“Lennon, I love you. You’re the best. And maybe I’ll take you up on that someday. But, to be honest, that idea scares the shit out of me.”
The four of us laugh, even half-asleep Finn.
Lennon looks out at the lake. “Before the sun goes down, I’m going for a swim. Anyone want to join me?”
I try not to curl my lip. Swimming in lakes is one of my least favorite activities. “No thanks,” I say.
Laine doesn’t attempt to hide her disgust at all. “Ew, no way. There’s bacteria, and god knows what else.”
“Eels?” Lennon suggests, straight-faced.
“Electric eels,” Finn adds.
“With teeth,” Lennon says, a smile poking through.
“Fangs,” Finn corrects her.
Lennon brings her hands in the air between her and Laine. She curls her fingers and inches them closer to Laine. “Electric eels with fangs and grabby hands.”
“Stop!” Laine’s shuddering and laughing. She smacks Lennon’s hands when they come closer.
Lennon stands, laughing. “Suit yourself, you pansies.” She turns to me. “And for the record, I know you feel the same way as Laine, you’re just too nice to say it out loud.”
“I…I…” I’m scrambling to come up with something, but I can’t. “You’re right.”
Lennon pats my shoulder. “Don’t worry. If you jumped up and ran into the water, I’d pass out from shock.”
She goes back into the cabin. Finn gets up and walks down the winding, narrow path to the dock. He peels off his shirt and jumps in.
Fuck. Finn’s going to swim with her. I can’t change my mind now, or it will look obvious that I don’t want them swimming together.
“Speak now or forever hold your peace.” Laine’s head lolls to the side and she looks at me.
I don’t know what she’s talking about. “Did I miss something?”
Laine points back at the house, then down to the lake. “Swimming in a lake with a sunset like that? Pretty romantic…” She sings-songs the word romantic.
I scowl. “As if I need a reminder.”
Behind us, the door to the house opens and closes. Lennon walks by, waving as she goes.
“Enjoy the brain-eating amoebas,” Laine calls out.
“Enjoy being boring,” Lennon shouts, not turning around.
She’s wearing that same red bikini, the one that’s been imprinted in my mind since the first time she wore it in high school. She walks quickly to the dock, a gray bath towel slung over one shoulder. When she gets there, she deposits the towel on a nearby rock and calls out to Finn. He says something back, but I’m too far away to hear.
Lennon takes off, running the length of the dock and tucking her knees up into her body as she goes sailing into the air.
“Did I just see Lennon Davies cannonball?” Laine’s voice is amazed.
“Why does that surprise you?”
Laine shakes her head slowly. “Back home she’s more serious. Maybe it’s her job. Maybe it’s being without you guys. She seems to come alive when she’s with you. You both bring something out in her. I’ve only been here for a couple days, but it was immediately apparent. Aside from the depressing reason we all came to Agua Mesa, obviously.”
Ripping my gaze from the two people swimming farther out into the lake, I turn to Laine. She’s staring at me searchingly, like she’s trying to find lost gold behind my ears.
“What?”
