Page 67 of It Started at the Lake

“Bennneeetttt! My man!” Cam hollers as he comes running out the back door.

Bennett sighs. “Here we go again.”

Cam stops by the edge of the pool. “Are Henry and Emerson yanking my chain? Are you two an item?” He looks hopeful. “I told you at darts, Mils. I told you!” He whoops.

“We are. Now, can the family leave us alone for a single minute? Go gossip like giddy teen girls somewhere else.”

It finally hits Cam. “Oh!” He holds his hands out apologetically. “Were you two about to kiss?” He winces. “Dang, bro. I’m sorry. I’ll leave you to it, but congrats, guys. This is fantastic news. Wait until I tell Evs.”

For Evie’s sake, I don’t tell Cam she already knows.

“Cam!” Bennett spits out. “Privacy.”

He flinches. “Right. I’m leaving.” He waves and jogs back to the house, shouting nonsense about his sister and how he was the first to know.

“That hike never sounded so good.”

Bennett rolls his eyes. “Sorry about that. I didn’t realize the ball I set in motion when telling my brothers. The entire population in Stokesley and Boston will know in approximately twenty minutes.”

I put my hand over my heart, pretending to be shocked. “What will people say, professor, when they find out you’re dating someone in college?”

“They’ll revoke my license and I’ll never be allowed to teach anywhere ever again.”

I playfully smack his chest. “For reals, though. Are you nervous what people might say about our age difference?”

“No. You’re mature, kind, loyal, a hard worker, and stubborn. Qualities I admire and that make you seem older than you are.”

“I am not stubborn.”

“Determined, then. Is that better?”

“Kind of. But why do you like that about me?”

Bennett and I make our way to the shallow end of the pool. He sits, pulling me next to him. “Because it means you don’t give up easily or let people push you around. Do you know how hard it is watching you work your butt off while everyone else here is goofing around? Or when we went shopping, you got a kid-size cone instead of a normal one? I love that you don’t take advantage of Evie, or cave to what everyone else is doing. You know what you need to do to take care of yourself, and I admire that. It’s hard for me to sit by and not help you with your problems, but it’s incredible to me to see someone so responsible and focused on their goals.”

I shake my head. “I’m only doing what I have to. I would love to be able to do what I want to.”

“But your ability to be patient and have so much self-control? It’s unheard of for most college students.”

“You’re saying as a friend, you like me because I act older than I am?”

“It’s one reason, yes.”

Well, there’s one thing I can tell Mom and Dad thanks for. Maturing faster than others my age because of the environment I grew up in. Flirtatiously, I say, “And if I told you I have a thing for hot, older professors, would that in any way change how you feel about me?”

“You targeted me?”

“My old soul recognized another.” I shrug, like it was out of my hands. Bennett’s occupation has nothing to do with the reason I like him, but it also doesn’t hurt.

Instead of answering my question, Bennett sits on the ledge of the pool, moving away from me. “Everyone else is gone. Since our hike didn’t work out, I’m going to shower and get more work done. Should we reschedule for tomorrow?”

I freaked him out. Why did I say anything about having a thing for him? Vaguely or not? I’m ruining this and the route I’m going will only end badly for me. “Yeah. We’ve accomplished what we needed to today. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“See you.”

I stay in the pool, swimming laps, trying to clear my head from everything I’m thinking and feeling. I agreed to help Bennett for his benefit and mine, but I regret saying yes.

It’s getting harder and harder to hide my true feelings for him. Feelings he will never reciprocate, and may cause me to lose my best friend in the process, leaving me worse than before.

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