I check my leg rope is on nice and tight as I hear the commentators announcing that the final will be getting under way in two minutes’ time.
“Show time.” I smirk at him.
“Hey, Jake… one last thing,” he says, pointing across the line up to the jet ski that Zeke has just jumped off.
I stand up on the tow and follow his finger.
That’s when I see her.
She’s clinging to the life vest of Zeke’s coach, Connor Smith, her sexy ass on the back of his ski.
She raises one hand and waves shyly at me.
“Nothing but fucking trouble,” I hear coach mutter, but I can hear the amusement in his voice.
I shake my head and chuckle.
I’m about to raise my hand and wave back, but I think again and bring my hand to my mouth instead.
I blow her a kiss and watch as her eyes light up.
“C’mon, baby,” I murmur to myself.
She slowly, ever so fucking slowly brings her hand up and just when I’m expecting her to flip me off, she surprises me by blowing me a kiss back.
She mouths the words ‘I love you’ to me and fuck it all, I melt. Just like that everything is right in my world again.
Always knew I was a simple fucking man.
I dive into the water and paddle in the direction of my opponent, my girlfriend’s brother and my biggest competition out here in the waves.
I’ve faced a lot of guys in finals this year, but this here is the match up we deserve for the big finale.
“Hey, Brady?” I call out to him.
He turns to look at me, his usual scowl etched into his features.
I nod in the direction of his sister, who’s now being sped off back to the beach.
“I’m going to marry your sister one day.”
He flips me off and I chuckle.
Just like old times.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Eden
I run down the beach and scramble over the rocks before my feet hit the water.
Everyone else might be content to wait on the sand, but not me.
That’s the man I love riding that wave towards me, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let anyone else get their hands on him before I do.
“Golden boy!” I call, and he smirks at me, that devilish smirk that has lust instantly swirling in my belly.
I wade out deeper in the water, something I never would have done if not for him.
“Hey, precious,” he breathes as he stops in front of me and tucks his board under his arm.
I can’t stand it a moment longer. I throw myself at him and he manages to catch me with one arm.
“I’m so fucking sorry,” he growls against my ear.
“I’m the one who needs to apologise.”
His green eyes search mine for any hint that I’m upset, but he’ll find none.
I press up on my toes and kiss him, and the whole crowd erupts into cheers and whoops of excitement behind me.
He chuckles against my lips.
“Get a room.” I hear a voice from behind Jake and I grin.
My eyes zone in on my brother’s face, and I hold out my fist for him as he approaches us.
“You were so good, Z.”
He bumps his knuckles against mine before looking at Jake.
“Respect, man.” He holds out his hand, and I hold my breath.
They’re both sporting bruises from each other’s fists, so if this isn’t a peace offering, I don’t know what is.
Jake reaches out, and I continue holding my breath as they grip each other’s hand firmly.
“Hurt her and I’ll kill you, for real this time,” Zeke warns him.
“Wouldn’t expect anything less,” Jake says.
And just like that, I breathe again as they release each other and Zeke walks towards the beach and all his fans – the new number two in the world of surfing.
Millie is right there at the front, always his biggest fan, and when he stops right in front of her and kisses her like no one else is around, I don’t even get grossed out – I’m just relieved that I didn’t screw up things for them.
Jake tosses his arm over my shoulder and leads me into the beach and the hundreds of people waiting to congratulate the man with the number seventeen on his back.
“Best there is, huh?” I say with a giggle. “You just had to leave it right until the bitter end.”
It all came down to one last wave.
This heat was the closest they’ve been all year.
Jake had priority and he could have let it go – let Zeke win since the world title was already his, but that’s not Jake.
He would never let someone win. I think deep down, Zeke respects him for that too – even though he’d never admit it.
I sure respect him for it.
He’s the best, and the only way anyone is going to beat him is by being better than he is, that’s all there is to it.
Jake kisses the top of my head before his buddies grab him and lift him clean above their heads, his board lifted alongside him in classic surf celebration.
“Hey, precious?” he calls back to me over the sea of people.
I pop a brow and wait for whatever smart ass comment he’s bound to make, but it doesn’t come.
“I love you too,” he says with a grin, and yip, I fall just a little bit deeper.
EPILOGUE
Jake
“Ladies, please! I can’t hear myself think,” Millie yells at the group of us – the majority of us males, might I add – as we clink our beers together.
She’s trying to talk on the phone, but I don’t know why she’s bothering out here – it’s too god damn loud on this deck. Not helped at all by the fact that my little brother is yelling and carrying on, putting on a show.
My mum is here too – tucked up against Colesy. I eye them as I take a pull from my beer. My coach and my mother. Who the fuck saw that one coming? It’s been nearly a year of seeing them together and I’m still not used to it in the slightest.
“How’s it feel, bro?” Max asks me, interrupting the urge I have to rough up the man who has been my only male role model my whole life.
I suddenly feel a deep appreciation and understanding for the way Zeke reacted to me dating his sister when he found out last season.
I shake my head as I glance out at the setting sun. “I can’t even explain it.”
I feel like I won the lottery.
“I still reckon I could take you again though.” He chuckles, and I groan.
He’s never let that slide.
Here I am, winner of this leg of the tour, and world champ, for the second year running – and the bastard is still paying me out for losing to him. Once. A year ago.
“It’s the price you pay for a good woman.” I smirk, as my eyes land on said woman, strolling towards me, her friends flanking her like she’s some kind of queen bee.
“I called that shit, remember?” he announces, grinning victoriously. “I always knew you were screwed when it came to that chick.”
“Not even going to argue with you, bro,” I reply lazily as I wait in anticipation for her to arrive. I’m as screwed now as I was then, and I’m more than okay with that.
She doesn’t disappoint, dropping her sexy ass right into my lap and wrapping her long arms around my neck.
She’s even sexier now than she was when I met her, and that’s quite the achievement. Might have something to do with the fact that she travels with me now, and that she’s back on a board – no one looks as good out there riding the waves as Eden does.
“Hey, golden boy,” she practically purrs in my ear.
She’s got on sweet fuck all, and Jesus is she tempting.
I’m just about to tell her that we need to get the hell out of here, and fast, before the bulge in my pants becomes a real problem, when Millie yells out again.
“Alright, boys, I need a favour from one of you.”
We all turn to face her, and the nois
e dies down.
Everyone out here respects Millie. She’s Eden’s agent, and a lot of the other guys get paid for promotional work, so she manages most of them too – she’s kind of like a camp mother to a lot of the guys – even though she’s young enough to date any one of them.
“What’s up, Mills?” Zeke asks her from his spot by the bar.
“I’ve got an old friend of mine on the phone – she works in the biz and she’s looking for a surfer to pose for her calendar shoot. Anyone want to be her Mr. May?” she asks the group.
There’s some chuckles and a few of the guys try to nominate their unwilling mates. There’s shoves and raised hands on other people’s behalfs and a few ‘fuck offs’, but no one is rushing to volunteer.
“Fuck yes,” I call out to her. “I’ll do it. Why look any further than the number one, baby?”
Eden groans. “How did I know you were going to put your hand up for this?” She turns her scowl from me to Millie. “You couldn’t have asked when he wasn’t around?” Eden points an accusing finger at her.
Millie shrugs, a smug smile on her face as though she knew exactly how this was going to play out.
“We’re just giving the people what they want, precious.”
“What if I want to do it?” Zeke calls out, challenging me, his eyes darting between me and his girlfriend. He might have come around to the idea of me and Eden, but the rivalry between us is far from lost. It’s a bit like Lukah and Alexi – these boys don’t ever really let go of their baby sisters.
Millie sits her hand on her hip and looks at him in a way that lets us all know that there is no way in hell she’s going to allow that to happen.
He grins sheepishly. “All yours, Carson,” he tosses back to me.
“Sold.” I chuckle.
“But—” Eden tries to argue.
“No buts, baby, I’m a pro at strutting my stuff now – I learnt from the best.”
I chuckle as Eden groans again.
Millie pulls the phone back up to her ear. “I got one – but you’ll have to watch out, he’s cocky as hell.”
“Lord, help us all,” Eden says dramatically.
“The cocky pro surfer.” Millie giggles down the phone as she shakes her head at me and my smirk from across the space. “Yip, that will definitely work.”
THANK YOU!
Thank you for reading Mr. May, I hope you enjoyed it.
If you did enjoy it, please consider leaving a review; they give authors valuable feedback, help other readers find new books, and I’d really, really appreciate it!
If you are interested in getting sneak peeks into my work, freebies and giveaways, you can sign up for my newsletter HERE.
If you’re into Facebook, please join my reader group HERE.
Please remember:
This book has been written using UK English and may contain euphemisms and slang words that form part of the New Zealand spoken word.
Please remember that the words are not misspelled. They are slang terms and form part of everyday, New Zealand vernacular.
I.e: I’m from New Zealand and sometimes we say weird things down here… please try and be cool about it.
Thanks again!
MR. JUNE
Mr. June – Calendar Boys Series, Book Six, will be releasing June 10th 2019.
Visit www.nicolegoodinauthor.com for the cover reveal and to read the first chapter.
Amazon links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
OTHER TITLES
Love like Yours Series
Rushed – Book 1
Pierced – Book 2
Hunted – Book 3
Chased – Book 4
Rock Games Novels
Paper, Scissors, Rock: Vol. 1
Hide and Seek: Vol. 2
My Heart Duet
My Heart Needs
My Heart Wants
Calendar Boys
Mr. January
Mr. February
Mr. March
Mr. April
Mr. May
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The songs that inspired this book – Fool’s Gold – One Direction and Aliv3 – Kings.
Thank you to everyone that has stuck with me through this series so far, I hope you liked Jake and Eden as much as the other couples. If you’re new to my work, thank you for taking a chance and I hope you check out the other books – you won’t be disappointed.
As always thanks to my editors – Spell Bound, my BETA readers and my street team. Also a big thanks to the bloggers who have taken the time to read and promote my books – it is really appreciated so much.
Bring on June!
PLAYLIST
Why Try – Ariana Grande
Secret Love Song – Little Mix & Jason Derulo
If You Could See Me Now – The Script
Apologize – OneRebublic
Camouflage – Selena Gomez
Let You Love Me – Rita Ora
Ruin My Life – Zara Larsson
Bad Liar – Imagine Dragons
Aliv3 – Kings
I won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
Location – AJR
Say You Love Me – Jessie Ware
Fix You – Coldplay
Broken – Jack Johnson
You & I – One Direction
Best Mistake – Ariana Grande & Big Sean
The Only Exception – Paramore
Old News – Mitch James
Change My Mind – One Direction
They Don’t Know About Us – One Direction
fOoL fOr YoU – ZAYN
On Your Side – The Veronicas
Better Together – Jack Johnson
Fool’s Gold – One Direction
Low – Greyson Chance
Only Us – Drax Project
Heartbeats – Jose Gonzalez
Times Like These – Jack Johnson
It Don’t Matter – Donavon Frankenreiter
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing – Jack Johnson
Seaside – The Kooks
Sunshine – Matt Costa
If It Kills Me – Jason Mraz
Free Fallin’ – John Mayer
Better – Khalid
Eastside – benny blanco, Halsey & Khalid
Half a Heart – One Direction
Free – Donavon Frankenreiter
Diamonds On The Inside – Ben Harper
Breakdown – Jack Johnson
Pulling Me Under – Kevin Garrett
Hurts So Good – Astrid S
Never Be Like You – Flume & Kai
Stay – Zedd & Alessia Cara
Runaway – Sasha Sloan
This Feeling – Travis Atreo
Everything Has Changed – Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran
Say Something – Justin Timberlake
Too Proud – Broods
Never Not – Lauv
Team – Noah Cyrus
Lie To Me – 5 Seconds of Summer & Julia Michaels
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
NICOLE S. GOODIN is a romance author and mother of two from Taranaki in the North Island of New Zealand.
In mid-2015, she started to write about a group of characters who wouldn’t get out of her head. Her first book, Rushed, was published in mid-2016.
Nicole enjoys long walks on the beach, pillow fights and braiding her friends’ hair. She dislikes clichés, talking about herself in the third person, and people who don’t understand her sense of humour.
Please feel free to contact her either via her website, email, Instagram, Twitter or on her Facebook page, she would love to hear your feedback. If you’re feeling really game, you can even sign up for her newsletter HERE.
UPCOMING TITLES
Calendar Boys Novels
Mr. June
Mr. July
Mr. August
Mr. September
Mr. October
Mr. November
Mr. December
Mr. May: A Forbidden Love Romance (Calendar Boys Book 5) Page 13
