I know what my issue is; resolving said trauma is a whole other story I’ve yet to figure out except by staying away from men altogether. But I don’t want to be alone the rest of my life. Somehow, I have to figure this out.

“I’ve got your back, Mils. You’ll have fun without any side effects.”

“Thank you. You’re the best.” I squeeze her back, hoping she understands how much I mean it.

“Come on.” Evie pulls me up with her. “You should come sit up front. It’s the best feeling in the world. Almost like Jack and Rose in Titanic.”

“At last my dreams are coming true!” I laugh. “Will you be my Jack and stand behind

me?”

“I’ll make Bennett do it since he has long arms.” She winks. “Cam, we need the ‘I’m Flying’ soundtrack on.”

“Yes!” Cam laughs.

Wait… they have the music from Titanic? Is this some joke? Another initiation?

“What do you want me to do?” Bennett asks, his expression cautious as Evie and I come up to the front. He rubs at his bare left ring finger.

“Be the Jack to Millie’s Rose.”

“Oh, yeah.” He nods. “Sure.”

Emerson and Henry move to the back of the boat, leaving the front to Bennett, Evie, and me.

Bennett slides over, the front V-cushion now open for me. He gestures for me to come forward. “Kneel here and put your arms on the railing.”

My gaze darts from Bennett to Evie, back to Bennett. “I was joking.” My voice comes out high-pitched. “I don’t need to do this.”

Bennett shouts at Camden, “Don’t turn for a minute.”

Cam salutes Bennett. “You got it.”

Are we really doing this?

“Come on, Mils,” Evie prods. “We’ve all done it. It’s really fun.”

If I didn’t know Evie as well as I do, hundreds of red flags would fly like the crazy people during the Running of the Bulls in Spain.

I’m nervous about Bennett being close to me. What if I do something embarrassing? Why did Evie suggest Bennett and not Emerson or Henry? Does she know I’m fighting my attraction to him?

“Tick-tock.” Emerson taps his wrist. “Eventually, we’ll have to turn the boat. It’s easier to do this now.”

Goodness. These people are pushy. Who knew this moment was so important? “Alright.” I cave to the peer pressure. “I’ll do it. You guys make me nervous because of how excited you are about it. I wasn’t sure if this was another jump in the lake thing or not.”

“This is about having fun, nothing else,” Evie says.

Risking a glance at Bennett’s face, I see my reflection in his sunglasses.

He smiles reassuringly at me. “You don’t need to be scared.”

Inhaling, I kneel on the cushion, holding on to the rail as we sail across the lake. The cool wind pushes at me, making my breath stall with its fierceness. My insides vibrate with elation. Evie was right. This is incredible. I’m on top of the world. Unbreakable. Just like Rose in Titanic, I’m flying.

Bennett steps behind me. “Put your arms out.”

I do as he says and immediately regret it when I wobble from his nearness.

“You’re okay.” Bennett puts his hands under mine, steadying me. A sudden spark of electricity zips through me. My stomach flutters like sails on a boat.