Page 83 of The Plus One Pact

Too obvious.

I love girls with PhDs.

I'm turned on my intellectual conversations about sex.

No.

That's it.

I write the secret, fold the paper, toss all three in the hat.

Everyone else takes their turn. Then Mom starts. She mixes up the secrets and pulls a notecard from the hat theatrically.

"I won't guess," she says. "Since I know all your handwriting, besides Ivy’s." She unfolds the card and reads aloud. "I didn't learn to swim until I was fifteen."

That's easy. Daniel.

But Cynthia has no clue. She looks around the space with curiosity in her eyes.

"Do we discuss our thoughts? Or go straight to guessing?" Ivy asks.

"Why don't we have everyone speculate on their partner," Mom says. "If it could be true of them or not. I can start." She smiles. "Of course, I know when my boys learned to swim. But you two, I have no idea. Cynthia, I do remember you coming over in that bikini all the time."

"Trying to get Daniel's attention," Cynthia says.

"You did," he says.

"You barely looked at me," she says.

"You just didn't notice," he says.

They exchange a lovey-dovey look.

Which is good, right? There's no sign of jealousy. No worry I'm going to steal his girl.

Maybe this is some non-issue Mama invented.

Mom waves her hand at them how silly and continues, "Ivy, I saw the way you looked at the pool again and again. The way a swimmer does. But maybe I misread. Maybe that's the way someone who learned late looks." Mom motions to the next person clockwise, Cynthia. "Your turn, sweetheart."

"Daniel never did come out to the pool with me," Cynthia says. "He rarely wants to go to the beach. But then I take it for granted too. And now that I think about it, I rarely see him in the water. He usually dips his feet. Or lounges with a beer." She looks at Daniel. "Did you really not know how to swim until you were fifteen?" Surprise fills her voice. She can't believe she didn't know.

"I'm not supposed to tell you yet," he says.

She smiles. "You didn't. Wow. It is his, right?" She looks to Mom.

"Let me ask Ivy and Romeo first." She looks to us. "Could you believe it?"

Ivy taps her chin. "I'd be surprised. I grew up on the swim team. I live in the water. I suppose I haven't ever been to the gym to swim laps with Romeo, but the way he looked at the pool… it wasn't the way I did, but it was with a similar affection for the water."

Mom nods. "He was on the swim team, too."

"I knew there was a reason your shoulders were so sexy." She blushes, but I can't tell if it's a put on or not.

Mom smiles. She's here. She's believing it. "Okay, next confession." She reads from the next folded index card. "Even though I grew up in Southern California, I've never been to Mexico." She smiles. "Well, I know that isn't any of us."

"And you know it's not Cynthia." Daniel laughs. "Since she came with us last year."

"Really?" My eyes go to Ivy. "You didn't tell me that."