Page 77 of Barefoot Lake

Her response is almost instantaneous.

Ace

I’m intrigued… count me in.

Me

Excellent. I’ll be there soon.

Ace

I’ll be waiting.

My heart leaps in my chest, a feeling that’s become familiar over the last few days. The drive feels like it takes years, especially since I make a quick pit stop, but it’s only about fifteen minutes later when I park in front of my house. I want to leave access to the garage free for later. I quickly run inside to drop some things off before I jog over to Alice’s house, and she opens the door when I get near.

“I heard your truck,” she explains as I climb the stairs.

As soon as I’m close enough, she takes my hand and pulls me inside, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me down for a kiss before the door is even closed. My hands find her hips while my heart leaps around inside my chest. Touching her breathes new life into me.

“Hi, Ace,” I say, my lips still brushing against hers.

“Hi, mountain man.” She breathes in deeply. “You smell like trees.”

I take a deep breath, suddenly nervous.

“What do you say to going out for dinner tonight?”

Her eyebrows jump as she leans back to fully see my face.

“Jake Preston, are you asking me out on a date?”

“I am. As much as I love keeping you all to myself, what do you think?”

I swallow and wait for her response.

She lights up.

“I would love to.”

She kisses me again, and my heart finds its normal rhythm. She gestures to the couch.

“Hang until then?”

“As much as I would love to stay, I’m going to head home so I can come back in a couple of hours to pick you up properly.”

“Ok, then.” Her eyes sparkle. “Woo me.”

I drop a peck to her lips. “I’ll see you at seven-thirty.”

CHAPTER 30

Alice

“Jake and I had sex,” I blurt the second Piper answers my video call.

I don’t even wait to see if she’s in private — whoops. Thankfully, it looks like she’s alone in her bedroom.

Piper’s face freezes on my screen, and I momentarily wonder if the connection died. Then, she begins screaming.