The Do Over

I drove her down to my favorite spot on the beach that was off the beaten path. I always loved coming here. Some waves were crashing into the jetty while others were rolling on to the sand. The combination of the rhythmic sounds was soothing.

I almost changed my mind and went somewhere else. I didn't bring girls here, especially not one I'd just met. This was my sanctuary. I wanted to blame the fact that I hadn't slept in almost twenty-four hours, and I'd had a couple beers, but I knew it wasn't that. There was something about her that made me want to show her all my treasures. Why is that? I didn't know, but I wanted to find out.

As I parked the car, turning it off, I said, "Give me a second."

I got out, went to the trunk, and pulled out a beach towel. I opened her door, and as soon as she stepped out, I laced our hands together and led her down to the sand.

She eyed me suspiciously. "So, we left one beach to come to another beach? You seem prepared."

"This isn't just any beach. This is my favorite beach. When the waves are just right, I come out here with my buddies, and we surf. Other times, I just like coming here. It's peaceful."

She held on to my shoulder for balance as she slipped off her shoes.

"You surf? Get out of here. No way." She raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Why do you doubt me? My dad taught me how to surf. If you want, I'll teach you."

"What else did your dad teach you?" she asked with a soft smile.

There was something in her tone that was so sweet, and it made me miss my dad.

"Hey, what just happened? You got weird on me. Did I say something wrong?" she asked.

"Nah. It's just that my dad passed away when I was sixteen. I don't know. I just miss him." Finding the spot I loved, I stretched out the towel on the sand. Standing near her, I dragged her closer into me. "I like you." I leaned in and kissed her. I really did like her.

She dropped her shoes and wrapped her arms around my back. "I'm sorry about your dad. And I might like you just a little bit." She pinched her fingers together.

She kept glancing away, and I thought it was just the cutest thing ever.

"Just a little? You're going to make me work hard, aren't you?" I asked.

She nodded her head with an impish grin. "Yep, that's the plan."

"You have a plan, do you?"

"It's just a preliminary one. I haven't had much time to think of the various things you'll need to do to earn the right to grace my presence."

"Bring it on, baby." I sat down and invited her to sit next to me.

She laid her head on my shoulder. "I really am sorry about your dad. That must have been so hard on you."

"It was." I nudged her on the shoulder. "Hey, don't you want to talk about something fun?"

It had been a long time since I'd talked about this. I didn't really have a need to discuss it. Those close to me knew about it, and the others didn't need to know.

"Maybe, but I like the idea of getting to know you, and not in the typical what's-your-favorite-color and do-you-prefer-a-hamburger-or-hot-dog ways." She nudged me back playfully. "But I get it. It's personal."

I couldn't believe I was about to do this. Lying back, I stared at the stars. "He was my hero. When I was a little kid, I followed him everywhere he went. I copied whatever he did. He taught me everything I know about being a man. He instilled a love for the ocean in me. We went fishing and surfing, and I was his first mate. By the time I was five, he put a basketball in my hand and showed me how to dribble and shoot. We loved the game. He was a respected firefighter, a loving husband, and the best dad a kid could ever have. So, fast forwarding to my junior year in high school, I was the starting point guard on my high school basketball team. It was a big game, and he never made it." Rubbing my face, I tried to get the images flooding my memory out of my head.

Her hands came over my mine as she gently pulled them off of my face. "Hey," she whispered, "you don't have to do this." She placed a tender kiss on my lips. "Thank you."

I didn't know what had come over me, but I wanted to tell her more. Leaning up on my side, my fingers drew circles on her arm as I stared at my invisible design. "I didn't handle things well. I was angry, and I got in a lot of fights. My mom had enough grief, so my coach stepped in and kicked my ass into gear. He was constantly telling me that I needed to get it together and take care of my mom instead of hurting her by acting out. It was a lot to deal with. One minute, I was a kid without a care in the world except for playing basketball and making the winning shot. Then, the next minute, I was the man of the house, looking after my mom and brother. So, every time I got in a fight, coach had me spend practice at the free throw line. I wasn't allowed to play until I made a hundred shots."

She tilted her head. "Free throws as punishment?"

She looked beautiful under the moonlight, and for a moment, I forgot what we were talking about.

"It was more a life lesson than anything else. I had to block out the distractions and control whatever I was feeling to focus on the goal."

"So, was it effective?"

"Let's just say that I can make a free throw with my eyes closed." I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into me. "I've been talking about myself all night. Who are you, Dani Ruiz?"

"Hmmm, that's why you have my phone number. You're going to call me and learn everything there is to know about me. Until then, I'll remain a mystery while you tell me more about yourself."

Her eyes were getting heavy, and I realized that she must be tired.

"Do you think you can make it until the sun rises? Or do you want me to take you home now?"

"Let's watch the sun chase the darkness of the night away," she said poetically.

As the tide rolled back and the seagulls flocked for their breakfast in the cool morning, she was in my arms, nestled warm, with her head pressed against my chest as we witnessed a new day. It was unknowingly a new dawn for both of us. I never knew I could feel this way again.

I kissed the top of her head. With my heart beating underneath hers, our breathing synchronized. When I first saw her eyes looking up at me, she was an unexpected surprise. Now, with her in my arms, I knew she was a gift, and I had no intentions of letting her go.