Page 32 of It Started at the Lake

I nod. “Alright, alright. Not bad.”

“You’re going to have to do better than that to win Cam,” Evie says.

I smile at my best friend who has seen me play this game dozens of times since our friendship started five years ago.

“Let me see what you’ve got, Mils,” Cam says, stepping to the side, giving me room to set up.

I put my right foot slightly forward, square my hips to the board, and raise my hand to the exact height of the bullseye. Taking in a deep breath, I exhale and release my dart at the same time. It thuds as it hits the board just shy of the little red circle in the middle. Triple points will work, but I was aiming for the center.

Close, but not good enough.

“Ooooh,” Cam hoots. “I see you’re not playing around.”

“I’m not.” I mean that for more than this game as well. I’m serious in my determination to learn from my past mistakes. So far, this night has been exactly what I needed. Evie’s family, no men, no bad decisions on my part. Just having fun.

Evie loses interest in our game and goes to the billiards table to hang out with Henry and Emerson. Cam and I keep playing, our scores dropping as we fight to be the first to reach zero.

Out of nowhere, Cam asks, “What did you and Bennett do last night?”

“Oh.” I blink, surprised at the turn in conversation. “We bumped into each other in the kitchen, then he took me to the rock.”

Cam’s eyes are as wide as the dartboard. “He showed you his rock?”

He sounds just as shocked as Evie did. And why do these siblings make it sound like a euphemism for something else? “Yeah…”

Cam rubs the back of his neck. “Maybe he is ready to move on. When Evie was pushing it yesterday, I didn’t think he was ready. But… I don’t know. As hard as this is to say, Evie might be right.” Cam smiles and the relief in his eyes tells me how worried he’s been for his cousin.

But I’m confused how Bennett showing me his favorite place in the backyard means he’s ready to move on from his late wife. “I’m glad you can admit when you’re wrong. But can you explain how this event correlates with me?”

Cam throws another dart before answering. “We’re not allowed to go there unless we ask his permission first. It’s his rock.”

“How does a person stake a claim on a rock?” Didn’t he say his grandfather built and carried those wooden chairs to the rock for his grandma? Wouldn’t that make it their spot and not Bennett’s?

“Ever since my grandma declared the walk too much for her knees, Bennett has said that only he could go there unless we ask his permission. We all agreed because the rest of us aren’t ones to sit in silence for hours on end like Bennett. And we were teens at the time who cared more about having fun than a boulder. But the only other person he’s ever taken there was his wife, Jen.”

A million thoughts are swirling in my head. What exactly is Cam implying? I ask the most pressing question. “So you think because he took me to the place he likes to meditate that it has some deeper meaning other than him showing me around the property?”

Cam holds his hands up defensively. “I’m not saying he’s into you or anything like that.”

Right. Because Bennett is a stand-up guy and those types aren’t into me. Thanks for the reminder, Cam.

He continues, “What I’m saying is that him taking you there means he’s opening up more.”

According to Evie, Bennett’s been pretty tormented and grief-stricken. “I hope it means what you think it does.” I didn’t do anything except say yes to seeing an amazing place that Bennett said I could visit any time I wanted. If me agreeing to go where Bennett wants helps him somehow, I’ll keep doing it. But Cam and Evie are reading into this more than they should be.

Because my heart cannot handle the disappointment of crushing on Bennett and him not reciprocating, it’s best I don’t go there at all.

Cam’s smile turns mischievous. “Not gonna lie. If Bennett is ready to date again, I wouldn’t hate it if he went out with you.”

I’m flattered. But does he honestly think Bennett would fall for me? My jaw drops. “What?!?” My voice comes out high and screechy. Is he crazy?

“No pressure.” He laughs.

More like no chance. Bennett wanting to date me? Puh-lease.

CHAPTER 14

Camille

---