Love Fool (One Night Only Season 2: Hunter's Story)

Chapter Four

The beach in front of my family's camp transforms into the lake's social hotspot for the evening about an hour after we finish cleaning up from dinner. Some neighbors walk over, and others drive. One family arrives via the lake in their pontoon boat, which they anchor at our dock.

Summer bonfires are where my parents come to life. Dad is already in his element, spinning up tales from today's fishing adventures to Hank Reid, one of his oldest friends from a few camps down the road. I keep a low profile on the outskirts of the growing gathering. None of the guests that have arrived so far are who I'm waiting for.

"When did you get so quiet and serious?" Darla Reid, Hank's wife, teases me. "I don't remember the last time I saw you by yourself. You're usually tearing around the lake and causing mischief with those friends of yours."

She means Trinity and Landon, and our friend Adam. The next question is likely to be where the three of them are. Adam had other plans for tonight, and I don't mind his name coming up. It's the other two I would rather not talk about.

"I guess I've grown up since last summer," I reply.

"I guess so." Darla's voice takes on a note of nostalgia. "It's hard to believe you're heading into your last year of high school, and that Paisley's about to start. I swear both of you were just babies, and the same with Trinity and Brooke."

There was no chance I was getting through tonight without one of the adults here bringing up Trin. We were rarely spotted without one another during past summers at the lake, even before we dated. I search my brain for a reason I need to be somewhere else, but nothing materializes before Darla speaks again.

"Where is Trinity, by the way? I haven't seen her since last summer."

If she's asking me this question, then it means news of me being on the outs with Trinity and Landon, and why that is, hasn't yet circulated throughout the lake's gossip grapevine.

I clear my throat. "You'll have to ask Brooke. And, I apologize, but I just remembered that I didn't tie up the pedal boat earlier. I'll never hear the end of it if we find it in the middle of the lake in the morning."

I excuse myself and make a break for the beach, praying that Darla can't spot the ropes tied to the handles of my family's pedal boat from here. Once I reach the boat, I pretend to fiddle with the ropes, in case Darla or someone else is watching me.

I do this for a few minutes to buy myself as much time as possible before I'll have to return to the party. When I finally look up from what I'm doing and risk peeping in that direction, I spot the person I most want to spend time with tonight.

Like me, Deni has broken away from the group of people congregated near the fire pit. Her back is to me, and she's changed clothes from the shorts and tank top she wore this morning to jeans and a periwinkle hoodie, but I would recognize her anywhere. She holds Alfie's leash in her hand as she gazes out over the lake. I watch her until she moves again.

This might be the only opportunity I have to talk to her tonight without other people around. I abandon my spot at the pedal boat and hurry across the beach to catch up to her.

"Are you always this antisocial?" I joke. Deni jumps at my voice, even though I wasn't trying to sneak up on her. "Scared you, didn't I?"

It's the second time today I've startled her. I'm going to have to work on that.

"I didn't hear you coming." She pivots to face me.

"Don't you want to be up by the fire to roast marshmallows and hot dogs, or are you plotting your escape back to civilization?" I squint at her, trying to appear deep in thought.