She sniffled, keeping her eyes on the movie. “Whatever.”
To lighten the load, I pinched her cheek. “My Bumble Bee.”
“Stop.” She jerked away, a small smile piercing through the darkness. “You’re so annoying.”
“I am my father’s daughter.”
She shifted, drawing her legs underneath her. “He wouldn’t have let us do this, though,” she said. “This trip.”
“He would’ve realized the letter wasn’t for us and moved on with his day,” I replied. She nodded, accepting this, and then perked up as the scene on-screen changed.
“Oh, wait. This is the best part.”
She scooched over, silently inviting me to sit beside her. Maybe it was another step forward preceding a dozen steps back, or maybe it was simply my sister reaching out. Either way, I sat.
Twelve
CHICAGO, IL
Phoebe and I were, first and foremost, Ocean State girlies. We needed the beach.
“Not a beach,” Dex said, his Ray-Bans showcasing the glare of sunshine, sand, and families parked across the coastline of Lake Michigan with umbrellas and floaties. He’d been grumbling about the pit stop since we outvoted him at the hotel breakfast buffet.
“Close enough,” Phoebe replied. She stripped down to her striped one-piece and bolted for the water. Dex watched, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
“She’s going toswim?”
I peeled off my shirt and tossed it in the sand. “Dude, it’s ninety degrees,” I said, adjusting my bikini top. He slowly turned, my body reflected in the lenses. My face went hot. “You should swim, too. It’s good for you.”
“Pass,” he said. I rolled my eyes and shoved my shorts down to my ankles. He turned away, folding his arms tightly over his chest. “It’s filthy, you know.”
“Filthy, you say.”
“The Great Lakes in general are incredibly polluted.”
“Tell me more.”
That muscle in his jaw jumped and a flicker of satisfaction sparked to life in my chest—I loved getting a rise out of him. “Don’t let me stop you,” he said stiffly. I sauntered off, grinning over my shoulder.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Itwasn’tthe beach, at least not like I knew it. Coarse sand squished between my toes, and the calm wake rolling in to greet me had nothing on breaking waves, but something about the air smelled the same, even if it lacked salt. I followed Phoebe into the water, bracing against the chill as goose bumps ripped down my limbs.
“Fuck, that’s cold,” I said as the water lapped at my belly. Phoebe floated on her back, the sun warming her face.
“You get used to it quick.”
“I’ve never been in a lake before.”
“Me neither. It’s nice, not having to worry about sharks or jellyfish.”
“Are there no jellyfish in lakes?” We shared a quizzical look. “No, you’re right. I think.”
She straightened, pink hair slick against her temples as she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “DEX! COME HERE!”
“Jesus,” I said. “Was that necessary?”
She ignored me, watching Dex lift a hand to rub his eyes beneath his sunglasses and then slowly move toward us, taking care to keep a safe distance between himself and the water.
