Page 79 of Tourist Trap

“Doeseveryoneknow we…” he starts.

“Yup,” Deck says, coming over to us and slapping a hand on Miles’s shoulder. “Everyone knows you banged your brother’s ex.”

Miles pushes him away, though it’s half-hearted, and Deck stumbles away.

“Ew, Deck, do you have to be so…gross?” June asks with a cringe.

“Is that not what happened? You were just cheering for it,” he says, confused.

“We’re cheering because they’retogether,not because they fucked,” Lainey says.

“His mother is here,” June adds, though Mrs. Miller doesn’t seem put off at all. If anything, she seems more excited than Deck does.

“Whatever. I’m just glad we don't have to see Miles moping around, pretending he’s not crazy for Claire anymore,” Grant says.

“Same,” Deck says, sitting down at a table.

“Oh, for sure,” Lainey says.

“You can say that again,” June adds.

“So, everyone knew I was into her?” Miles asks, embarrassed, running a hand over his head.

“Yeah, honey,” I say gently, patting his shoulder.

“God, I fucking hate small towns,” he grumbles, then lets go of my hand and moves toward the cooler sitting in the shade. “You want anything?”

I shake my head, but June and Lainey are at my side before I speak.

“We have alotto talk about,” June says, grabbing my hand and tugging me toward the other side of the small beach for a much-needed gossip session. I hesitate, but when I look over my shoulder, Miles is cracking open a beer and cheers-ing with Grant. He winks at me, then waves me off, so I allow myself to be dragged away to spill everything to my friends.

* * *

“Hey, Blondie, you ever fished before?” Deck asks two hours later.

It’s long past my filling Lainey and June in, which included many muffled squeals and laughs, and past when Miles’s mom, who insisted I start calling her Sarah, forced me to eat the biggest plate filled with picnic food known to man.

Now I’m sitting on a fold-out beach chair next to Benny, previously watching Miles and Grant toss a football back and forth, though now we’re all accumulating on the dock, arguing over who knows what.

I smile wide and shake my head. “No, my dad and brother do, but normally, I’d much rather catch a tan than deal with gross worms and stinky bait.”

He puts a hand out, and I grab it, letting him tug me up as he puts an arm around my shoulders, moving me toward the fishing gear on the dock.

“Come on, you’ve gotta do it. It’s tradition. We all compete to see who can catch the biggest fish. This place is our secret hideaway. Fishing’s always great here because the tourists don’t know about it.” He tips his chin to my boyfriend, who watches with a simmering hint of jealousy I love. “Miles is our reigning champ, beats all of us every year. I think he cheats, if you ask me.”

Miles throws a piece of bait at Deck’s head, which luckily misses me as I duck out from under his arm.

“I don’t fucking cheat, you just suck. I just got skills, my man. Sorry you don’t,” Miles says as Deck guides me onto the dock and toward a collection of fishing poles.

“Skills, huh?” I ask, picking up the fishing pole and looking at it. “How much skill could you need to use this thing?” I move it like I’ve seen my brother and dad do a million times before Miles grabs the end of it, glaring at me.

“Well, for one, you’ve gotta make sure no one is nearby when you’re casting, so you don’t hook anyone.” I roll my eyes, then look around, noticing that, besides Miles, no one is nearby. I wonder if they all ran the second I grabbed a pole. “And second, it goes this way.” He shifts the pole, twisting it so the reel is on the other side and the line isn’t twisted.

Okay, that’s a fair point.

I smile wide at him. “I think you’re just scared I’m going to kick your ass.”

He rolls his eyes, and I look at Deck.

---