“Who is it?”
“It’s Jack. He and Cam took their girls to twisted Soda, and he wants to know if we want anything.”
“Their girls,” Hannah whispers, smiling. “Yeah, I want my usual.”
“Sounds good.” I shoot Jack a text, then pocket my phone and stand up.
“What are we doing?” I glance around the yard. Tyler and June are still talking down on the beach. The mean girls are all hunched around the picnic table doing something, and Dave and Beckett are playing ping-pong. “Hey Ty,” I holler as I help Hannah out of the boat, and then we walk down to the beach.
“What’s up?”
“Are you still taking the boat out?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’m just waiting for Jack and Cam to return.”
“Bring the boat up north to Scenic beach when they're back. Hannah and I are going to ride the jet ski up there and swim for a while.”
“Sounds good. They shouldn’t be too much longer.” Ty holds his first out, and I bump it. I glance at Hannah and June, who are talking. “Everything good?”
“Yeah, I’ve always been indifferent to Bree and her friends, but not anymore. I’m going to tell Dave he can’t invite them anymore.”
“Good plan.” I wade a couple of feet into the water, then kick my foot out, splashing Hannah. “Let’s go, Hanny Bo Banny.”
She gasps from the cold water, but she’s laughing. “You better watch it, Toe boy. Payback’s a bitch.” She hugs June and then comes running out into the water, swishing her hands and spraying me with water.
I sidestep her and grab her around the waist, lifting her and spinning us in a circle. “Toe boy, really? How far do you think I can throw you?” I laugh.
“Don’t you dare, Cross,” she huffs between laughs.
I carry her over to the jet ski and help her on. We do up our life jackets, and I get on behind her. “Are you ready?”
“Can I drive?” Hannah asks, glancing back at me.
“Yeah, of course.” I show her how to work the gas and the break. “The steering is touchy, so you don’t need to move it much to turn the way you want to go.”
“I got this,” she says, giving me a cocky grin.
I wrap my arms around Hannah super tight and hide my head. “Okay, I’m ready to go. Don’t kill me.”
She steps on my foot. “Stop it. You’re so dramatic sometimes.”
The sun is setting over the water. Hannah, June, Leah, and Aubrey sit together on the beach, chatting. Ty steers the boat slowly toward the sand. “Have you guys asked your girls to homecoming yet?” Cameron asks.
“Hannah knows I’m going to ask her, but I haven’t done it officially yet.”
“Technically, I’ve asked June, but it wasn’t anything cute or fancy,” Ty says.
“I haven’t asked Leah. Have you asked Aubrey?” Jack asks Cam.
“No, and I’m awful at thinking up fun, or as T. said, ‘fancy’ ways to ask a girl to a dance. I always end up asking my mom for help, and she gets my sisters involved, and it becomes this weird family thing.” Cam runs a hand through his hair, looking frustrated.
“All I know is that, however, I ask Hannah to the dance, I want it to be at school in front of a crowd. I was thinking about doing something at the pep assembly this Friday. I’ve seen other guys ask girls to dances at assemblies. We could all do it together.”
“I’m down. Count me in,” Cam says excitedly.
“Yeah, me too.” Jack pats my shoulder as he moves to the front of the boat.
“Me three,” Ty chimes in as he cuts the engine to the boat.
