Chapter 2
Mitch
We’re anchored under the shade from the trees overhead. The breeze is warm, steady—just enough to keep sweat from sticking to my skin.
We’ve pulled into one of the quiet coves, the kind of place you don’t find unless someone shows you. There’s a rope swing on a thick oak that leans out over the water and a rocky cliff that’s just high enough to make you hesitate before you jump.
Nobody’s here. That’s typical. It’s kind of a secret spot only a few locals know about.
“What kind of wraps did you say they were?” I ask, digging through the cooler and pulling out a handful of tinfoil-and-plastic-wrapped sandwiches and wraps.
Macy lifts her sunglasses up into her hair. “All different. Turkey, ham, bologna.”
“I packed fruit, chips, and my strawberry bars, because I knew none of you would pack anything,” Callie adds.
“Not true,” Brad says, cracking open the first beer of the day. “I brought beer.”
“Exactly.” Callie rolls her eyes.
She’s stretched out on a towel in the front of the boat, her legs bare, tan, and nothing but a red bikini covering her. The sweatshirt she stole from me last night is bunched up under her head for a pillow.
I still don’t remember that happening. But I woke up this morning half-naked and dehydrated, so…not shocking.
“You gonna eat?” Brad smirks, tossing a sandwich at me.
I catch it in my stomach and grunt. “Yeah, just waiting for everyone else to get what they want.”
We eat while Luke’s boat playlist runs through everything from Guns N’ Roses to Eric Church.
Maddie’s sitting in Luke’s lap as if there aren’t enough seats for everyone.
She’s feeding him grapes and we all want it to stop.
My sister and Callie get so annoyed. I always catch them throwing glances at each other.
I think they’re also probably jealous. Macy’s never had a boyfriend.
People think we’re dating, but really we’re just twins who look nothing alike.
Callie, on the other hand… Callie’s been single since tenth grade.
She dated a guy freshman year for a solid three months before he dumped her for a girl who wasn’t afraid to get in trouble.
Brad shoves the rest of a strawberry bar into his mouth and then chucks a grape at Luke, who’s now too busy with his tongue down Maddie’s throat. “Save it for later, my guy.”
Luke laughs and notices all of us staring in discomfort. “Sorry.” He looks back to Maddie and nods to her to get off him.
“Let’s go cliff jumping after this,” Maddie says.
Callie immediately groans. “I’m not jumping. I hate that feeling in your stomach when you fall.”
“It’s like a roller coaster,” Maddie offers, plopping down in the seat beside Brad.
“I’ll jump,” Brad says, sitting up straighter and brushing watermelon juice off his chest.
“Yeah,” I say. “We know.”
Brad makes everyone’s heart stop when he jumps, doing flips and crazy stuff.
Maddie stands. Luke stares at her butt and then smacks it when she bends over to pull her hair up into a bun. Callie and Macy roll their eyes at the same time and look at each other.
“Let’s go, tough guy,” Maddie says to Brad. He stands taller than her but looks her dead in the eye.
“Race you there,” he says, and jumps off the side of the boat. It rocks and the girls scream and try to catch themselves.
Callie throws a grape at him when he resurfaces. “Don’t do that!” she scolds.
We watch them swim to the edge of the rocks. Brad beats Maddie, but not by much, and they start climbing.
“He better not push her,” Luke says.
“I think she’ll live,” I say, smacking him in the leg.
Luke’s gotta loosen up a little when it comes to Maddie.
He’s a good guy, don’t get me wrong. Protective, the kind who jumps the second she says to.
But then again, she’s the same way. Luke spoils her, treats her like she’s the only girl in the world.
They have their fair share of moments, though.
They can fight like hell, and half the time you end up caught in the crossfire.
Slammed doors, she’s crying, he’s pacing, and then fifteen minutes later they’re fine again, laughing, tangled up, like nothing ever happened.
They’ve been inseparable since freshman year. The kind of couple everyone knows without needing an introduction. You see Luke, you know Maddie’s right behind him.
This year in the yearbook they got voted Most Likely to Be Caught Making Out in the Janitor’s Closet. And the thing is—it’s not a joke. It’s happened. More than once.
There was one time after Homecoming when they disappeared for a whole half hour, and she came back with her hair a mess and his tie was gone. Everyone knew. Even the teachers.
“Well, I’m gonna jump in, I guess,” Callie says, glancing to Macy. “I have to pee anyway.”
“Me too.” Macy laughs, finishing the last sip of her water before following her to the back of the boat.
As soon as they’re gone, I glance at Luke. “You and Maddie could take it down a notch, dude.”
He looks over, brows lifting. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I shrug, trying to keep my tone easy. “Just…all the PDA, man. Feeding each other grapes like we’re at a Roman banquet. It’s a little much.”
“Jealous?”
“No. Just trying not to lose my lunch.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “Relax. We’re not giving you guys a show.”
“It’s borderline.”
He kicks his feet up, grinning. “You sound like Pappy.”
“Exactly.”
He snorts, half amused, half annoyed. “You guys act like we’re idiots. We’ve been together four years, man. We know what we’re doing.”
“Mm-hmm,” I hum.
For a second there’s quiet; just the water lapping against the boat and the hum of the radio.
Then he sighs, takes a swig of his beer, and shakes his head with a crooked smile, saying, “I bet you’d think differently if you got laid.”
I just shake my head, not feeling the need to entertain it.
Before the silence can get too thick, Brad’s voice cuts through it from the cliff above us. “Watch this!”
I jerk my head up just in time to see him cannonball off the rocks, water exploding like fireworks when he hits. Maddie’s shrieking before she jumps after him, her voice echoing across the cove.
“They’re insane,” Luke mutters, shaking his head, though he’s grinning now.
I grin too, glad for the noise, for the way the air lightens again.
Callie’s laugh carries over the water from the back of the boat. She’s climbing up the ladder, long blonde hair dripping water down her back, Macy right behind her.
And just like that, the conversation’s over.
But Luke’s words—and mine—stick with me long after the water settles.
* * *
Brad’s got Kid Rock blasting so loud over the speaker that even the fire seems to crackle in rhythm, flames flickering like they’re caught up in the beat.
Callie moves around the fire with the bag of marshmallows in one hand and a bundle of roasting sticks in the other.
She’s barefoot, wearing cutoff jean shorts and a faded T-shirt knotted at her waist. Her hair’s still damp from swimming earlier, and strands keep sticking to her neck.
She brushes them away like she doesn’t even notice.
She hands a stick to Luke, then Maddie, then Macy. I’m last.
She stops in front of me, holding out a marshmallow on the tip of the stick.
“Don’t burn it this time,” she says, smirking up at me.
“I make no promises.”
She lingers a second, smelling like lake water, hard apple cider, and sunscreen. I take the stick from her hand and our fingers brush. It’s not a big deal…but it kind of is.
“Third beer?” she asks, glancing at the can near my chair.
I nod. “Pacing myself.”
“Smart.” She lifts her own can—sparkling water. “You’re still the one we count on to fix the fire when it gets low.”
I grin. “So I’m the designated pyro?”
“Pretty much.”
She walks off to sit beside Macy, and I watch her for maybe a second too long before turning back to the fire.
Everyone’s buzzing, just the right amount.
Maddie’s curled up in Luke’s lap, whispering who knows what in his ear.
Macy’s laughing at something Brad said. The sun’s finally slipped below the tree line, and the sky’s dusky pink and orange in some spots.
The air smells like smoke, beer, and whatever homemade bug spray Macy sprayed all over us.
No one’s drunk, but it’s early. Luke hasn’t pulled out the handle of Jack that’s hidden above the fridge behind a stack of ancient cookbooks, though we all know it’s coming.
I shift in my seat, adjusting my roasting stick over the flame. The marshmallow is already catching fire, but I don’t really care.
Because all I can fixate on is Callie.
Somewhere between last summer and this one, something shifted. We got closer, not quite just friends anymore. She flirts. I flirt back. And somewhere in between, we started toeing this invisible line neither of us can stop testing.
We’ve always had fun, all of us have, but with her it’s different. She’s quick to laugh, easy to talk to, the kind of person who makes everything lighter just by being in the room. Last summer it was harmless. Or at least, I told myself it was.
Back then, it was easier to ignore. Small town, small school, people talk. Everyone assumes what they want to anyway, and I didn’t want to give them a reason to be right. So I pushed it down, stayed quiet, convinced myself it was better that way.
But now we’re here, our last summer to be kids, and I don’t think pretending I’m not in love with her is going to work anymore.
I know I almost kissed her last night. I just don’t know if she wants to pretend it didn’t happen.