He relaxed a little further. ‘He just didn’t care,’ he said carefully. ‘Didn’t matter how big the other guy was, how old. I’m not sure he was even looking at them. Kit’s eyes were only ever on the next set of waves. He was there for the ride, you know? The trophies just followed.’

Clover nodded, deliberately allowing a long pause before the next question, to give him time to settle. ‘How was he with you?’

‘It took us a while to gel. It pissed me off that he was so much younger and just as good as me . . . Actually, better.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘I guess we developed a respect for each other first; friendship came later. That first time we met, at Byron, he beat me in our heat. At the next comp, I beat him. It was like that for a bit, pretty evenly matched – but I knew the momentum was with him. He’d come into the sport pretty late, he was still learning so fast. Plus I’d pretty much got to this by’ – he held his arms wider to indicate his stocky physique – ‘fourteen, whereas he was a late developer; the skinny kid was only going to start getting taller, stronger . . .’ He gave a small chuckle as he sank into a memory. ‘The moment we actually became friends happened out of the water. We were at a comp in Philip Island and I got bored waiting around for the next heat. There was a skate park off the back of the beach where some local kids were hanging around. I started . . . I guess I started getting cocky. Next thing I knew, I was taking a beating. Then Kit showed up! He was smaller than all of them – half their size! – but man, his fists could fly.’ He grinned. ‘We were pretty tight after that. Hung around together at all the meets. I guess I saw him as a little brother.’

Clover smiled back, making a mental note that Kit knew how to scrap; it would edit well. ‘Do you think what made him such a good fighter was also what made him such a fierce competitor?’

‘Yeah, I mean, it’s the same energy, right? . . . Different outcomes, but it’s coming from the same place. At a certain point, especially when you go pro, you’ve gotta commit, you know? You have to want it. You’re putting your body on the line. It’s not for pussies out th—’ His hand went over his mouth as he realized what he’d said. ‘Sorry.’

‘It’s fine,’ she laughed. ‘Honestly.’

‘I’m not used to being . . . like, formal.’

‘This isn’t supposed to be that. You’re Kit’s manager, his oldest friend. We want the vibe of how it was between you both.’

Ari nodded, looking ever more pleased. ‘Okay then. I’m trying my best.’