Like Bees to Honey | gxg

16. No and Yes

It was a perfect day for boating. The sun hung high in a crystal blue sky and waves barely rocked the worn boards of the dock under Sabina's feet. She set down the cooler for a rest and stretched her arms above her head, looking out over the calm lake and the green vineyards climbing the mountain slopes beyond. She decided she was going to enjoy herself today.

Behind her, Mel said, "Let me help you with that." She scooped up the heavy cooler as though it weighed nothing and sauntered off down the dock, whistling.

Riley looked at Sabina.

"Don't think it so loudly," she grumbled.

They adjusted their mirrored sunglasses on their nose. "I'm hurt that you would accuse me of having any thoughts in my brain at all."

The two of them trailed Mel to the ski boat, with its water skis strapped to the tower and an inboard motor tucked somewhere underneath. Cracks in the seat cushions revealed it to be well-used but it was still luxurious, the kind of boat tourists would rent for fifteen hundred dollars a day.

Isaac leaned over the side to take the cooler from Mel and slid it under the driver's seat. "That's everything in."

"You're sure you've got enough life jackets?" Sabina asked.

He winked and passed her a neon-green personal flotation device. "Safety first. But we should get going before a tourist walks up looking for a last-minute rental and my parents kick us off."

They all tucked their sandals into the mesh along the side walls and Sabina put the life jacket on, even though everyone else was just wearing t-shirts or their bathing suits. Otis already sat up in the bow, which was good because his presence had been an unpleasant surprise and she was happy to be as far away from him as possible. Mel joined Alice on the bench seat in the back. Sabina thought Riley would sit with her in the seats that faced backwards, where they could watch the wake like the two of them used to do when they were kids and Riley's grandpa would take them out on his noisy old boat. Instead, they moved up into the bow. That left Sabina alone with Mel and Alice.

"Don't go up there," she said in a sudden panic. "Sit back here with me."

Riley stopped, one hand on the open windscreen. For a moment she thought they would see her discomfort and come back.

But Otis let out a snort of laughter. "You still let her boss you around like that?"

Riley's cheeks pinked. Now Mel and Alice were looking at them too.

"I'm gonna sit in the bow," Riley said, the look on their face somewhere between defiance and sympathy, and folded themself into the bow seat across from Otis.

"Don't worry," Mel said in a stage whisper. "We're gonna have more fun back here." From the front of the boat, Otis made a rude gesture at her. She might have meant it kindly, but it just made Sabina hyperaware that she was standing in the back of the boat wearing her life jacket with everyone's eyes on her.

She reminded herself that she was going to have fun today, and sat down behind the driver's seat like that had been her plan all along.

"Okay," Isaac said, with a big, oblivious smile. "Everyone got a seat? Let's do this." He fiddled with the controls on the dash, and the motor puttered to life.

The wind whipped Sabina's ponytail into her face as he took them out into the lake, bow bouncing off the small, rippling waves. Watching the sun sparkle in the spray and the deep wake spreading out behind them, she tried not to worry about what it meant that Riley would rather sit with Otis than with her.

Across from her, Alice leaned in to speak to Mel. Sabina couldn't hear over the motor, but she had eyes. She could see Alice's flirty smile, the familiar way she put her hand against Mel's shoulder.