Page 90 of Dreadful

“Okay, best and worst part of your day. Go.”

The words hit me like a familiar song I hadn’t heard in years. A laugh escapes, soft and involuntary. How many summer nights had we floated right here in this turquoise glow, trading our highs and lows like secrets? The memory wraps around me, warm as the water lapping at my shoulders.

“I haven’t played that in forever.” I shake my head, droplets flying. “You go first.”

He doesn’t hesitate. “Easy. Worst part was waking up without you in my bed.” His fingers skim the surface toward me, tracing a slow half-circle through the water before his hand finds my hip beneath the surface. His thumb brushes my skin once, lightly.

“You know,” I start, voice dropping into a low chuckle as I glance up at him through wet lashes. “A lot of arguments would be solved if you guys just had one giant bed.”

Gage tips his head back and barks a laugh that echoes off the water. “You want to turn our house into a puppy pile?”

“Think about it,” I murmur, sweeping my hand through the space between us like I’m unveiling a grand plan. “One giant bed. Everybody sleeps together. Problem solved.”

We’re both laughing now, the kind that makes your stomach ache in the best way.

His grin is wide and wicked. “Could you imagine Coco coming home from wherever and finding out we got rid of all her mid-century modern living room furniture and replaced it with one giant, room-sized bed?”

Mirth dances hot and bright through my veins. It feels so fucking good to laugh like this—uncomplicated and free.

“I’d actually pay money to see her reaction to that. And to see Bishop in the puppy pile too.” He drags his palm across his mouth like he’s trying to push the smile down, but it doesn’t work.

“You guys can all sleep in the giant bed together.” I shrug, feigning innocence. “And I’ll just sleep in your beds by myself.”

The playful glint in his eyes sharpens into something more focused. “Oh, you think that’s funny?”

He moves fast—a sudden lunge through the water, one arm hooking around my waist, pulling me flush against him before I can twist away. I laugh, squirming as he holds me easily against his chest, my back to his front. His laughter rumbles against my spine. He dips his head, lips brushing a teasing kiss just below my ear, then another along the side of my neck. I gasp through another laugh, arching slightly as his stubble grazes my skin. His other hand splays low on my stomach, holding me steady while I pretend to struggle.

Slowly, our laughter softens into breathless smiles, but Gage doesn’t let go. His arms stay locked around me, solid and familiar.

I look at him. “Okay, what’s your best then?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” he says, mouth against the sensitive slope of my neck.

Butterflies lift off in my stomach, a whole loose flock of them. Six years, I think. Six years apart, everything we’ve been through since I came back, and this boy can still make my stomach drop like I’m fifteen again in his truck.

“Humor me.”

Somewhere under those warm, gooey feelings, there’s a small cold seed I don’t look at.

Nothing in my life that came easy ever worked out or stayed good. Easy things get taken away, or they were never real to begin with. The thought drifts through me like a moth through a lit room, and I brush it aside without opening my hand.

His hands smooth over my waist, warm even through the water, as he turns me around until we’re facing one another. “You. Right now.”

My stomach flips again—a small warm jolt I feel from my ribs down to my knees.

“Okay.” Gage gives me a small smile, keeps his hands loosely around my waist, thumbs tracing slow half-circles against the skin below my ribs. “Your turn. Best and worst.”

I bite the corner of my lip. “Best was seeing Lola.”

“You saw Lola today?” His eyes roam over my face.

“Yeah.” My fingers find his forearm underwater and close around it. “But this is a very close second.”

“So that’s where you disappeared to all day, hm?” He hums a little, sliding one hand up my back to tangle in the wet ends of my hair.

“Why? Did you miss me?” I tease him, running my fingertips along his arm.

“Always.” He says it immediately.