Noah laughed, shaking his head. “All right, let’s load up then.”
Luke took the picnic basket from Noah, their hands brushing briefly, sending a spark of warmth through him. As they got into the truck, Eli chattered nonstop about the weekend ahead. As they settled in, Eli behind them, Luke felt a sense of contentment wash over him. This felt right, natural, like they were a family. And maybe that’s where they were headed.
The drive to the lake wound through the countryside, taking them past fields of wildflowers and a stretch of dense forest. Eli pressed his face against the window, pointing out anything that caught his attention—a bird of prey soaring overhead, a family of deer grazing in the distance, and every piece of farm equipment he saw. Luke had been the same way when he was younger. It didn’t matter how many times he’d visited. This area always filled him with a sense of wonder.
“Uncle Luke, how much longer?” Eli asked for the third time, his excitement barely contained.
Luke glanced in the rearview mirror, catching Eli’s eager expression. “About fifteen minutes now. You’ll be able to see the lake soon.”
Noah reached over and squeezed Luke’s hand where it rested on the center console. “Thanks for inviting us,” he said softly. “Eli hasn’t stopped talking about how awesome it’ll be to go in a boat since you mentioned it.”
“I can swim really good now too,” Eli announced proudly. “Dad’s been teaching me at the pool. Can we find a good spot to build a sandcastle?”
“Of course,” Luke replied, his chest tightening at how easily Eli included him in his plans. “Maybe we can have a little competition—you and your dad against me and Livy.”
Noah laughed. “Oh, you’re going down, Garrett. Eli and I are sandcastle champions.”
The road began to curve more sharply as they descended toward the lake, and Luke could feel the familiar pull of childhood memories. Every summer spent here, every family gathering, every quiet moment by the water—they all came rushing back. He couldn’t wait to build new memories with Noah and Eli.
“Look!” Eli exclaimed as the first glimpse of water appeared through the trees. “I can see the lake!”
Luke turned down the familiar gravel drive, the house coming into view. It wasn’t fancy—just a modest mid-century with weathered blue siding and a wraparound porch—but to Luke, it had always been perfect. The late morning sun sparkled off the lake behind it, and the dock stretched out over the clear water like an invitation.
Eli pressed his hands against the window, his eyes wide with wonder. “Wow,” he breathed. “This is awesome! You get to come here whenever you want?”
“When my parents say it’s okay,” Luke answered, pulling up beside the other family cars in the gravel lot. “It’s been in our family for a long time. My grandparents built it when my dad wasn’t much older than you.”
“It’s beautiful,” Noah said quietly, and when Luke looked over, he found Noah watching him with an expression that made his heart skip a beat. “It would be nice to have a place like this if it wasn’t just Eli and me.”
“Yeah, I thought about buying a place up here, but it didn’t make much sense for just myself,” Luke replied. Vacations were cramped with partners and niblings. At some point, someone would have to find more space. Luke thought about the homes nearby, wondering if that was a possibility for his own future.
As they came to a stop, Eli was already unbuckling his seatbelt, practically vibrating with anticipation. As they approached the door, Luke’s family spilled onto the porch to greet them. Livy darted past everyone, heading straight for Eli. His mother stood with her hands clasped together, beaming at them in a way that made Luke’s stomach do a complicated flip.
“You guys made it!” Megan called out. She passed by Luke to pull Noah into a warm embrace. He was grateful his sisters had accepted their relationship so easily. “So glad you two could join us today.”
“Noah, Eli, make yourselves at home,” Luke’s mom added, her smile warm and inviting. “We’re all so happy you’re here.”
His father emerged from the boat dock, tools in hand as always, and made his way over to them. “Noah,” his dad said, extending his hand. “Good to see you again. Luke tells me Eli’s getting quite good at baseball.”
Eli puffed up with pride. “Uncle Luke’s been teaching me! And Dad lets me practice in the backyard every day, but I have to finish my homework first.”
“That so?” Jim’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “Well, we’ve got plenty of space here for practicing. Maybe after lunch, we can see if anyone wants to play?”
“Can we, Dad?” Eli turned to Noah, practically bouncing with excitement.
Noah laughed, ruffling Eli’s hair. “Sure, buddy. But why don’t we get settled first?”
“Come on,” Megan said, gesturing toward the house. “We’ve got the upstairs guest room set up for you two, and Eli can bunk with Mason so you have some privacy.”
Luke felt his face heat at the smirk she flashed them. He glanced at Noah, who squeezed his hand reassuringly.
Inside, the lake house was exactly as Luke remembered—worn wooden floors, comfortable furniture, and windows that let in plenty of natural light. Family photos lined the walls, documenting decades of summers spent here. Luke noticed Noah pause by one particular photo, a grin spreading across his face.
“Is this you?” Noah asked, pointing to a picture of Luke when he was probably about Eli’s age, covered in mud and holding up a fish almost as big as he was.
“Oh god,” Luke groaned. “Mom, why is that still up?”
“Because it’s adorable,” she replied, appearing beside them with glasses of lemonade. “You were so proud of that catch, even though your dad helped you reel it in.”
