The-Lucky-List-Rachael-Lippincott

shoulder.
Looking over, I see a red lifeguard float sitting atop the water, Matt at the other end of it, a playful
grin I haven’t seen since before junior prom plastered on his face.
“Looked like you needed rescuing,” he says.
I push my hair out of my face, glaring as I toss the float back at him. “Rescue yourself, Matt!”
He laughs, and I splash him square in the face, but his hands reach out to grab mine, stopping me
from splashing again as he takes a step closer to me. His normally unkempt hair is slicked back with
lake water, his shoulders and chest red from belly flopping.
Despite myself, I think of Blake in Huckabee Pool, my breath hitching as she took that step closer
to me. How different that moment felt compared to this one. How much… more.
Almost instinctively, I pull my hands out of Matt’s, but I know even before I see his face fall that
it’s the wrong move.
Stay on course, Emily.
I look back up at him, giving me a small smile as I hold up my freshly tattooed arm, the dishwashing
glove lost somewhere in my tumble. “I need to go disinfect this,” I say, oering an explanation as I grab
my donut float and turn back toward the dock. “And you need to go lose your belly-flop competition.”
He grabs my arm, stopping me. “You going to the bonfire tonight?” he asks.
e Midnight Bonfire. It’s a Huckabee Lake trip tradition. One that’s gone on since the very first trip
a bajillion years ago. e teachers turn a blind eye for the night, and all the students sneak out, heading
to the lake for a bonfire and some after-hours fun.
I nod and he smiles, letting go of my arm. “Good,” he says, pushing o onto his back. “I’ll see you
tonight.”
I look just past him to Kiera in her inner tube. She shoots me two thumbs-up, a huge grin plastered
on her face. “See you tonight,” I echo.
I head back to the dock, chucking the donut onto the worn wood, purposefully avoiding Blake’s
gaze. I go to push myself up, stopping short when her hand reaches out to help me.
My fingers slide into her palm, and she pulls me up until her face is inches from mine. My gaze
moves from her honey-brown eyes to her lips, then back again.
The same moment with Matt a moment ago.
Only this time, my heart can’t keep time in my chest.
I pull my hand away, quickly stepping back.
“You heading back up?” she asks.
“Uh, yeah,” I say, pushing my hair behind my ear.
“I want to grab some water from the dining hall,” she says as she grabs her sketchbook off the dock.
We head up the forest path to the lodge, the trees wrapping around us as we walk, her hand
bumping lightly against mine. I cross my arms to stop it from happening.
e path narrows so she steps ahead of me, and I watch as she tucks the pencil she was using behind
her ear, calling back to me, “Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah,” I say, unsure of what she’s going to say.
“Are you avoiding me?”
“What? No!”