Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Mia
Iloved being immersed in Bower’s world. Even the things he did every day, like fishing, were exciting for me. And now a party? I couldn’t hide the fact that I was nervous. I hadn’t been to any besides the birthday parties my friends’ parents threw for them at a bowling alley or movie theater.
The high school parties were more of a Ruby thing. I often heard her come in late at night, past the curfew my parents set for her, smelling like alcohol.
Now it was my turn. Maybe I’d get a little crazy, do something out of my comfort zone…
First, I had to find something to wear to this lake party.
I stood in my room, looking over my options.
Not much. I’d packed for myself and had brought only the clothes I felt comfortable in—shirts without tags and soft bike shorts that didn’t rub against my skin.
I didn’t have fancy shoes. No one else at the party was going to be wearing yellow rain boots, but I didn’t have a choice.
My sandals were lost in the brush, and I never wanted to see them again.
I settled on an emerald-green racer-back tank top and black bike shorts. Hopefully the yellow boots didn’t clash too bad. If anything, I could claim I was a Green Bay Packers fan, right?
I looked in the bathroom mirror and pulled my hair back into a low ponytail.
My hair was full of flyaways, but Ruby had a bunch of products lined up along the sink.
I scooped out a pea-sized amount of pomade onto my fingers.
I held my breath as I smoothed it through my hair.
Immediately, I washed my hands, ridding my fingers of the sticky serum.
I took one look at all of Ruby’s makeup before I glanced at myself again in the mirror. Natural would have to do. If I wore anything on my face, it would annoy me all night, when I was supposed to be enjoying my time with Bower.
I poked my head out of the bathroom to check the clock on the nightstand between the two beds.
Bower would be here soon. Mom and Dad were at the resort bar, so I didn’t need to worry about sneaking out.
They’d probably think I was already in bed when they got home late, but I should leave some kind of note—just in case Ruby somehow made it home before I did.
The nightstand had a drawer with an Agate Harbors–branded notepad and pen inside. After scribbling a quick message to Ruby, I slipped it under her pillow.
I skipped down the stairs onto the main level of the cabin and pulled on my rain boots. I pushed the screen door open and hopped down the stairs onto the grass.
Bower was standing there, waiting.
I gasped, stumbling back a couple steps.
He gave me a closed lip smile. “Sorry—I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s fine. Are you ready?” My words came out quickly. What was I supposed to do with my hands? They fidgeted at my sides. I hadn’t brought a purse—but who needed a purse when you didn’t even have a cell phone?
“Yeah, I’ve got the boat all ready.” Bower motioned with his arm for me to follow him.
I smiled. It was hard not to smile around him.
I followed him down the gravel path to the marina, carefully making my way down the stairs.
A boat that hadn’t sunk to the bottom of the lake waited for us.
I ignored Bower’s offer of a hand into the boat and climbed in myself.
I untied the rope at the bow of the boat as he untied the one at the stern, jumping in once the boat was free from the dock.
We worked in perfect unison. We didn’t even need words.
Bower started the motor and flipped it into reverse, backing out of the marina. A few moments later he pointed down into the water on the starboard side of the boat, just when we got outside the marina.
I leaned over the side to see the outline of Gill’s motorboat resting at the bottom of the lake. My hand flew over my mouth as I tried to hide a laugh. Bower hadn’t been kidding about sinking it—at least he hadn’t lied to Betty.
He pulled on the throttle, the tip of the boat rising into the air.
Carefully, I balanced behind the windshield of the boat, flipping the middle portion closed behind me.
The front of the boat was my favorite, feeling the breeze on my face, but I had just pomaded my hair—I didn’t want to risk any flyaways after I’d endured that sticky stuff to flatten them.
I sat in the passenger chair next to Bower, watching him drive. His arms had gotten muscular and veiny over the last year. Every time he gripped the wheel, I could see the muscles and veins beneath his skin move.
Why did I like that?
I felt the beat of the music before I heard it. Bower slowed the boat as we approached the party. Boats lined the beach next to an enormous house that must have cost millions. There were people everywhere with red Solo cups, sitting on the dock, the beach, and still on boats.
Bower guided the boat onto the beach in an open spot between two pontoons. I braced myself as he hit the sand and killed the motor. I watched as he jumped into action, grabbing the coiled rope from the seat at the bow of the boat and tying it to a nearby tree. He pulled until the rope was taut.
He was suddenly in front of me, offering me a hand off the boat.
I had to blink several times to remoisten my eyes from the way I’d just been staring.
Waving my hand, I declined his and instead jumped off the bow and into the shallow water of the beach.
The water splashed up onto my boots, but their height protected my skin.
Bower seemed to know everyone at the party. We stopped often for a high five or a handshake-hug-type thing that was popular between boys. He never failed to introduce me to everyone who stopped him.
We got to the bonfire in the center of the party, where coolers repurposed as seats surrounded the fire.
Bower leaned over, opening one, and pulled out two beers.
He offered me one, and I took it in my hand, unsure of what to do.
Bower cracked his open, the hiss of the carbonation leaving his can meeting my ears.
He took a swig, his neck pulsing as he swallowed. I looked down at my can, unopened.
I’d never drank before. It wasn’t like I was opposed—I’d just never had the opportunity. I pulled the tab of the beer and cracked it open. Slowly, I put the can to my lips and took a sip. I couldn’t stop the face that followed.
It was disgusting. It tasted like dirty water. I struggled to swallow and grimaced as I felt the warm liquid going down my throat.
Bower chuckled, taking the beer from my hands. “It’s fine if you don’t like it,” he said.
I let him have it. Beer was gross. He finished his can, crushing it against his leg before he started on mine.
“Mia? Is that you?”
I’d recognized that voice anywhere. Any sister would. Ruby.
“What are you doing here?” She seemed surprised and maybe a touched impressed to find me attending the same party she was. Ruby had a red Solo cup in her hand. She took a sip of her drink while her eyes bounced between Bower and me.
Another guy came up behind Bower and bear-hugged him around his shoulders. I recognized the shaggy brown haircut.
“Hey, Mia,” Dean said.
“Hey, Dean.”
“Betty put you in charge of Bower for the week?” he asked.
“Pretty much.” I shoved Bower playfully in the chest. “No sinking boats on my watch.”
“You sunk a boat?” Ruby asked.
Dean looked up, surprised to see her. He backed up a bit and crossed his arms over his chest. He pursed his lips, not willing to divulge any more information.
“It figures. You’re a fuckup,” Ruby said.
I heard a growl come from Dean’s chest.
My eyes bounced between the two of them.
Dean opened his mouth, ready to argue.
A girl I recognized from the resort came over and grabbed Ruby’s arm, pulling her away. Her eyes were glassy, and her speech slurred. “Come on, Rubes, I know where we can find some cigarettes.”
My sister steadied her friend as she glared at Dean. “Okay, Annie, let’s go.” Ruby almost fell to her knees as she struggled to hold up Annie. “Find me before you leave,” she whispered to me. “I might need a ride back to the resort.”
The corners of my lips lifted. She wanted a ride back with me—her annoying little sister she always ditched during the family trip. Maybe she would finally see me as her equal. Or at least someone worthy of her time.
“Sure,” I said.
Ruby’s friend pulled her away into the crowd.
Bower crushed my beer he’d just finished against his leg. He reached down for another one from the cooler.
It was his third beer, but this was a party. Everyone was drinking.
He looked at me with his cheeks flushed red and a goofy grin plastered on his face. I couldn’t help but smile back.
“So, your sister…” Dean looked at me, his eyebrows raised.
I shook my head. “She’d eat you alive.”
She would. I’d seen her around our high school with many boys but never with a boyfriend. Ruby was the girl that all the boys chased but no one ever caught. She was cunning and witty—everyone loved her.
“I’d like to see her try.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I pushed his shoulder. “Gross, Dean. Keep it in your pants.”
The music was getting louder, and so were the voices. It sounded like everyone was yelling, their hearing dampened by the alcohol they were ingesting. The bonfire was unattended and glowing brightly in the center of everything. Everyone gravitated toward it like it was the heart of the party.
Weirdly, no one had touched the s’mores supplies that leaned forgotten against a cooler near the fire. I supposed everyone put the consumption of alcohol over that of sugary carbs.
I’d never been against sugar or carbs. They were delicious.
“Can I?” I asked Bower, like it was his party or something. I just felt weird, like I needed permission before I opened a brand-new package of marshmallows.