The Senator's Son (2016 Watty Award Winner)

Chapter 3

Emma

I was the first awake. I stole a few minutes staring at a sleeping Jake. His soft breath and contented face was peaceful. I wanted to slip my arms around him but didn't dare. How many times had we slept together since we were kids? Too many to count and not once had he ever made an advance no matter how much I wished for it.

I eased myself out of bed so I wouldn't wake him and decided to extend the olive branch to my fellow cabin mates by putting on a pot of coffee. The smell lulled some from their slumber, mostly the princes who intended to get in some early morning fishing. Jake was one of them. I watched as he walked to the kitchen, bleary-eyed and mumbling a good morning. Zach was the last to make an appearance and I smiled at him and he smiled back and winked. Then a thought occurred to me. What if he thought I was flirting? He was nice and all, easy on the eyes, but I wasn't interested. Besides, he had a girlfriend.

"We got to hurry up if we want to get an early start. Fifteen minutes and I want us out of here," Brett barked.

"I could whip up a quick breakfast," I suggested.

Four pairs of eyes stared at me. Slowly they all nodded in agreement. I went to work cracking eggs and frying bacon. I threw in some toast since there wasn't time for hash browns. None said a word as they wolfed down food and twenty minutes later were all gone. In that time not one of the princesses had stirred. I cleaned up without making a peep because I hoped none would wake up. I had no intention of making any of them breakfast.

I took some peanut butter laden toast, a book, a lawn chair and sat by the lake. A couple of hours passed and I didn't see the princesses. I knew they were all awake and fending for themselves. I didn't even leave them a drop of coffee. By mid-morning a few had ventured outside to sunbathe. None said hello.

Knowing the guys would be back soon, and wanting to get in a quick call to Dad since I'd forgotten the night before, I returned to the cabin. By now all four were outside, all sunbathing in their designer bikinis and perfect, taut bodies. Still no hello. Not to be deterred I decided to speak.

"Hi, everyone."

One head rose and looked at me from behind her sunglasses. She sort of nodded. The rest were silent. I went inside and decided at that moment not to make another attempt to befriend them. What for?

I poured myself a glass of water and looked for Jake's phone. Knowing him like I did, he wouldn't dare take it out on the water and risk losing it. How would he communicate with Bianca? As expected, it was resting next to the bed and I grabbed it. What did he say his password was? I tried a few but to no avail. There wasn't a landline and I wasn't about to ask one of the princesses to borrow a phone. I made a few more attempts and when I was about to give up, it hit me. The last four digits of his grandparent's phone number. I punched it in and mercifully unlocked the phone.

He had several text messages and I assumed most, if not all, were from Bianca. He'd been texting her before he'd fallen asleep. The incessant tapping annoyed the hell out of me.

I dialed the first few numbers to my house when another of her texts popped up.

Bianca: Fishing? I'm soooo bored. That mutt following you around everywhere?

Mutt? I'd never snooped through Jake's phone before, but this text caught my attention. Was she referring to me? Obviously. My heart picked up a few beats and blood pulsed through my veins. I opened up his text messages and scrolled back through at least a couple dozen. What else did she have to say about me?

Bianca: OMG! I am so sick of her. How can you stand that bitch?

Jake: I don't!

Bianca: She stares at you like a fucking creepazoid. So weird like she's going to lock you up in her basement and never let you out.