Page 12 of One Hot Summer
We swam out to where the falls crashed into the pool, letting the spray soak us. The water was clearer here, cool and refreshing after the heat of the day. We floated on our backs, eyes fixed on the sky overhead, letting the current push us in lazy circles. I felt Adam’s arm brush against mine as we floated, sending a jolt through my body. I tried to focus on the peaceful scenery around us, but I was hyper-aware of his proximity.
“This is amazing,” he murmured, his voice soft and content. “I’ve never experienced anything like it before.” I turned my head slightly to look at him. Water droplets clung to his long eyelashes, and his usually unruly hair was slicked back. In that moment, he looked both younger and older than his years.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” I replied, my voice sounding rougher than I intended. We drifted in silence for a long time, enjoying the peace.
Eventually, we climbed out of the water and settled down on a large flat rock to dry off. I lay back and he stretched out besideme. His shoulder pressed against mine, but neither of us moved away. We let the noise of the falls drown out whatever else we might have said. I watched the clouds drifting overhead and tried to decide if I was imagining the way Adam kept glancing at me from behind his sunglasses all day or the way he shivered when we touched. As we lay there drying in the sun, I felt a deep contentment wash over me. The day had been filled with unexpected moments of connection and joy. I realized I hadn’t felt this relaxed or alive in years.
Eventually, we gathered our things and made the hike back down to the car. The drive home was quiet but comfortable, both of us lost in our own thoughts. By the time we reached the cabin, it was late afternoon. We were both tired, so after an early dinner, we said goodnight and retreated to our separate rooms, but as I lay in bed that night, I couldn’t stop replaying moments from our hike. The feel of Adam in my arms, the way he looked at me, the easy laughter we shared. For the first time in a long time, I fell asleep with a smile on my face, looking forward to what tomorrow might bring.
Chapter Five
ADAM
The sky above the cabin was incredible. In the city, I could maybe spot three stars, and one of those was probably just an airplane. Out here, every inch of darkness was pinpricked with galaxies, with entire cities’ worth of stars crowding in on each other. I settled back in an Adirondack chair, marveling at how small and fragile I felt against the backdrop of such vast beauty.
Griffin was next to me, kicked back in his own chair with one leg stretched out and his bare foot braced on the fire pit table in front of us. The small flame added a touch of ambiance rather than providing real warmth, creating a snug and intimate atmosphere on the cabin’s upper deck. The woods around us thrummed with crickets and the occasional weird hoot or yowl, but none of it sounded threatening. Just alive.
I’d woken that morning, prepared to spend the day alone. I was sure Griffin would want some time to himself, but instead, he’d invited me to join him on another outing. We’d spent the morning exploring a nearby town, wandering through quaintshops and sampling local delicacies at a farmers’ market. The highlight was stumbling upon a tiny bookstore tucked away on a side street, where we both got lost browsing the shelves for hours. I was touched when he’d insisted on buying me the photography book I’d been admiring.
In the afternoon, we’d gone canoeing on the river, taking turns paddling as we drifted lazily across the calm water. At one point, he’d leaned up to correct my paddle technique, his fingers wrapping around mine with a gentle pressure that sent electricity racing up my arm and left my skin tingling long after he’d pulled away. The memory of his touch sent a shiver through me even now.
When we’d gotten back, we made a simple dinner together—chicken, rice, salad—and it was easier this time, the rhythm of our movements more relaxed, as if we’d been sharing a kitchen for years. I’d never felt so at home with someone I barely knew.
Except that wasn’t true, was it? I did know him. I’d been listening to my best friend talk about his dad for four years. He was the subject of about one out of every five stories Dalton ever told—sometimes as the hero, sometimes as the punchline, but always looming large. And now here I was beside him on his deck, sneaking glances at the real version and wondering if I’d been obsessed longer than I realized.
I picked up my glass and studied the fire through the golden liquid before taking a sip. Warmth traveled down my throat, quickly hitting my bloodstream and spreading outward to my limbs. It relaxed my muscles and loosened my tongue. “How long have you been divorced?”
If my question bothered him, he didn’t let it show. “Three years officially,” he said, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “But it was over long before that.”
“What happened? Oh God! I’m sorry, that was rude. You don’t have to answer that.”
Griffin straightened up in his seat, a soft smile forming on his lips despite my question. “No, it’s okay. Really. I don’t usually talk about it with people, but for some reason, I feel like I can talk to you.” I bit my lip, pleased by his response.
“The truth is, we married too young. I got Sherry—Dalton’s mom—pregnant our senior year of high school, and we tried to do the right thing. But we were always more friends than lovers. We loved each other but I’m not sure we were everinlove, if that makes sense. Still, I tried to be a good husband and a good father. I probably worked too much. In fact, IknowI worked too much, but that was only because I was trying to take care of my family. I love my career, the business I’ve built, but everything I did was so I could provide for her and Dalton.”
“That’s very noble,” I said quietly.
Griffin snorted out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, well, it all ended up backfiring on me. Apparently, my working so hard left Sherry alone too much. She started talking to a co-worker of hers and one thing led to another and…”
I couldn’t stop a loud gasp from escaping. “Shecheatedon you? Does Dalton know?”
“Yes, he knows. When we sat him down and told him we were splitting up, she actually told him the truth. Of course, she really didn’t have much choice seeing as how she wanted to marry the guy. Given the timing of it all, Dalton would have figured it out anyway.”
“Wait! You mean the guy she cheated on you with was Dalton’s stepdad, Arthur?” I sputtered as I pictured my friend’s stepfather. He nodded. “But he’s such a… and you’re so…”
Griffin’s forehead scrunched as he looked at me. “I’m not really sure how to take that.”
“Trust me, it’s a compliment,” I replied earnestly.
He chuckled. “Then thank you.”
“I’ve met Arthur a few times. He’s a nice enough guy, I suppose, and he and Dalton seem to get along fine, but I can’t get over the fact that they cheated. That must have been so painful.”
He shrugged. “It was, but it was also a relief in some ways. Like I said, it had been coming for a long time. Her cheating was simply the final nail in the coffin.”
I searched his face for a moment, debating whether or not to ask my next question. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted the answer, but my curiosity won out again. “Have you dated many women since the divorce?”
Griffin cleared his throat. “A couple. Nothing serious though. I’ve also gone out with a few men.”
