Page 28 of Girls Will Be Girls
“Further up, a little out of the center,” I say. “Barren Bush.”
Buck taps the water. “I love that place.” He beams. “You know I’m the reigning champ of the theme contest there.”
“The what?” I ask.
“Oh man.” He sits up straight with a serious expression. “You have gotta go to the theme night while you’re here. It’s the best night anywhere on Tahoe.”
“Wow.”
“I’m serious.” He nods.
I laugh. “I can see that.”
“There’s one next Saturday. The theme isIslands in the Lake.”
“Like the Dolly Parton song?” I clarify.
He sticks me with a stare. “Don’t forget Kenny Rogers.”
I actually snort now. “Who comes up with this?”
“It’s all Willie. Have you met Willie?” He asks.
“I have actually,” I say.
“Willie is…” He joins his thumb and finger together, showing just how perfect he thinks Willie is, “…at coming up with the themes.” He says. “Doesn’t hurt, he’s also not bad to look at.”
“You think so?” I ask, thinking back to what he looks like.
“You’re either blind or not cursed with also liking men, then.”
I sigh dramatically. “I fear we’re both cursed.”
He smiles wide. “You’ll come, right? You have to.”
“Well, then I guess I have to.” I smile back.
He does a little whoop before ushering me up on my feet, saying I’ve stalled long enough. It takes a few shaky goes, but I’m up and steady, that muscle memory of when I did this before finally kicking in. We paddle over to the others, and Buck gives us some more pointers.
The girls and I — who are sisters named Tina and Tracy I find out — are much steadier on our boards after some solid practice, so we decide to race each other. We shakily line up, which takes some time as we keep falling onto each other’s boards, and the laughing makes it harder to stand.
Once we’re in place, Buck shouts from a distance, “Ready, steady, paddle!”
We can’t stop laughing the whole way. Our hysterical race ends with Tracy in the water, unable to climb back on her board, me flat out on my stomach with tears in my eyes, and Tina high on her knees as the victorious one.
After a while, Buck joins us, and even some of the dad-cationers, too. Although a couple of them are clearly on the prowl — despite the definite wedding ring tanlines.
What happens 500 miles outside of Vegas…
I do my best to avoid those two.
We race some more, see who can balance the longest on one foot or in a yoga-inspired pose we’ve invented, and then Buck and I finish the session by attempting to row both of our boardstogether, one leg on each. We make it back to shore after falling into the water so many times I lose count.
I help Buck line up the boards back on the beach for his next class, then grab my things out of the locker. I head back down onto the sand, still dripping wet from the water, and start scribbling notes into my pad from the session. I can’t help the huge smile on my face.
After I have pages of writing, Buck sits beside me, offering me a donut.
“Chocolate or pink?” He says.
