Page 134 of Old Acquaintances

“We talked about the accident. We didn’t talk about…the wedding.”

“I don’t need to talk about the wedding.” He runs his closed mouth through the water line.

“I do.”

Tucker’s eyes tip up. He looks at me from under his eyebrows and asks, “You think about that night?”

“It was the last night we were together. Forme. It was the last memory I have you from seven years ago. You had your face in my crotch and then you just left!”

He groans and pushes off the wall. “Ella. Just -”

I sit on the edge of the pool, waiting for him to explain, but he doesn’t. He just stops. And dunks his head back under thewater. And swims away. I peel off my heavy knit shorts and drop into the water.

He lifts his head back up on the other side of the pool. “What are you doingnow?”

“Three laps,” I say. “If I beat you, then you have to talk to me.”

“My body is way longer than yours.”

“I’m pretty fast.”

He exhales. “You’re a bad swimmer. You’re just going to tire yourself out and probably drown.”

“Good.” I flick water at him. “I’m very frustrated and can’t get to sleep so that sounds great.”

“Ella -”

“Three laps.” I doggy paddle over to him. “You win, you don’t have to say a word to me.”

He snorts. “You don’t even knowhowto swim except to keep you alive.”

“I can do the mermaid.” I dive down and flick my glued legs into the sky. When I come back up, Tucker’s shaking his head.

“You’re a little weirdo,” he says gently.

I swim over to the side. I catch myself on the edge and repeat, “Three laps. There and back, three times.”

After a moment of hesitation, Tucker swims over to me. He mutters, “Why would you bet something you know you’re going to lose?”

“Because I want to get your attention.”

He bobs in front of me, the warm twinkly lights of the yard and the cold moonlight fighting to illuminate his gorgeous, wet face. He’s so handsome like this. I’m not going to make it to the next part if he doesn’t go away.

I back up. “Ready?”

He rolls his eyes. “Fine.” He gets to the edge beside me and whispers, “Go.”

I push off and swim to the other edge, trying to keep my eyes closed as much as possible so I don’t burn them in the chlorine. He pops his head out of the water, our hands touching the wall at the same time. I’m already panting, he’s taking this in stride. I dive in for another lap and my eyes open to see his dark body gliding beside me.

“That’s two,” I wheeze.

“Ella -” he starts, but I’ve already gone under again. I don’t know if he swims this last lap with me, but I finish with my arms and legs already exhausted, coughing and spurting water in the air.

Tucker grabs my waist. “How are you so out of shape for a professional dancer?”

“I’m not out of shape,” I argue. “I just don’t do a ton of upper body workouts.” I relax into his grip. “Did I win?”

He cocks a smile. “No. Notyet.”

---