Page 65 of Finding Jess

“Come on, what’s taking so long!” Tiana called from below, the phone still pointed up at them.

Sam pursed her lips, checking the water once again to ensure there was nothing they could hit.

“Okay,” Sam muttered. “I’ll go first. Watch where I go, so you know where to land.”

Jess scoffed. “Absolutely not.” Then she stepped forward, her shoulder brushing against Sam’s back.

Sam glanced over her shoulder, frowning. “Same time?”

Jess didn’t answer. Instead, her warm fingers slid into Sam’s, lacing around her hand.

Sam glanced down, smiling slightly at the familiar feeling. Then she looked away, clearing her throat.

“On three?” Jess asked, inching farther out.

Sam nodded once, peering out into the water below. “One. Two. Three—”

They jumped.

The air rushed past in a split second of weightless silence, and even as they plummeted toward the water, Jess’ grip on her hand didn’t falter.

The crash into the water knocked the wind from her lungs, but Sam surfaced a moment later. Her free hand shot out instinctively, tugging Jess up with her.

Jess emerged sputtering, hair plastered to her face as she reached blindly for Sam’s shoulder to steady herself.

“You okay?” Sam asked breathlessly, keeping them both afloat.

Jess pushed the wet strands out of her eyes, blinking wildly as she looked at Sam—and then she laughed. It started small but grew louder, rippling across the water between them.

Sam’s own laughter followed, the sound blending with Jess’ in a way that made the cold water and aching muscles completely irrelevant.

Jess finally caught her breath, still grinning as she clung to Sam’s shoulder. “You’re insane.”

“Lets do it again—”

“No way,” Jess cut her off, laughing as she splashed a handful of water at Sam’s face.

They swam to the side until Sam felt the soft sandy bottom beneath her feet.She ambled up onto the dry beach, bending over to shake her wet hair out.

“Let me see the pictures,” Scarlett said to Tiana as they approached.

She took the phone, swiping through. “Oh my god,” she gushed. “These are so good.”

Scarlett reached out, handing the phone to Jess as she shook her wet hands off.

Sam came up behind Jess, looking over her shoulder at the pictures. She swiped through, laughing at the few of Scarlett screaming in midair. Then she swiped to the next and stopped.

It was a picture of them, standing at the top ledge, hand in hand, with Sam turned, smiling at her.

She hadn’t seen many pictures of herself in recent years. Or actually—ever. The only photos she’d had were either taken for official school things, or for business functions as she’d gotten older. And in the only candid photos she had as a child, she never seemed to be smiling.

Sam swallowed, realizing for the first time that she’d never really seen herself that happy. At least not in a photo.

Jess’ thumb hovered over the picture, as if she was having some realization of her own. Or maybe she was thinking something entirely different.

Jess cleared her throat softly. “Um—do you—do you guys want one together?” she asked, looking between her and Tiana.

“Yes!” Tiana said immediately. She crossed the few feet to her, engulfing her in a tight embrace. “We don’t have any good pictures together.”

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