Page 3 of Older

He nodded. “I’m Reed.”

“Halley. Like the comet.”

We locked eyes.

He was too far away for me to make out the color, but they looked light. Lighter than my hollow hazel, even through the gloom of nightfall.

“The party was lame, so I came out here to get some air,” I continued. “The person you’re looking for is probably inside doing body shots with Jay Jennings.”

Reed rubbed a hand over his jaw, the other returning to his left pocket. “I really hope not.” He took a step closer to the water. “Do you need me to call you a taxi or something?”

“I don’t need a ride.” I ducked my chin before spinning back around and staring out at the lake. “Unless you have a boat.”

“Fresh out of boats.”

“I suppose I could swim.”

My back was facing him, but his voice sounded closer. “Swim to where?”

“Anywhere.” I shrugged. “Everywhere.”

“Mm,” he mused. “Bad night?”

Bad day. Bad night. Bad life.

“Something like that.” Cool water sloshed at my bare ankles before I plopped down and crossed my legs. “Anyway, I hope you find your person. Maybe they’re the one who’s lost and they’re waiting for you to find them.”

Silence answered for a few breaths before his voice broke through. “What are you doing?”

“Sitting in a lake.” I planted my hands in the sludge and wheeled around on my butt to face him, stretching out my legs. Off his baffled look, I frowned. “What?”

His fingers continued to coast over his stubbled jawline as he studied me. “This is a strange encounter.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, pulling a smile.

“I never thanked you for anything.”

“You might one day.” Leaning back on my palms, I danced my legs up and down, my red-tipped toes peeking out through the water’s surface. “One of my fondest memories is that one time I stumbled across a weird girl sitting fully clothed in a lake in the middle of the night.”

His eyebrows were so furrowed, he was actually scowling. “Really?”

“No.” I smiled again, and the upturn of my lips was foreign but pure. A priceless feeling. “You could join me. We could be weird together.”

“Think I’ll pass. Maybe another time.”

“Liar.” My smile faded, but the zippy feeling inside my chest refused to ebb. It sizzled and churned, crawling up my throat and sparking my tongue with more conversation. “How old are you?”

“Thirty-four.” He took another step forward until the water almost touched the toes of his worn black boots. “You?”

“Twenty-one.”

He was a lot older than me. Aged in that rugged, seasoned way, like he had stories to tell and experiences to share, yet an abundance more still to come.

He was good-looking, too.

Strikingly so.

Even the shadows couldn’t veil his angled cheekbones, strong jaw, silken waves of dark hair, and full lips that quirked with the barest smile when he took a seat in the sand.

---