First There Was You

Chapter 14: Elle

June 24

Loon Call Island, Lake Rosseau, Muskoka

Punching out from work, I grab my small bag and wave goodbye to Hunter.

Greyson's already pulled the boat around and takes my bag from my hand as I approach.

"Still on for tonight?"

"Of course. Mum and Dad are on up on Georgian Bay for a work dinner. They'll be home tomorrow."

"You up to toss something on the grill at your place, watch a movie, or something. I'd like to spend some time together, just the two of us if that's cool with you."

I smile at him, equally excited, and only a little nervous, for some time alone with him. "Sure. Head there now?"

He offers me his hand, and I step down into the boat. I bite back a smile. In the past year, well two years really, all the boys have kind of been adopting the code of gentlemanly chivalry our fathers tend to stick to. No matter how many times I've jumped or scrambled into a boat, car, or walked through a doorway, recently, all the boys feel it's their duty to help me. Come winter, I'm sure they'll forget I've been putting my own coat on for years, too. They're certainly leaning into the gentleman act, hard.

When it comes to the boys and their dating lives, which, aside from introducing them to my friends, I am explicitly forbidden to interfere with, they're all very chivalrous. Theo sometimes pushes the boundaries of what's gentlemanly, but deep down, he's a sweetie, I think he's just a little misunderstood, and a lot of his bluster is for show.

Brodie and Greyson are the wild, unpredictable ones in the group. They're actually so similar, it's eerie. Their dark, brooding moods and rougher attitudes can be off-putting, but once you get to know them, they're marshmallows at the core. Although Brodie is a natural protector, a big-brother figure, whereas Greyson is, well, Greyson. I thought I'd had him pegged, but now, I'm just not sure.

Hudson is simply the perfect gentleman, though, but really we have Winston to thank for that as well. I stifle a giggle, thinking of our etiquette classes at the club, but shake those thoughts off.

When we pull up to my dock, I leap from the boat with the stern line in hand, pulling against the waves. Greyson pulls the nose in by tipping the throttle in reverse, spinning the wheel away from the dock. The engine revs loudly, fighting against the powerful waves.

He'd spent summer after summer helping me learn to park the big inboard boats. I always had an easier time with my smaller outboard engine, since I could tell which way the boat would go just by looking over my shoulder.

Last year, for my birthday, Greyson and Hudson bought me this ridiculous hook, making fun of me for my terrible parking skills. I've since learned and can manage well enough, but it had taken every ounce of Greyson and Hudson's collective patience to teach me.

Greyson tosses my bag over his shoulder and pauses before offering me his hand. I link my fingers with his, and my heart melts at his soft smile. We cut through the main house to grab two herb marinated chicken breasts from the freezer, some orzo pasta and a selection of fresh veggies we can toss on the grill.

Since we're staying home, I grab four bottles of low alcohol ginger beers from the fridge, making a note to tell my parents later.

Greyson grabs a market basket from the cupboard "Load me up."

I pack some basics from the pantry to take over, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper before picking some fresh herbs from the garden box. Greyson watches me curiously. He's a terrible cook, and we all know this. But, he grills to perfection. So whenever we have Greyson in the cooking rotation when we're not with our parents, we all know how to plan accordingly. He's also the best cook when we're camping, so he has some redeeming qualities in the non-conventional kitchen, so to say.