Page 45 of Back to Square One
They were interrupted by a large splash, and Sara was back in the water. She surfaced, muttered, “Fuck this board,” and then climbed on and stayed seated. “I think you’ve got the right idea, Evie.”
Justine paddled up to them from the shallows, on her knees. “I’m not standing,” she said, her lips a thin line. “This is fine.” And the four of them sat on their boards watching Stevie paddle herself all over the damn lake. It was amusing, to say the least.
“No wonder this was her suggestion.” Evie shook her head, but with a grin. None of them were mad at Stevie. They were used to being left in her wake when it came to sports. Evie was floating next to Rowan, their legs hanging off the sides of their boards, and Rowan felt Evie’s leg against hers. Then Evie hooked her leg around Rowan’s so they didn’t float apart.
Rowan didn’t acknowledge it. She also didn’t pull away.
Why not?
The question bounced around in her head, but she refused to stop and think about it because honestly? Evie’s skin felt good against hers. Evie actively reaching for her in some way felt good. No, she shouldn’t allow it. She should yank her own leg away and paddle, putting some distance between them. But she didn’t. She couldn’t.
Justine had lain back on her board until her whole body was stretched out on it, her eyes closed like she was sunbathing.
“Oh, that looks comfy,” Sara said, started to lie back, and slid right off her board.
Rowan and Evie both burst out laughing.
“Oh my God, she didn’t even make a splash,” Evie said as she cracked up. “She just slid right in like an eel.”
“I’m just gonna stay in here.” Sara held on to her board and used it as a floatation device, remaining in the water, which just made the others laugh harder. Eventually, Stevie made her way back to them. She took note of Justine on her back, Rowan and Evie sitting on their boards, and Sara in the water, and her brow furrowed in question.
“Suffice to say, paddleboarding is not for us,” Evie said. A beat of quiet went by before they all started to laugh once again.
They floated for a bit longer until they had to return the boards, and then they piled back into Sara’s SUV. Sitting up against Evie again, Rowan found herself starting to feel more comfortable around the proximity and less freaked about it.
She wasn’t sure what to do with that.
They were back to the lake house in time for Justine to whip them up a late lunch.
“When the hell did you make chicken salad?” Rowan asked, racking her brains to try to remember.
Justine shrugged. “Yesterday.”
Rowan looked at Evie, then to Stevie and Sara.
“Don’t look at me,” Stevie said, holding up her hands like a robbery victim. “I think she has magic food powers, and stuff just appears when she wants it to.”
“I agree with that,” Sara said, grabbing a seltzer out of the fridge.
The boat was still gone, so no Lizzie or Claire—which Rowan found herself reluctantly thankful for—and Jazzy and Becca were nowhere to be found.
“Are they downstairs in their room?” Rowan asked.
“I’m not going down there to look,” Stevie said with a shake of her head. “Don’t wanna walk in on that. Nope.”
“Again,” Sara said as clarification. “You don’t wanna walk in on that again.”
“No,” Rowan said on a gasp. “You walked in on them?”
Stevie’s light complexion suddenly tinted pink as Sara laughed softly and stroked a hand down Stevie’s arm. “They were very, very new. Becca and Jasmine. Becca brought her to our place, wanted us to meet her.”
“Oh, God, it was the first time you’d met?” Evie asked, dark eyes wide.
“Yup. Early last summer. They spent the weekend at our place. We went to watch a softball game, then went to our house and had some time before dinner. I sent Stevie to their room to see if they wanted margaritas so I’d know if I should make a pitcher or just a couple singles.” She looked at Stevie and tipped her head in sympathy. “My poor girl didn’t knock, just walked in and…” She shrugged. “Got an eyeful.”
“You didn’t knock?” Justine asked through her laughter. “You got what you deserved, then.”
“Hundred percent,” said Evie.
