Page 76 of Limbo

I drop the pen and shoot her a warning glare before she confirms me blabbering about him in my drunken state. We’ve reached her chance at redemption for not taking down those pictures, an issue Trey promised she took care of.

“She might have said your name once.” She can’t help a small smile, but at least she changes the subject. “Is Cate taking swim lessons? They start in about a month.”

“What are they charging for Saturday classes? You know Lauren won’t bring her during the week.”

And they always charge more for the weekends.

More than aware of my mother’s tendency to live at the bar after work, Shayna rolls her eyes. “Regular costs forty-five for six lessons and…” She leans back, checking the papers on the desk behind the counter. “Damn, the bitch charges double for the weekends.”

Called it. If we catch Lauren on a good day, she might consider paying regular price.

I approximate how much cash Connor has squirreled away from selling my dresses and shrug. “We’ll see.”

She nods, understanding more than most. “I’ll put her name down to keep a spot open.”

I thank her and turn my attention to Jordan. “Ready to be assaulted by a six-year-old in swim floats?”

“Absolutely.” He follows to the steps but stops. “I forgot my phone in the car. Meet you down there?”

I give up my keys and watch Shayna’s head tilt, eyes on his ass as he walks away.

She jumps down once he disappears out the door. “You know I’m checking him out on the security cameras, right?”

Unable to blame her, I shrug and head downstairs.

Connor is waiting outside the women’s locker room at one end of the hall. “She stopped singing a few seconds ago, so hopefully, she’s still alive in there.”

About then, Cate hits a high note our ears were not prepared for.

He shakes his head, walking to the other end of the hall. “Such range she has.”

In the locker room, she steps heel to toe, using a bench as a balance beam. I gather her swimsuit and towel off the floor and herd her to the shower stalls. Once we change, she wraps up in her towel, goggles and water wings on. My bag and our clothes go in a locker, and I lead her out to the pool.

Connor lunges from behind the door, lifting her up. He flings her shoes and towel in my direction and dangles her over the pool. Even though she kicks and screams, she laughs, loving every second.

While they terrorize each other, I drop our belongings on the cheap plastic table near the hot tub and toss her shoes underneath one of the four matching chairs. I kick my flip-flops off as Cate lets out a screech sounding like my name. I spin, getting a brief glimpse of Jordan before he snatches me up and plunges us both into the water.

We surface, him grinning.

“Sorry, but to keep it PG, you need to stay submerged from the neck down.” He swims circles around me, ready to attack if my two-piece and I challenge him.

I wipe all the wet hair out of my face. “Were you one of those boys who pushed girls they liked in the pool?”

“I wasn’t until right now,” he says, splashing me.

“Jordan has to race Connor.” Cate taps her foot on the side.

Marching orders in hand, he drags me through the water behind him. “I will win this race in your honor.”

I laugh as he drops me off at the shallow end, his expression serious when he shakes hands with Connor in a show of good sportsmanship. She counts them down from ten, her excitement causing her to repeat the number four twice. Despite the miscount, they shove off the wall at the same time and glide through the water.

Cate tugs on my arm to sit on the edge with her, so I hop up as they flip around at the opposite wall.

Jordan reaches us ahead of Connor, but rather than starting his second of three laps, he pops up. “Do you want me to lose? Get in the damn water and stop distracting me.”

I roll my eyes, pushing off the ledge and into the water. He forfeits the lead to kiss me and launches off the wall a few feet behind Connor. On the final lap, he closes the gap. They slap the wall, both panting, and Cate declares Jordan the winner.

He slumps against the wall. “I won. No thanks to you.” He smiles, pulling me to him and tucking me against his side. “Connor, you’re no joke.”

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