"Absolutely not," I say. "Joel is.”
“Hey!” Joel cries. “I heard that.”
I shrug. “Sorry, Liam’s too good to give up.”
Liam grins. “Thanks, bud.”
Chrissy looks appalled. “We can’t just kick Joel off the team!”
Forrest laughs. “He’s just kidding, Chrissy. No one’s off the team. There’s a six-person relay later in the summer.”
As my friends clap each other on the back and celebrate our victory, I pull Chrissy into another embrace.
“So, you’ll really be here next summer for the race? You were serious about our future together?”
She rises on her tiptoes to press her lips to mine. “You’re stuck with me, Ace. Don’t even try to run away. We both know I’ll catch you.”
I chuckle. “That’s my girl.”
Epilogue
Chrissy
Thereareveryfewthings better than Lake Mercury after the tourists go home.
The water is still and silver in the late afternoon light, and the mountains around it have erupted into color—deep reds, burnt oranges, bright golds that reflect off the surface like a painting.
I curl my legs beneath me on the porch swing and flip to the next chapter of my wildlife ecology textbook. A highlighter is clenched between my teeth and there's a cold mug of coffee on the railing that I keep forgetting to drink.
I enrolled for the fall semester by the skin of my teeth, two days before the deadline, with Ace standing over my shoulder saying "Hit submit, Speed Racer" until I finally did. The programoffers remote classes, which means I can study right here on this porch with the best view in Mercury Ridge. It still feels slightly unreal that this is my life now.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and see Mom’s face on the display.
"Hi, sweetheart," she says when I pick up. "How's studying?"
"Brutal. I have a wildlife management exam on Thursday and I'm pretty sure my brain can’t hold any more facts.”
She laughs. "You'll do great. You always were the smartest person in any room."
"You're biased."
"Absolutely. It's my right as your mother."
I smile and look out across the lake. "How was your week?"
We talk for a while, and I listen as she chatters excitedly about her book club, the neighbor's new puppy, the leak in the kitchen faucet that she swears she can fix herself.
Then she says, "So, I was thinking about Christmas."
"You should come here," I say immediately. "Ace and I want you to stay with us. The cabin is small, but we’ll invest in a nice pull-out sofa. Or you can stay at an inn in town, if you prefer. Everyone says Mercury Ridge at Christmas is magical, with a big festival and a Christmas tree lighting in town.”
"I'd love that," Mom says, and I can hear the warmth in her voice. "I really would. I want to get to know this man of yours better."
"You'll love him."
"I already do, honey. Anyone who makes you sound this happy has my vote."
My chest tightens in the best way. "And you should come back in the summer, too. Stay for a couple of weeks. The lake is a completely different place when it's packed with tourists—chaotic and loud and wonderful."
