15. You’d be the first
Fifteen
YOU’D BE THE FIRST
Liv
“Igrabbed the Cab!” Viv announces, holding two red wine glasses in one hand, the bottle in the crook of her arm, and closing the patio doors with the other hand.
With full bellies, we watch the sun’s slow descent.
The sky is golden and reflecting off the ripples of the lake.
I’ve never seen a sunset like this. We’re all supposed to share the same sky, and yet, sunsets out here in Maple Cove look nothing like the sunsets in New York City, blocked by the towering buildings.
Soft, wispy clouds create ribbons of white and pale yellow while the trees become darker and darker, until they’re nothing more than a silhouette in the backdrop.
It’s golden hour. The patio lights have turned on, and the sounds of crickets off in the bushes create a strangely comforting hum.
Viv pours the wine, and we watch as the sun sinks deeper and the sky darkens.
In the distance, the pontoon boat—fixed with string lights around the top—cuts through the water toward the dock.
Josh leaps to the dock before the boat has fully stopped, dropping buoys and tying ropes.
He helps a family climb off the boat. Looks like the family from this morning.
They all stop and mingle, standing about the dock, looking back at the boat as if waiting for something.
I follow to see what they’re waiting for.
The lights on the dock illuminate the boat enough that I can make out another woman still on the boat with Luke. Her hand reaches between them, and from where I’m sitting, it looks like she runs her finger down his chest.
“Um, that girl’s about to lose a hand if she touches Luke one more time. He’s claimed, babe. Step the fuck back,” Viv says from the seat beside me. She has her feet up on one chair, back against the other, eyes focused on the scene before us.
I can’t help but love her for wanting to go to battle for a guy that’s not even mine, but that’s just it. Luke isn’t mine. I have no claim over him, which means he’s free to do whatever he wants. I pretend I don’t feel the zing of jealousy coursing through me.
“Simmer down, Viv. He can do whatever he wants. It’s not like I walked in and called dibs.” Every word I say tastes bad.
“Yeah, no. She needs to back off.”
Voice muted, I look back toward the dock.
Luke takes a casual step away from the woman. His hands are in his pockets while hers are grabbing for him again. They talk for a moment longer, her incessant giggling ringing out across the space between the boat and where we sit.
Josh waits on the dock, politely nodding as the family talks. He keeps looking toward Luke, though, and anyone with two eyes and a brain can tell neither man is interested in the conversation they’re locked in.
Eventually, everyone but the boys walks past us into the house.
The girls eventually sashay by. The one Luke was talking to is wearing a string bikini with a mesh coverup that covers literally nothing, and her makeup is flawless.
I recognize her as the one who waved at Luke this morning.
The way every part of her body hasn’t discovered gravity yet, I’d guess she’s in her early-twenties.
I am not jealous. Not even a little.
Okay, no, I didn’t like that she was touching Luke and giggling with her friend like a pair of drunk hyenas, but do I have any say over it? No, I don’t. So I need to just… chill.
We catch the tail end of the conversation between the two younger women as they pass us.
“I like Josh, but he doesn’t really seem into me. He’s nice eye candy, though,” the friend says with her own maniacal giggle.
“He’s totally into you,” the girl who was hanging on Luke says. They glance at us as they pass, giving us a judgmental once-over before disappearing into the house. My guess is they haven’t lived on the earth long enough to appreciate a summer night in a hoodie and shorts.
Josh makes his way up, carrying a garbage bag around to the side of the house, throwing a nod our way as he passes. He returns, plopping into the chair Viv’s feet were occupying, and sighs, dropping his head back and looking up at the sky.
“Everything okay over there, sunshine?” Viv asks, picking up her glass of wine.
Josh lolls his head in her direction, reaches for Viv’s wine, sips, moans appreciatively, then holds it back out for Viv to take. It’s such a normal and casual move. Anyone who didn’t know better would think Josh had known Viv his whole life.
“Keep it. Looks like you need it more than me. Care to share what's on your mind?” Viv asks, pouring more wine into the glass and nudging it back to Josh, who takes another drink. He tilts his head from side to side, weighing his options.
“The sunset cruise is one of the best services we offer, aside from the view of my good looks, of course,” he begins.
“Of course,” Viv and I say in unison.
“And some families really, really love them, and take them… often.” He shakes his head like he wants to say more but doesn’t.
There is more to this. I look at Viv, waiting for her to strike.
“Look, I know we’re guests and you need to be polite, but you literally just sat down and drank my wine from my glass, so cut the nice guy shit, okay? Spill the real tea.”
Josh laughs. “Fine. Fine.” He takes another sip, then leans in like he’s got the best secret. Naturally, we lean in too.
“That family is the fuckin’ worst. And I really hope they’re checking out soon because it feels like they’ve been here forever.
This is their third sunset cruise in a row.
They’ve been on them every goddamn night.
Sometimes it’s just the parents, or the whole family, or just the two girls and ugh, it’s brutal.
They have literally nothing of quality to talk about.
” He blows out a breath as if he just released the heaviest burden.
“Tonight, they spent most of their time talking about golf, which is fine. I enjoy playing golf. But I don’t need to dissect the game I play for hours.
Meanwhile, the two twenty-somethings sit on their phones taking selfies the whole time.
How many pictures of your own face are needed on your phone?
Then they complain they can’t access TikTok out in the middle of the lake.
How are they going to keep their followers up to date on their every move without access to the internet?
they ask. Um, hi. Why are you on a sunset cruise if all you’re going to do is look at your phone?
Make it make sense.” Josh scrubs his face with his hands, grabs the wine, and takes another generous sip.
Clearly, Josh has been holding onto some feelings.
“Feel better?” Viv asks.
“Yes, thank you. Sometimes, a good vent sesh is the best medicine. And this red wine—damn it’s delicious.” He grabs the bottle, inspecting the label and taking a picture with his phone.
“You don’t strike me as a golfer,” I say. “All the golfers I’ve ever met in the city are dripping in khakis and sweater vests with matching tucked-in Vineyard Vines shirts.”
Josh snorts. “I enjoy the game. I’m not good at it, but I enjoy it. Plus the pants make my ass look fucking fantastic.”
“What the hell, man?” Luke calls, taking the last steps up to the patio with long strides “You just left me there. You were supposed to come back after bringing the garbage up.”
Ladies and gentlemen, Luke has made it to the patio, and with him, the butterflies that are taking up permanent residence in my stomach.
He drops into another chair at the table and leans back. “Hi, ladies.”
We lift our hands in unison.
“They had wine. I am not sorry.” Josh shrugs, reaching for his glass to take another sip.
Tonight, Luke is in a fitted V-neck t-shirt and shorts that look like they could double as a bathing suit.
Not only are his muscular legs on display but so are his feet, clad in leather flip-flops.
Maybe because of last night’s conversation—I don’t know—but I look at his feet.
And I hate to admit it, but they aren’t that bad.
There’s nothing gross and scaly about them, and his toenails are even a normal color.
Luke catches me looking, because why wouldn’t he? “See? I have nice toes.”
“Mmm, agree to disagree. Feet aren’t nice. Keep those things away from me.” I hold my hands in front of me, shielding my view.
“Okay, someone needs to fill me in on this story, please,” Viv says.
Josh hops up to get another wine glass and a beer for Luke, and then we all get comfortable for an evening in.
“He said you’re too old? At 30? Damn. Guess we better find this guy a nursing home then.” Josh hikes a thumb toward Luke. “He’s 32!”
“You’ll be right alongside me, Joshy. You’re only a year younger,” Luke says.
“Good ol’ Bad Date Bradley, making us all feel decrepit in our thirties,” Viv adds.
“I want to check out the vineyard,” I say, looking at Josh and Luke.
“Samesies,” Viv chimes in.
“You should! Great wine, great vibes. I highly recommend it,” Josh says while Luke’s head bobs up and down in agreement.
“Yeah, business has been slower here with the surrounding towns growing bigger and providing more for tourists—museums, several breweries to our one, more shopping, restaurants. They just have more. It’s hard to compete against that,” Luke says, picking at the label of his beer bottle.
“Um, excuse me. Maple Cove’s food, from what I can tell so far, is orgasmic. So, I think that should be a tagline or something. If you write it, they will come.” Viv downs the last of her wine.
“Maybe you just need more exposure,” I say.
Luke considers me, his hand scratching the hair on his chin. “Yeah, maybe.”
The conversation circulates around the table effortlessly, but I find I’m half paying attention. I’m hyperaware of every move Luke makes. The way his forearm rubs against mine, or when his knee brushes against me. Every point of contact is electric, sending my skin buzzing.
At one point, he leans back in his chair, one ankle over the other knee, reaching his arm across to rest on the back of mine.
It’s such a casual move, and yet it brings me back to those moments in middle school when I went to the movies with the boy I had a crush on.
He would put his arm on the seat behind me, and I’d spend the rest of the film wondering if he’d make the next move and rest his arm on my shoulder.
I wasn’t silly enough to think Luke would actually do it, but I was foolish enough to wonder the entire time if he would.
The hours tick by. An owl hoots in a tree.
Another answers from somewhere else. It’s quiet, and stars scatter across the sky like diamonds.
I’m used to excessive noise: music, people yelling, car brakes squealing.
Out here, though, I can easily understand how the sounds of owls and crickets could be their own lullaby.
Viv lets out a dramatic yawn, triggering my own.“Ah, that’s our cue!” Josh says, stretching his arms up above his head, the yawn train picking him up as it passes around the table. He pushes back his chair and stands, putting a hand out to help Viv out of hers.
“Thank you, kind sir,” she says with a slight curtsy.
“Of course, milady.” Josh bows and then fist-bumps Luke. “G’nite, bro.”
“I’ll catch up to you,” Luke responds.
“G’nite Luke,” Viv gives a small wave.
“See ya, Viv,” he says, slipping his hands into his pockets. It’s like everyone made a silent agreement to leave Luke and me alone out here. I want to pretend I mind. I don’t.
“Good night,” she sings as she walks by, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
With an eye roll, I stick my hands in my hoodie pocket and look up at the night sky once more. There aren’t this many stars at home. Or, there are, and I just can’t see them.
“You ladies should come out for a boat ride one of these days,” Luke says, looking up at the stars too.
I raise my eyebrows at him. “Eh, no thanks. Not if I have to listen to golf chatter and get roped into TikTok videos.”
“No, no. We’d make it private and tell the guests the cruise is booked for the evening. You’d be doing us a favor, actually.”
“Oh. Well, then I think that’d be nice.” I face the sky once more, lost in a sea of twinkling lights scattered into the unknown.
“You should see them from my place. There’s no light out there. If you think this is a lot, it feels like there are twenty times this amount from the view on my back porch.”
“Are you inviting me over?” What am I doing?
Luke turns his face to me and stares. The silence stretches for eternity. I’m tempted to walk my comment back and say something like ‘Just kidding!’ but he finally speaks, saving me my embarrassment.
“I don’t hate that idea. Maybe that’s what we’ll do. You and Viv come out for a boat ride, and we’ll head back to my place for dinner. How’s that sound?”
Standing next to him, I realize he’s so much taller than I am. I wore wedges yesterday, which gave me a few inches, but today? I’m in flip-flops, and he’s got a good six plus inches over me.
I squint at him. “You invite all your guests over for dinner?” Like the girl from the boat… Did she go to your place too? I can’t stop the intrusive, jealous thoughts that filter through.
“Nope.” He rocks back on his heels, looking back at the sky, and then turns his full body toward me. “You’d be the first.” Lifting his hand, he runs it through his hair.
I bite my lip. It’s just dinner among new friends—not a big deal. Stop making it a thing.
Viv’s suggestion pops back to mind. I know exactly where she’d take this if I told her about it. And maybe that’s what I need to gather the courage to just put myself out there. No strings attached, no worries about him realizing I’m too difficult, or too controlling. Just a fun fling.
That’s not so bad. I can work with that.
“Okay. I’ll talk to Viv.” His smile stretches across his rugged face. His eyes crinkle in the corners.
“Hey, listen. I’m going to be walking this way again tomorrow morning. If you decide to go out for an early morning stroll, can you keep that trigger-happy pepper-spraying hand under control?”
“No promises. A lady can never be too careful,” I tease, turning to face him.
“Alright, fair enough.” His hand reaches out and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear, leaving a trail of heat in the wake of his barely there touch against my skin.
I feel rooted to the spot and can’t take my eyes off him.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Trip,” he says, standing there an extra moment before he turns toward the steps that lead to the path, lit by little lanterns.
I sure hope so.