Page 28 of Until Now

“Went for a run, is what Kai said.”

I nod letting my fingers dip in and out of the water.

“You sure everything’s okay?”

“Just figuring some things out, Lina. You know how it goes.”

She doesn’t believe me. I wouldn’t believe me either, but I’m thankful when she lets it go. “Go change, I’ll get the wine from Kai and we can soak up the rest of the sun before dinner.”

I push myself up from the edge, and the ground falls from underneath me. Kai’s laugh echoes in my ear just before I land in the water with a SPLASH! “Porca puttana, Kai!” I laugh and splash him as I resurface.

“I told you to change!”

“I was going!”

“Took you long enough to bring the wine,” Eileen says, taking a glass from him. “You could’ve made us margaritas in the same time.”

“You’ll take what you get and like it.” Eileen sticks her tongue out at him and ducks when he sends a wave of water her way.

“Well, no sense in changing now,” I toss my soaked cardigan on the edge.

“That’s a good look for you, Nin,” Kai says.

“Don’t you have the board’s ass to kiss or something?”

§

I try to avoid dripping water as I carry my pool-soaked cardigan to my room. Eileen and I swam until well after Diana started to cook dinner. I swiped a few asparagus pieces on my way through the kitchen but regretted informing Diana I wouldn’t be joining them. I don’t want to be around everyone, but mostly I don’t want to be around Lee. As I descend the stairs, I see Nick approaching from the foyer. He’s covered in dirt and sweat from the trail, I wonder if he looks this good after working on cars all day? Wait…What? No, Nina, don’t think about that.

This is the first time I’ve seen him since this morning. Waiting for Daddy, I had joined Eileen in the kitchen for a cup of coffee. “He actually said he wanted to be friends?” Eileen asked me looking up from her crossword.

“Mmhm.”

“What did you say?”

“Nick saved me.” My lips tingled remembering what else had happened.

“Well, that explains a lot.”

“What do you mean?”

“Good morning, Lee!” Eileen said, looking past me as he made his way into the kitchen. “Feeling better?”

“What are you talking about, Eileen?” Lee refused to meet either of our stares focused on pouring his own cup of coffee.

“You seemed kind of upset earlier.”

“Good morning!” Teagan bound into the kitchen with a face full of makeup, hair done, and dressed in a pale yellow T-shirt dress leaving little to the imagination.

Nick and Kai walked side-by-side up the stairs deep in conversation about what they needed from the parts store to finish working on one of the old Jeeps Daddy had been holding onto. Nick glared at Lee noticing how close he stood to me and quickly sidled up between us.

“Not so loud, Teagan,” I hissed. “Unlike you, some of us actually like the peace and quiet of the mountains.”

“You sure are a grump in the morning.” Teagan leaned against the counter and let her dress rise a little higher. “Y’know, if I woke up with his head between my legs every morning, I’d be a lot nicer.”

I choked on my coffee, the pen in Eileen’s hand clattered to the floor, and the others froze. It felt like the world had stopped.

Did she just say that?

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