Page 37 of One Happy Summer

“You forget I was inLady of the Bladeand had to learn how to jump on the back of a Viking who was trying to invade our farmland.”

“I saw that one,” I say. It was years ago, though, and I barely remember it. I do, however, remember her in that torn-up gown, dirt on her face and sword in her hand as she fought for her land.

“But I did have a mounting block that they edited out in postproduction. I’m kind of surprised I was able to do it today,” she says, her breath on my ear as she talks, wreaking havoc on my already straining resolve.

“Well done,” I say. “But now what do you have planned?”

“I have no idea,” she says on a laugh. “In the movie I choked the Viking.”

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do that,” I say, locking my arms around her legs and holding her tight as I go farther out into the water.

“Briggs, what are you doing?” she asks as I move us deeper and deeper, holding on so she can’t get away.

“Exacting my revenge,” I say before dunking us both under.

I bring us both back up, still holding on to her, and hear her sputtering and coughing. I feel a little bad for doing that, but then she twists and breaks free from my grasp, slipping off my back and going under the water. I barely have time to react before she launches herself back up and onto me. I’m laughing as I lose my balance and fall back under the water, managing to grab her arm and take her down with me.

When we come back up, we’re both laughing and swiping water from our eyes.

“Are we calling a truce?” I ask, out of breath but feeling so much lighter than I have in a while. Playing with Presley in the water like this feels like a soothing relief for all my worries. A temporary one, but much needed.

“No way,” she says, doggy-paddling in place to keep afloat. I’ve got both feet on the ocean floor, my head easily above water.

She looks like she’s preparing to launch herself at me again, but then her eyes go wide, and she jumps at me, but it’s more like straight into me, her arms wrapping around my neck.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, looking her in the eyes.

“I felt something touch my leg,” she says, her body basically suction-cupped to mine.

My arms go around her, feeling instantly protective.

She lets out a little scream. “I felt it again,” she says.

I look down in the clear water, seeing something dark toward the bottom. I kick my foot around at whatever it is before realizing what I’m touching.

“It’s seaweed,” I say, a laugh bubbling up in my throat.

“What?” she asks, searching my face. “No, it wasn’t. It was a fish.”

“I’m pretty sure it was just seaweed, but even so I’m a bit shocked that the Lady of the Blade, who can jump on a Viking’s back, would be scared of a little fish.”

“It could have been a barracuda,” she says, still plastering her body against mine. I won’t lie and say I’m not enjoying holding her like this.

“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.”

“Are there barracuda in this ocean?”

“Absolutely,” I say, and she makes a little squeaking noise, her arms going tighter around me to the point that it does feel something akin to being choked.

“In all the time I’ve lived here, I’ve never seen one in the water,” I say, wiggling my neck a little and she loosens her grip, but only slightly. I’m mostly being truthful about never seeing a barracuda. I have seen one once, when I went deep sea fishing with Keith years ago and he caught one. But I didn’t know it was a barracuda until we brought it above water. It might have been the ugliest fish I’ve ever seen with its pointed head and huge, elongated mouth filled with sharp, jagged teeth. I hope I never see one again, to be honest.

“Really?” Presley asks, her eyes still wide. I can see tiny droplets of water on her long, dark lashes.

“Really,” I say.

She releases her grip a little, her body relaxing. Then, as if it finally dawns on her that she was practically adhered to me just seconds ago, she lets go completely, and I feel sort of disappointed.

“Should we make that sandcastle, then?” she asks, as if the last few minutes never happened.

---