Page 51 of Baby, It's You
We ride around the lake for ten minutes and I’m starting to enjoy myself when Ezra lets off the gas and asks, “Okay, who's skiing first?”
“Me!” Wes hops up.
“Could have called that one,” Eddie teases.
“Oh, shut up,” Wes responds. “Everyone watch and learn.” He stands and rips off his shorts, revealing a bright red Speedo underneath.
Eddie groans and Hunter says, “What the?—”
Wes cuts him off. “Don’t be jealous. This is what peak male sexuality looks like.” He walks towards a life jacket and clips it on, then turns to Donovan who hands him the skis.
I look at Hunter across from me and mouth, “Bro,” raising my eyebrows.
He throws his head back, laughing in that uncontrollable way he does, the laughter charging out of him, full speed. Everyone else looks at him confused as he explains, “Just thought of something funny from earlier.”
Wes jumps off, skis on his feet, and Donovan tosses him the handles attached to the back of the boat. We begin to pull away, slowly. Wes adjusts himself in the water and gives Ezra a thumbs up, signaling he’s ready to go. With the go ahead, Ezra gases the engine and we take off quickly, my hair whipping at my face. Leena lets out a squeal as she slides into Parker from the sudden movement and he wraps his arms around her, steadying her.
Once he sees Wes is up on the water, Donovan lets go of the back railing that he was gripping onto when we took off. He doesn’t even seem phased by our quick speed as he walks through the center of where we sit. He stops next to Ezra and connects his phone to a speaker next to the steering wheel. The song “Cowboys from Hell” by Pantera begins blasting, echoing over the lake. Wes is still up on the skis, riding the wake behind us, and I lean my head back, laughing as the music and wind overtake me.
The warm sun beats down on my face and I feel free and happy in this moment. Like nothing can get to me. The onlything I’m thinking about is how weightless I feel as we glide over the water.
I bring my head back down after a few minutes and meet Hunter’s eyes. He is staring at me with an intensity I haven’t seen before, and I bravely hold his gaze instead of shying away like I did earlier. A soft smile plays on his lips, and I bite at the inside of my cheek. This moment feels magical and there is nowhere else I’d rather be.
He is the first to break eye contact this time when Leena leans over to him and asks him a question. I can’t hear what he responds but he nods his head at her and quickly glances at me again. I look out past him at the water, like I didn’t notice the interaction, but I’m actually dying inside to know what she said to him.
All of a sudden I hear Donovan shout for Ezra to cut the engine and I see that Wes is floating in the water.
“Man down!” Parker shouts and I'm worried that Wes is injured until I notice he has a big smile on his face as he lays on his back, the gentle waves from the boat rocking him.
Ezra steers the boat carefully to Wes’s side.
“I’m tired! My arms are burning like pepper on a pimple. Pull me in, man,” he says as he swims over to the handle and grabs back on. Donovan begins to pull the rope back in towards the boat, his muscles flexing vividly, and I bite back a laugh as I can see Alice practically drooling, staring at him.
Wes pulls his body up onto the boat’s flat back and unclips the skis.
“Hot Dog, you’re next,” Wes commands.
“Someone else can go if they want,” Hunter replies casually.
“Oh please,” Eddie says, rolling his eyes. “We all know you’re itching to get out there.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll go.” Hunter chuckles, then looks at me. “You cool?”
I nod quickly and hold my hands up, shooing him. “Go, go!”
“Alright, be right back.” He smiles, his curls loose and wild from the boat.
He puts on a life vest and straps himself into the skis, the same way as Wes. Then, Hunter jumps off the back into the blue water and gets in position to take off.
Leena leans forward towards me, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “You’re in for a treat.”
“Wha—” I start to ask her, but then we blast off again, and I instantly find out what she’s talking about. Hunter is immediately up and begins hopping the wake behind the boat. Then he switches, and does it one handed, casually pushing his hair back like it’s nothing. A confident smile is on his lips as he waves to me and I wave back like some fan girl, practically giddy.
He shouts for the whole lake to hear, “This one’s for you, Olive!” and then proceeds to flip, over and over and over again, on the wake.
And at that, the water unfortunately isn't the only thing that’s wet around here anymore.
Chapter 34
