I don’t even know what this is to be honest.
“Don’t worry, Ed. No crimes will be committed today.” His soft chuckle evaporates the remaining tension between us from the awkward hug, making it easier to breathe. “Look, we’re here.”
Slowing down, he clicks the blinker on and turns onto a lone road that leads to a forest of trees. Pushing my face out of the open window, I inhale deeply, taking in this random slice of heaven he’s brought me to.
“That smell… What kind of trees are those?”
“Cedar. My favorite.”
The ignition shuts off, but I don’t move. The prettiest shades of blue and green have me starry-eyed and distracted.
Kenneth taps my forehead through the open window before the passenger door swings open. With an extended hand, he nudges his head in the direction of the water. “Want to look around? The view is even better from over there.”
I stare at his freckled hand. Before today, there’s no way I’d take his hand without trying to snap his wrist. But my legs feel wobbly at the idea of swimming, so I take it for support.
Kenneth leads me through the lush grass and onto a rickety dock. Lights hang between the dock’s wooden beams, probably gorgeous at night, like fireflies floating above the water. The deep green trees that loom over us smell way better than any air freshener. As if amplified by speakers, every note from the birds above float in the air.
A dizzying feeling hits my head as I peer over the edge. Nope. Can’t see the bottom.
I scramble backwards, running into Kenneth behind me. He checks in silently with a raised brow. After a moment of deep breaths, I finally nod, telling him I’m okay.
“Where are we?”
“Lake Anita,” Kenneth breathes. “Welcome to my home, Eddie.”
“This...” I crouch down to drag my finger over Kenneth’s and Cade’s names carved into the wood. “This is your childhood home?”
“Basically. My parents have a house in town, but we don’t have the best relationship. I started living here with my grandmother when I was fifteen, which was a dream come true. I guess I was what you could call an angsty teen, and I wanted to take care of her.”
I’m about to ask him if he was one of those who listened to Pierce the Veil and sobbed over the lyrics, but when he pulls his shirt over his head, I’m thrown by the sight. Freckles cover every inch of his strong shoulders and wide chest. His stomach is surprisingly unmarked, and a trail of red disappears into his shorts. It’s as vivid as the hair on his head.
My mouth goes dry. When did he stop looking annoying and start looking likethis?
I force my eyes to the ground, but clearly not fast enough because he clicks his tongue.
“You watching me, Eddie?”
Smug bastard. I remove my own cover-up and toss it to the ground, leaving me in a teal bikini.
“In your dreams,” I grumble.
I sit on the edge of the dock and rip open a package of tape for my new insulin pump. It has been a week since I got it, and I’m still getting used to having another little machine on me.
“How do you know what I dream about?” he teases, eyes flickering between the two taped areas on me. “You got something new?”
I rub the black tape to make sure it won’t fall off in the water. “An insulin pump.”
He nods, and I can see all the questions he wants to ask. Instead, he hands me a pair of red goggles. “No more procrastinating. It’s time to prove you can swim.” When I finally situate them over my hair, he wipes the lenses with his thumb and grins. “You ready?”
I peer over the edge again. The lake is liquid black, hiding everything that could be lurking beneath the surface. There could be an animal or a fallen branch or a lake monster. Something could grab my foot and drag me down.
“No,” I answer honestly. “Not being able to see what’s in the water terrifies me.”
“I know it looks scary, but I’d never put you in harm’s way.”
Kenneth holds out his hand again, and I stare at it. My brain must be playing tricks on me. Somehow, the bane of my existence is making me rethink everything I thought I knew about him, because Iwantto hold his hand right now.
As if holding it will make facing my fears a bit easier.
