Page 59 of It Started at the Lake

The navy button-down he’s wearing has the first three buttons undone, showing off a hint of the muscle on his chest. His white shorts highlight his tan, sculpted legs. He’s nailed the east-coast beach vibe, and I am all for it.

“Hey,” he says, smiling.

I tuck a piece of my wavy hair behind my ear. “Hi.” My heart is swooping like I’m riding a hang glider.

“You look beautiful.”

I glance at my red top and white linen shorts. “Thank you. You clean up pretty nice yourself.” I point to his pants. “Looks like we both got the memo to wear white.”

He smiles. “The only question is”—he strikes a modeling pose—“who wore it better?”

Grabbing my camera bag off the desk, I step outside my bedroom, closing the door behind me. “No contest.” I grin. “Me.”

He walks behind me as we make our way to the stairs. When he doesn’t respond, I turn my head over my shoulder, raising my brows.

His eyes scan my body up and down. “I concur.”

Heat flares in my cheeks, and adrenaline surges through me. This is fake, Mils. You’re on a date, he’s putting on a show. I tell my body to cool it, but it won’t listen.

When we get to the bottom of the staircase, I pause, waiting for Bennett to lead the way.

“The cooler and blanket are on the patio,” he says.

“What did you bring for lunch?”

“Grapes, cucumbers, sandwiches, and cookies.”

We head out the back doors by the informal dining room. Bennett grabs the items needed and we take off to the rock. Our pace is casual, the same as our conversation.

My stomach growls in anticipation. I missed breakfast and fully plan on scarfing every last bite of lunch. “I’m starving. Dearest fake boyfriend, will you feed me grapes and tell me I’m pretty?”

“Do you want me to fan you with leaves while I’m at it?”

I roll my eyes. “Obviously.”

“Your wish is my command.”

I step over a tree root. “Hey, now. If you’re giving me that kind of power, I’m changing what I want.”

“What do you want, Millie?”

For the possibility of our relationship to turn into something real. “You feeding me grapes in Paris. In the fall.”

He cocks his head to the side. “I thought you wanted to go see the tulips?”

“I do, but Paris is also on my bucket list.”

“What I’m hearing is you want to go to Europe.”

“Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner.”

Bennett smiles at me, and the grin that takes over my face cannot be contained.

“Since it’s not fall, I can’t help with that—”

I cut him off. “But you’re saying there’s a chance?” School starts at the end of August, and I’ll hopefully have a marketing job soon as well. Traveling will have to wait until I graduate. But the mere thought of going someday is like Christmas morning.

He chuckles. “There’s a chance.”

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