Page 88 of No One Wants That (Blitzen Bay)

Kit turns around to look at him and then looks back at me. “I’m sorry, Butch. Really. I am.”

“I’m not mad at you,” I say, putting my hands on her shoulders. “Really, I’m not. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’ll find you in a few hours, okay?”

I nod and head toward the inn. Millie and Raine are peeking through the back fence when I get there.

“What’d she say?” Raine asks, handing me a beer as I walk through the gate.

“Mind your business,” I say, popping it open and downing half of it.

“Is she getting back together with him?” Millie says, looking up as Mason walks through the gate carrying our lunches.

“I’m not sure they were ever broken up,” I say, grunting. “And I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“She really likes you, Butch,” Raine says. “That fuck boy stuff was smack talk. I don’t think it’s true at all.”

“What did I just say about not wanting to talk about it?” I say, my eyebrows narrowing. “And I thought that comment was above your interpretation skill level.”

Raine laughs. “Come on. We both know that’s not true. I was just trying to keep you out of jail.”

“Thank you.” I turn to Millie. “Then I guess you didn’t care if I went to jail?”

“We agreed a long time ago to be a hundred percent honest with each other, no matter the consequences.”

“Yeah,” I say, sitting down next to her and putting my arm around the back of her chair. “You’re right.”

“You know I’d get you out of jail, anyway,” Millie says, patting my leg. “Remember that pact we made? It was the night in Virginia Beach when we were playing pool with those douchey Air Force pilots. You wanted to punch the one that kept trying to serenade me. I told you I’d let you spend one night in jail, so you could learn your lesson, then the next day I’d come in—guns blazing like Butch Cassidy—to bust you out.”

“It would almost be worth going to jail to see you do that,” I say. “But if I remember correctly, Butch Cassidy dies at the end of that movie with his guns blazing.”

“I’d still come for you,” Millie says, laying her head on my shoulder. “We might die, but I’d get you out first.”

“Right back at you, Mills. You know I always keep my word.” I start in on the burger Mason brought me. “Are you two still headed to find the waterfall after lunch?”

“Uh,” Mason says, popping open a beer. “Maybe we’ll stick around here for a while.”

“I don’t need a babysitter. I’m fine. I’m not going to touch him again. Besides, I need a little quiet time.”

“No, you don’t.” Raine sits on the other side of me. “You and I are going canoeing after we get done eating.”

Mason and Millie start laughing as I look at Raine. “We’re doing what?”

“Ca-noe-ing,” Raine says, tapping out the syllables on my shoulder. “A canoe is a long, skinny boat with pointy ends.”

“Yes, I know what a canoe is,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Although I’m a little surprised you do given your aversion to all water sports.”

“They also have kayaks if you’d prefer that, but they’re single seaters, so I’d be on my own. But your choice of watercraft.”

“I choose dry land,” I say, pushing her hand away as she tries to steal one of my fries. “And for the millionth time, order your own damn fries if you want them.”

“I’m going out on the water when we’re done eating,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ll go by myself if necessary, but if I drown, it’s on you.”

I look at Mason. “Any ideas on how I can get out of this?”

“Sorry, man,” he says. “You know Raine sucks at swimming. And boating. And really every activity that occurs outdoors. You have to go with her.”

Raine tilts her head and smiles at me. “You heard him. Canoe or kayak?”

“Fine,” I say. “And I choose canoe. No one wants to see you try to captain your own watercraft.”

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