanne’s board.

Isaac’s pulse picked up. She was still here.

And Leanne didn’t look like someone who was getting ready to say good-bye. What if he’d been mistaken—maybe she wasn’t really leaving again, as he’d thought. And in an attempt to protect himself, and his heart, he’d pushed her away.

The figure on the beach—Leanne—walked into the water and placed her board down. She began paddling toward him and his concentration lapsed.

What would he say to Leanne when she reached him? Would a simple apology be enough?

His balance wavered as the wave grew beneath him. Isaac tried to right himself, but it was too late. Guilt slammed into him, just as the wave did the same, and he fell from his board. That wave shouldn’t have caught him by surprise, but Isaac hadn’t been paying attention. And he didn’t have a leash around his ankle, tying him to his board. Isaac was too good a surfer to need something silly like that, except for now, apparently.

The water pushed him down, its incredible pressure keeping him from resurfacing. He’d fallen before, many times. But this felt different. Isaac had been wearing a hood with his wetsuit, but it had been ripped off when he went under. The water was freezing and his head screamed in pain. Isaac couldn’t think straight, didn’t know which way to swim. The movement of the wave was too quick and strong. He had become the water’s bath toy, flipping him head over tail, while simultaneously being dragged along the bottom toward shore. Isaac was running out of breath. Then something hit him in the head. Hard.

And all went dark.

* * * * *

Leanne paddled as hard as she could, trying to get to where she’d seen Isaac fall from his board. She knew he wouldn’t be at that exact spot, the water would move him, but she didn’t know where else to start. Her arms were much weaker than they used to be. Exercising in her L.A. apartment building gym was nothing compared to the workout that surfing gave her. Her muscles protested as she pushed them to continue.

Isaac’s surfboard, Marlin, floated toward her and she reached out to grab it. Or at least, part of it. It had cracked in half. How many times had she told him that he needed to use a leash? He said he didn’t need it, that it was annoying and rubbed his skin. And he knew how to fall, while still keeping his board within reach.

All of that had been true.

Until today. When it really counted.

Leanne took her own leash off and dove under the surface. The saltwater stung her eyes as she frantically looked for any sign of Isaac. She came to the surface, dragged the surf boards a few feet, then tried again. The sky was getting darker, and the visibility under the water was not great. She wondered why she’d always enjoying surfing at dusk, rather than dawn. Leanne made a vow to change her habits and become an early riser. Of course, if she hadn’t come out tonight, she wouldn’t have been here to see Isaac go under. But he also wouldn’t have gotten distracted in the first place.

Just before he’d fallen, their gazes had met. He’d seen her.

Leanne hadn’t been able to read his expression, but she did know one thing.

This was all her fault.

She dove under again, knowing she didn’t have much time until she wouldn’t be able to see at all. And by that time, it would be too late. She came to the surface again, sucking in a lungful of air. Leanne shuddered at the prospect of what would happen if she failed. She said a quick prayer, promising God everything and anything, if He’d just help her find Isaac.

That was when she noticed a tuft of hair bobbing several feet from her. With long strides, she reached Isaac, pulling him above water. She couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not. He didn’t seem to be.

With the strength that only comes from pure adrenaline, Leanne managed to get him half-way onto what was left of his board and wrapped her own arms around it so she could propel it forward. She did her best to swim toward shore, but her muscles hurt so much, and her energy was depleted. The adrenaline seemed to have worn off, making her even more tired than she had been before. Small waves were helping push her forward, but not fast enough. Leanne made it about half-way when Caleb appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

She burst into tears when she saw him, not having the energy to even speak.

Caleb did her a favor and didn’t ask questions, instead pulling them toward shore. As soon as they could stand, Leanne let go and Caleb pushed the board onto the sand where Patty awaited them.

Leanne stumbled to shore and fell onto her back. She watched as Patty gave Isaac CPR, listened for breathing, then started up again. Leanne squeezed her eyes shut, hating herself for not being able to do more. She hadn’t been strong enough. And to think that she used to be a lifeguard. Leanne couldn’t even protect the man she loved.

It was when he started coughing up water that Leanne reopened her eyes.

He was breathing.

Isaac was going to be okay.

“I have no idea how long he was without oxygen,” Patty murmured to Caleb. “I already called an ambulance, hopefully it won’t take too much longer. They’ll need to run tests that I don’t have access to.” She sent a quick glance in Leanne’s direction. “She’ll need to go too, just to be safe.”

Caleb gave a quick nod and then made his way to Leanne’s side, a blanket in hand, as Patty continued to examine Isaac.

He draped it over Leanne, then sat in the sand next to her. “That was a brave thing you did. Thanks to that bright orange monstrosity that you call a surfboard, I saw you all the way down the beach.”

Leanne released a long breath, as she pulled the blanket tighter around her. “I almost didn’t make it.”

“Are you kidding me?” Caleb asked. “You were cruising. That was how I knew something was wrong. No surfer expends all of their energy like that, especially with how far out you were going.”

She perked up. “Really?”

“You saved Isaac’s life.”

Leanne’s emotions were way too close to the surface, and she started crying all over again. Thankfully, Caleb didn’t try to comfort her. Instead, Jules rushed up at that moment. “I just heard,” she said, wrapping her arms around Leanne.

Leanne leaned into her sister, her tears slowing to a trickle. “I thought I had lost him.”

Jules stroked Leanne’s hair. “I know.”

Caleb seemed torn between staying and leaving, but the sisterly love seemed to be a bit much for him and he made his way back to Isaac.

Sirens could be heard in the distance.

“Patty says you’re going to go in the ambulance, okay?” Jules finally said, the wailing growing louder as it approached.

Leanne didn’t want to leave Jules at that moment, just wanting to be held. But she wanted to be close to Isaac more. “Okay.”

“Half the town was ready to jump in their cars and meet you at the hospital, but the staff there knows Starlight Ridge too well and forbade anyone but immediate family. Mom’s already on her way there.”

Leanne smiled at that, her tears nearly dry now. “You could have told them that everyone here is family. It’s true, even if not in the technical form of the word.”

“Patty already tried that. So they narrowed it down even more. Two visitors per patient.”

A laugh tried to escape but came out as a cough instead.

The ambulance pulled onto the sand, its sirens silencing, and two paramedics jumped from the vehicle.

“Maybe you should write this into your next screenplay,” Jules said, watching as they first rushed to Isaac, who still lay motionless, other than the barely perceptible movement of his chest as he breathed. “Very action-packed. Lots of drama.” She must have seen how horrified Leanne felt at the prospect, because she quickly followed it up with, “You know, once you’ve recovered from the trauma of it all, and it becomes one of those situations you can laugh about later.”

Just the thought of it left a bad taste in Leanne’s mouth—like she’d eaten moth balls dipped in oyster sauce.

“Thanks for trying to make a horrible and terrifying experience into something that I can recreate and live over and over again.” She meant for it to come out as light-hearted. She failed. “But regardless, I think my screenwriting days are behind me.”

Jules looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, “It’s probably for the best.”

Leanne couldn’t agree more. From now on it would just be her and Isaac and Starlight Ridge. She’d be happy if she never had to think about L.A. or Frederick or any movie producer ever again.