CHAPTER 4
The sun tips over the treetops to the west, casting long shadows across the grass. This point of the day is when the lake no longer feels refreshing, but is downright cold. The wind often picks up and the waves get bigger.
I’m standing in my red swim trunks with my brother Emerson and cousin Camden down by the beach, waiting for Henry to arrive for our inaugural jump into the lake. It’s a tradition my grandparents started when they bought the house for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. The first thing when arriving at the beginning of every summer, everyone has to run down to the dock and jump into the lake. Often we do it in our clothes. Because I arrived earlier than everyone else, I took time to get in my swimsuit.
Goosebumps rise along my skin as a breeze blows against my bare chest.
“If Henry doesn’t hurry his butt up, I’m jumping in without him,” I say, shaking out my arms. I’m getting impatient in my old age. Not that thirty is old, but considering what my life has been like the past three years, I feel like I’m fifty.
“He must be taking a dump, considering how long he’s taking,” Camden says dryly. His red- and white-striped towel hangs over his right shoulder.
“Maybe his trunks are too small and he’s embarrassed to join us,” Emerson adds. “I’m giving him two minutes. We’re breaking tradition standing here.”
“You’re right,” Camden says, throwing his towel on the grass and sliding out of his sandals. “Screw waiting. I’m not going to have a crappy summer because of him.”
I highly doubt a few minutes will have any effect on how Cam’s summer goes, but he’s right as far as waiting. “I agree. Let’s do this.” We drop our towels on the grass and take off at a sprint down the dock.
I’m almost to the end when I’m shoved in the back and go flying in the air. My arms and legs pinwheel. Milliseconds later, I smack into the freezing water. My lungs seize from the shock. Kicking my legs, I work my way up to the surface. When I break free, I gasp for breath. “Wow-wee! That’s cold!”
Camden splashes water in my direction. “Don’t be a wuss, Bennett. It’s refreshing.”
I’m treading water, calculating how long I have to stay in the lake before I claim I’ve had enough without worrying about my family teasing me for not toughing it out. “Aunt Clara’s lemonade on a hot July day is refreshing. This is like an ice bath.”
Emerson and Camden laugh.
“Come on, old man,” Emerson teases. “It’s good for your joints.”
I scoff. I’m only five years older than Emerson and four years older than Camden. “I appreciate your concern for my ailing body, but I prefer to stretch instead of freeze.”
“Cannonball!” Henry yells right before a giant splash sprays me in the face. Henry’s brown-haired head pops up, a huge smile on his lips. “That feels good.”
They’re lying. Nothing about this water feels nice. “About time you got down here. What held you up?” I ask, purposely swimming away from Henry. He loves dunking people.
“Mom wanted to know what we should cook for dinner tonight. Aunt Clara and Uncle Harvey won’t get here until tomorrow, so she wanted to do something a little easier. I told her tacos.”
I wrinkle my nose, disappointed we won’t get Clara’s cooking tonight. Mom is a decent chef, but compared to Aunt Clara? There’s no competition. Granted, it’s not fair to compare an author to a professional caterer. Maybe if Evie gets here in time, she’ll help us. She’s just as skilled in the kitchen as her mom. “Tacos are fine. When’s Evie getting here?” I ask.
Camden shrugs. “I thought she’d be here already. She’s bringing a friend—a beautiful friend, I might add.”
If I don’t stop this conversation, these three will wax poetic about their favorite dates from last summer and make bets on who will go out the most this year.
“Who’s up for a round of golf or pickleball tomorrow?” I ask. “I need someone who will challenge me. My friends back home have gotten slow.”
Cam smiles. “You’re pretty slow yourself, but if you want a butt whooping, I’m game.”
“Funny, because as I recall, you’ve never beat me.” Despite Cam’s attempts to win, my longer arms make sports easier for me. It’s why I always beat Peter, too.
“Your memory must be going.” Cam laughs at his own joke and my brothers join in.
One thing I can always count on my brothers and cousin for? A good ribbing. “Nah, just your pride.”
Henry makes a sizzle sound. “Burn, dude.”
I shrug. “Camden needs it. His head gets too bi—”
A mixture of laughter and squealing—the kind only girls produce—snags my attention. Running at full speed down the dock is Evie, pulling another woman wearing cut-off shorts and a white t-shirt.
Ooooh, bad wardrobe choice.
Evie jumps first, her strong legs propelling her high in the air, followed closely by her friend, who launches herself after Evie.
I shield my face with my arms, partly to save myself from being soaked by the after splash, but mostly because I’m staring long enough to notice this new girl’s legs. Legs that are as long and lean as a swimsuit model’s.
Evie’s head rises above the surface, a giant smile making the apples of her cheeks more rounded. “Oh my goodness, this water is so flippin’ cold! I’m pretty sure my leg hairs just grew ten inches.”
Emerson, Henry, and Cam all laugh.
I smile. “It’s not possible to grow that much in such a short amount of time.”
Evie looks at me, her smile softening from a grin to one of affection. “Yes, Doc, I know. It’s called an exaggeration. How are you?”
Nope. Not talking about me in front of the others. I’ll confide in Evie later. “What happened to your friend?” I search the water, but see no movement.
The group scans the surface with me. My chest tightens the longer we look.
“Millie?” Evie calls out, twisting a new direction every few seconds. “Millie!” A panicked edge enters my cousin”s voice. “Where did she go?” she asks us, then shouts, “It’s not funny, Mils. Come on, where are you?”
My stomach drops. Doesn’t Millie know how to swim?
As if summoned, Millie, a good thirty yards away from us, materializes, gasping for breath. Her smile lights up her entire face, her lips stretching wide. Her grin is like finding hidden treasure. It’s triumphant, bright, mesmerizing, and really difficult to tear my gaze away from.
Why am I noticing these weird details about Evie’s friend?
It must be from the conversation I had with Mom and Dad.
“First, this water is ridiculously cold, you liar,” Millie addresses Evie, swimming toward us. “Second, next time there is ‘something I HAVE to do,’ give me a little warning about what that something is. Third, I miss swimming.” With that, she dives back under the water like a mermaid, complete with long flowy hair.
“I like her already,” Emerson says, staring at the spot Millie went under, like he’s a smitten schoolboy. Hearts dance in his eyes.
Evie shakes her head, a stern expression on her face. “She’s off-limits, boys. Millie isn’t looking for a summer fling, so stay away from her.”
Camden scoffs. “Why don’t you let Millie say one way or another after she’s gotten to know these three better?”
I note how he excluded himself. He was the one who pointedly stated she was beautiful. Does he not like more than her physical appearance?
I hold my hand out. “Nope. Leave me out as well. I’m not looking for anything either.” “Sweet.” Emerson nods. “That eliminates another competitor.”
Evie glares at Emerson. “This isn’t a competition, and I already said to leave her alone. I mean it, Em.”
He huffs. “Fine.”
“What about me?” Henry points to himself. “What if she likes me? You’d stop us from being together?” He looks wounded, but I know it’s a front.
“You guys,” Evie huffs out in frustration. “I’ve practically begged her to marry Camden over the years so we’d become sisters and she wasn’t having any of it. Let it be.”
Camden splashes Evie. “Rude—”
Out of nowhere, Millie’s head emerges right next to Evie.
Evie screams, putting a hand on her heart. “Oh my heck, Mils. You scared me to death!”
Millie laughs. “Sorry. I thought I heard my name.”
Evie’s cheeks go pink. “Uhh… I was just telling my family about you.” She blinks, I’m assuming in an attempt at innocence, but guilt is dominating her features. Evie points at us as she says our names. “Bennett. Henry. Emerson.”
“Hey,” Emerson and Henry say at the same time.
I nod in greeting, absently rubbing at my bare left ring finger.
Camden smiles warmly at Millie. “Hey Mils. Good to see you again.”
Millie gives Camden a smile that would turn any frown upside down. “Hey, Cam. How come your sister failed to mention I’d be jumping in the lake with no chance of changing clothes first?”
Good. Evie didn’t prep her friend on our tradition. Not surprising, considering the white tank top plastered to Millie’s skin. Skin I can’t tell is natural, or if she gets sprayed to look tan like a lot of sorority girls do. Skin that is also showing through her shirt and I’m having a hard time not staring at. Not in a gross stalker way, but in a find her beautiful way.
Cam laughs. “Sorry about that. It’s our family initiation for visitors. Are you okay?”
A shiver wiggles through her body. Goosebumps rise along her shoulders. “I’m cold. I thought swimming around would warm me up, but it’s not. How long do we have to stay in here?”
I purposely direct my question to Evie and ignore Millie. “Did you stop for towels in the boathouse?” I ask.
Evie shakes her head. “You know that’s not allowed with first-timers.”
True, but these two are going to wish they had one when they get out of the water. It’s May. The water is frigid and the air outside isn’t above seventy now that the sun is setting. “I’m heading to the hot tub. You can use my towel if you bring me another one.”
“There’s a hot tub?” Millie asks excitedly.
I nod. “There is.”
“Well then, let’s go.” Millie takes off toward the sandy beach twenty feet away.
No one has to tell me twice. I follow behind, happy my time in the ice water is over.
“Last one in buys drinks tonight!” Emerson shouts behind me.
Someone grabs my ankle, yanking me under the water. Spluttering, I elbow whoever is trying to swim past me. My long arms, once again, come in handy. Scooping my hands through the water, I kick my legs, propelling myself forward until the water is too shallow to swim in. I pop up, running at full speed, Baywatch style, toward the hot tub, pushing and shoving my family members until I’m first.
My lungs fight for breath, my quads burn, but I am not giving up until I win. The hot tub is in sight. Emerson, Cam, and Henry are fighting behind me, but I don’t turn around.
I put a hand on the edge, launching myself into the sizzling water. Sharp stabbing, like a million needles are pricking my skin, erupts over every nerve ending in my body.
The sensation isn’t great, but also not entirely unpleasant either. Kind of like a deep-tissue massage. I’m alive. And for the first time in three years, a lightness settles within me, one that grows when, one by one, my family and Millie plop into the water with me, all of us grinning like we escaped with our lives.
It’s good to be at the lake house for the summer.