Page 80 of Phoenix

Chapter 19

Nora

“Where’s Uncle Case?” Cadence asks from the pool with her little pink goggles over her eyes and pink floats on her arms.

“He had to work this morning. He’ll be here any minute now. Stay in the shallow end, Cadence,” Grayson says from the grill, as he flips the burgers.

I am sitting at one of the tables with Amelia under an umbrella, hiding from the sun for a few minutes, while a few of Cadence’s friends from school and their parents hang out in the water.

“About ready for a dip?” I ask, itching to get into the water.

“Don’t wait for me. I’ll be in shortly. I’m taking some pictures of everything then I’ll be there,” she replies, waving me on.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”

I stand and pull off my wrap to reveal my simple two-piece orange bathing suit.

“Are you coming in, Nora?” Cadence squeaks from the water.

“I am, Birthday Girl!”

“Yay! Yay!” She hops up and down in the water and cheers.

I walk around to the deep end of the pool and stand at the edge to take a breath before I dive in headfirst.

The crash of the water is the last thing I hear before I disappear under the surface of the cool liquid, relishing in the dull roar in my ears and the water enveloping me.

I move my arms through the water and kick my legs, sending me forward toward the other end of the pool until I pop up just beside Cadence and slick my hair back.

“You swam from all the way over there?” she asks excitedly.

“I did. I love to swim. I’ll teach you too one day,” I promise her. “Next time I come visit. Deal?” I offer her my pinky.

“Deal!” She locks her pinky with mine then looks behind me and her eyes light up. “Uncle Case! You’re here!”

I spin around to look for him and smile when our eyes lock. He returns my smile, only briefly, and his hands stay tucked firmly in his pockets. He doesn’t approach the pool edge, he stays back toward the tables and the grill.

“I’m here. Sorry I’m late. I had to make sure I got you the best gift in the world.” He holds up a large, pink, glittery bag.

“Yesssss,” Cadence says, as she goes back to playing with her friends.

I swim to the stairs and climb out, grabbing my towel from the back of the chair and wrapping it around my body as I approach Case.

“Hey, you,” I say, reaching out to squeeze his arm.

“Hi. Nice bikini.”

“I’m glad you approve.” I can feel Amelia staring at us, but I try to ignore it. “Have a good shift?”

The sun is starting to go down behind him now, leaving an orange hue cast over everything. He looks beautiful.

“Decent, yes,” he says. “Nothing to write home about.”

“Safe?”

“Always.”

He is shifty and seems to be a bit on edge. His posture is more tense than normal and he’s not the smiley man I’m used to. He’s an enigma to me sometimes, though, he’s not normally like this.

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