Page 25 of Five Mountain Daddies

Acouple days after I kissed Henry and he told me about their competition, I get a text from a number I don’trecognize.

“How do you feel aboutfishing?”

I stare at it for a second, before answering. “I don’t feel anything,” I say. “Who’sthis?”

“Ryan,” he sends back. “Henry and I want to take you out on thelake.”

I bite my lip and stare at my phone for a second. I’ve been obsessing about the guys ever since Henry showed up at my house. Part of me thought maybe we were finished and they weren’t interested anymore now that Henry told me the truth, but I guess I waswrong.

Which is good, because I’m definitely not done withthem.

I don’t care if they had some stupid competition. They’re a bunch of guys, they probably joke around about that stupid stuff all the time. Truth is, I just want to have fun this summer, and if they want to turn it into some macho exercise, they can go forit.

Meanwhile, I’ll let them spoil me, and enjoymyself.

“Only if you don’t make me touch any actual fish,” I send tohim.

“Didn’t know you were a girlygirl.”

“I’m not,” I type back, smiling. “I just hate the way fishfeel.”

“Okay, deal,” he says. “We’ll pick you up tomorrowmorning.”

I spend the rest of the day with a smile on my face, excited out of my mind, barely able to contain myself. Work goes by fast, I get my paycheck, and I head home. I have dinner with my parents, watch a movie, and fall asleepearly.

And in the morning, a truck pulls up out front at exactlyeight.

“See you later, guys,” I call out as I head to thedoor.

“Hold on,” Dad says. “Where are you going soearly?”

“Just out with some friends.” I smile at him, innocent andsweet.

He frowns. “Well, that’s good. Can I askwho?”

“Nope,” I say, go kiss him on the cheek and head out with a wave. He sighs and smiles as I shut thedoor.

Henry and Ryan both grin at me as I get into the back of thetruck.

“Morning, boys,” Isay.

Ryan laughs and starts driving. Henry hands me a to-go cup. “Coffee,” hesays.

I take the cup gratefully. “Thanks,” Isay.

He grins at me again and turns back ahead. I sip the coffee slowly. It’s a little hot, but it’s good and I can already feel myself starting to wakeup.

We head through the main part of town, angling over toward their workshop. “Where are we going, anyway?” I ask after a fewminutes.

“This little spot the twins go to,” Henry says. “Except we’re taking a boatout.”

“Boat?” I raise an eyebrow. “Nobody mentioned aboat.”

“Huh,” Henry says, looking surprised. “Ryan, did we mention aboat?”

“I don’t think we explicitly mentioned a boat, no,” he says. “But I thought the boat wasimplicit.”

“Implicit?” I laugh a little. “How is a boat everimplied?”

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