Page 14 of Bucked By Love

“Guess I’m going first,” he says. In only his black boxers now, he swings his legs over the side of the railing. Now, he’s teetering on the edge of it.

“Have you done this before?” I ask.

“Uh-huh,” he answers. His arms are locked along the railing, the muscles in his biceps tense to keep him there.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mary-Kate says. “You’ll break your head open on the rocks!”

“Let him,” Loren sneers. “Belleflower isn’t going to miss one less Sooter.”

Ransom is staring at the water with a strange intensity. As though there’s a Loch Ness monster in there that might jump out at any moment and swallow him whole.

And then it hits me.

Wait.

Isn’t this the bridge where his parents?—?

Those hazel eyes meet mine. They look so deep in the midday light.

“What do you say?” he asks. “Should I jump?”

He’s waiting for me. For permission from me.

Isn’t there a saying about this?

If your dumb friends jumped off a bridge, would you?—?

Fuck it.

I peel my shirt over my head and shimmy out of my pants. I’m in nothing but my bra and underwear now as I climb over the railing. Ransom takes my arm and his grip is rough and tight as I settle in on the other side. My arms tremble with effort as I cling to the railing.

“Claire!” Elsbeth’s voice pitches in real fear. “Don’t you dare!”

My heart is fluttering in my chest. There’s barely anything left of the wooden slats on this side of the bridge, and my bare toes curl over the edge.

On this side, I can feel the chill from the open lake rising up to meet me.

But I’m not looking at the water below.

I’m watching Ransom.

And he’s watching me with the same, curious gaze.

“Last one down is a lame horse,” I tell him.

I release my grip and let myself fall.

10

CLAIRE

Claire’s diary, July 2, 2015.

I found this diary sitting on my bookshelf. I’d completely forgotten about it. I re-read some of the entries. Pages after pages of Belleflower Queen preparation. Sketches of what I think my festival poster should look like. Diagrams of how I plan to wave to the crowd when I ride the float.

I laugh at it now, but have I changed much?

Years later, I’m still chasing the same dream.

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