The Turnover - Luke Hughes

Chapter 6

Summer 2022 - June

Jack was Jentry's first, and only, love of her life. Weeks had passed into the summer, and time was moving too quickly for her. She just wanted it to all slow down. Although she tried her best to live in the present and make as many memories as possible, she dreaded the day coming when Jack would have to go back to Newark. But she tried her best to not think about it.

Instead, she dedicated every day to spending as much time as they could together. Whether it was grabbing ice cream at the marina diner, swimming in the lake, caddying for Jack while he played golf, or taking their religious Thursday afternoon naps on the basement couch, Jentry loved everything about it. If it included him, she was there.

And she was falling for Jack more and more every day.

Jentry was the first of the group to head inside for lunch after being on the water since the sun came up. She kicked her flip-flops off at the door and stepped into the basement, tugging on her white bathing suit cover up she'd left on the back of a chair, and walked upstairs. She padded into the kitchen, and opened the door to the refrigerator.

She stopped for a second and let the cold air of the fridge cool down her freshly sunned skin. She moved some items around, then proceeded to grab some lunch meat and sliced cheese for the boys to make them a sandwich. She grabbed the jar of sweet pickles for Ana and Luke, and some fresh strawberries and pineapple for herself and Quinn. She shut the fridge door with her shoulder, hands full, placing everything on the giant kitchen island behind her.

Jentry peered inside the pantry to get bread to make the sandwiches, as well as the jar of peanut butter for Emma since she didn't care for ham or turkey. She snagged Jack's favorite pretzels and some chips for everyone, turning once more to the island to assemble the sandwiches.

Jentry was the designated sandwich maker for everyone, because according to Luke, "They always taste so much better when she makes them." Jentry didn't think making a sandwich taste good was too difficult, but the boys never fail to throw a fit if she doesn't make them, so she never argued. Acts of service was her love language, anyway, so she didn't mind.

She smiled as she heard everyone else come inside from downstairs, picking out everyone's laugh and snide remarks. Ana came up first, bickering with Luke as he was drumming his fingers on top of her head, which Jentry notices he does quite often.

"Luke, shut up. You swim like you're drowning, and you can't even tread water without flailing your arms like a beached whale. Don't forget who swam competitively for ten years."

"Trying to flex on me, Ana Kate?" He smirked at her, his amber eyes sparkling with the color of his tan skin. "You're pretty fucking bad at ice skating, but I always try to help you instead of laughing at you. And ten years? I've been playing hockey for eleven."

"You cocky bastard," she pushed at his chest and grinned. "Next time, I'll leave you to drown." They both burst out laughing.

Luke turned his UMich hat around backwards and sprawled on the couch in the living room adjacent to the kitchen, stretching his legs out across the entirety of it. Ana perched on the arm of the couch beside him, pulling at his arm hairs to make him yelp and get on his nerves. He smacked her hands away, then grabbed her legs when she wasn't looking and wrestled her to the floor. He pinned her legs down with his knee and braced his arms to hold her shoulders down.

"Wanna try something else?" he teased her, laughing at the same time. "How ya gonna get yourself out of this one?" She struggled against his grip, but she couldn't move. He was twice the size of her.

"Goddamn it, Luke, let me go before I wring your neck," she threatened him, trying not to laugh under him. When he let her go, he joked, "Better watch yourself, Ana Emma. I won't let you up next time."