“Well,” he gasped, “guess I’m not a natural after all.”
“You think?” she teased, pushing wet hair out of her face.
Their boards floated nearby, tethered to their ankles, bumping softly together. The world around them felt impossibly calm. His hand rested at her waist, fingers splayed over smooth skin. The kiss from the attic replayed in his head, the feel of her lips. He leaned in, drawn to her.
The kiss was soft, tasting faintly of lake water and sunlight. Then Krista sighed against his mouth, and something inside him just…broke open. The world fell away—no sound but the water lapping, no movement but the gentle drift of their bodies toward each other.
He deepened the kiss. His hand slid higher, tracing the curve of her back until his palm rested between her shoulder blades.
He drew back just enough to see her face—lashes wet, cheeks flushed, eyes heavy with wonder. The sun caught the drops on her skin, turning them to gold. She smiled.
Joe leaned in again, slower, surer. This kiss wasn’t urgent, or testing. It promised, steady and right, like the ending they hadn’t gotten in the attic. Even though he knew it was impossible, in that moment, Joe thought maybe he could stay here forever.
Until—
“Well, would you look at that!”
Joe froze. Krista pulled back, wide-eyed. Out on the lake, Mrs. Bishop and Mrs. C. came toward them in a bright yellow paddleboat, with enormous sunhats and matching sunglasses. They wore oversized orange life vests that made them look like a couple of tangerines.
“Morning, you two! Lovely day for a swim!” Mrs. C. waved cheerfully.
Mrs. Bishop grinned. “Or whatever it is you’re doing out there!”
“Kill me now,” Krista groaned, sinking further into the water.
Joe laughed. “Guess class is dismissed?”
As they paddled back, the laughter faded into something quieter. The water glimmered around them, sunlight dancing across the surface like nothing had changed—except everything had.
Krista led the way, her strokes smooth and sure. She glanced back, as if to make sure he was keeping up, with that small, knowing smile. Joe’s chest tightened in that strange, exhilarating way that felt like falling and flying all at once.
He’d come to Maple Falls for a story, something to capture in words and photography, before leaving it behind. Not for this. Not for someone who made him forget the rest of the world existed. Still, as he watched her glide across the lake, hair loose, sunlight curling around her, he knew that he was damn well going to enjoy every second of their Summer Swap.
The question was, after their lives merged and tangled together, would he be able to just walk away?
ELEVEN
KRISTA
Thursday, One Day Before the Summer Swap
Krista couldn’t stop replaying that kiss. The warmth of his lips, his hands on her waist, the way the world had gone still while her pulse raced. She’d felt so alive. It had been a long time since she’d let herself have a little fun, and Joe Valerio was definitely fun. Not only that, he was pure, irresistible trouble. A full-blown distraction who kissed like every nerve in her body was his to command. Like he’d been waiting for her forever, and she’d been waiting for him.
By the time they reached shore, it was almost ten o’clock. The sun had climbed higher, scattering gold across the dock. Krista’s heart still fluttered whenever she smiled, but she pushed it down, tucking the memory of that kiss somewhere private. To revisit later.
“Morning, you two!” Elsie called from the beach, phone at the ready. She wore white denim capri pants and a floral blouse. Her black high heels kicked off to the side. Her hair was styled high in a fashionable ponytail, the ends curled perfectly. “Hopeyou don’t mind. I thought I’d grab a few photos before our meeting.”
Krista glanced over her shoulder. Joe tousled his dark hair, shrugging.
“It’ll be quick,” Elsie said, picking her way up the sand. “Couple shots on the boards, maybe a boomerang of you falling in—kidding. Mostly. Then we can go over how the Summer Swap fundraiser is going to work. Oh, and look at the Hideaway listing.”
Krista’s stomach dipped. “The…listing?”
“Yeah.” Elsie dug into her tote and produced her tablet like a magician with a prop. “You said you were putting the place up for sale, right? I mocked up a draft last night. Figured I’d use my marketing prowess and make sure it’s picture-perfect before you post it.”
The sunlight suddenly felt too bright, her pulse too loud. She’d told herself she was ready, that selling was the right, smart thing to do. But hearing it out loud made her chest ache.
“Oh. Right. Sure,” she managed, forcing a smile. “I’d love for you to take a look.”
