Page 96 of Again, In Autumn

There is cheering from the yard. I want to get out and join them as soon as possible, but the heat that got me in this mess has returned. Adam bobs in front of me, glistening, cheeks pale and lips red.

I chatter, “How are you not freezing?”

“I have an ice bath at home,” he answers.

“Of course you do.” My arms and legs kick rapidly to keep moving and get warm. I’m not as accustomed to this torture as he is. My breath won’t regulate.

Adam tips his head. We’re at the edge of the dock, underneath it. His hand reaches up to hold on to the edge of the planks. “You remember when we used to sneak out at night for a swim? And that time you thought a fox was in the woods and we had to tread water for so long I was sore for two days.”

How could I forget? We’d sneak out and hide under this dock so no one sleeping would hear. He’d tease me that dead bodies have been buried at the bottom of the lake and tease the straps of my bikini top. I loved the look of Adam with water dripping from the ends of his dark hair.

He watches me with curious intent.

I’m about to need a doctor.

I plant my hands beside his and peel my clothed body up to sit on the dock. My muscles violently shudder. “You remember that?” I manage to speak.

Adam stares up at me with a frown. His hand moves to my thigh. Then, it moves to my ice-cold hand. “Vienna, I remember everything.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

After my shower, I slide on jersey knit pajamas and sit on the edge of my bed. I’m quiet, barely breathing, just in case I miss the sound of pebbles on my window.

He won’t come tonight surely.

Well, he did rattle the glass last night just to tell me off. After the touching and the tonguing and the tree situation of an hour ago, the probability of this man begging an audience seems high.

I pull the wrapped towel off my wet hair.

It took a while to get all of the yogurt from my ears, but I’m freshly showered and clean. High school sex-ed made that step seem particularly important. If I wait here, not in the bed, not resting on my pillow, I think I can send a message out to the universe that I’m prepared. Showered and wide awake.

Not that Adam will come. I remember what he said when I told him not to ask me on a date.

Okay, I won’t ask anymore.

He stayed true to his word. He touched my hand and kissed me on the dock, but those moments felt inevitable and only occurred days after we’d known each other. We fell into step with me always knowing I held the power to say no, and he’d never pressure or disrespect my decision.

Adam’s not a rash, thoughtless man. He and I seeing each other tonight would be reckless. He’s bold and adventurous, for sure, but not reckless and neither am I. Whatever award is given to those branded with a scarlet “P” for practical, I should have in spades.

Someone knocks on the door.

“Vee?” Kate asks, still dressed in her game day outfit. “Can I come in?”

I’m awkwardly sitting in silence on the edge of my bed. “Sure,” I say, trying to make my body less weird. Be comfortable and no one will guess you’re waiting here like a dirty, dirty girl.

She closes the door behind her. Kate paces across the floor in front of my bed while I wait for her to speak.

“What’s up Katie?” I finally ask.

She stops and faces me. “What’s going on between you and Adam?”

My back stiffens. She can’t have seen us in the woods. There are no windows on that side of the house.

“It seemed like you two had this…connection today,” she continues, her face scrunching up in disgust.

“No.” I try to sound as innocent as possible. “No connection. We’re the same age, you know, common ground, maybe?”

“At dinner the other night, he seemed to really dislike you.”

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