Page 68 of Three Little Wishes

She did her slip-and-slide thing to the dock, giving Giant Killer Dog—he came up to her waist—a wide berth as she moved around him, and made her way to Lucky. There was only one way for Lucky to escape, and she was almost positive he wouldn’t jump in the water. They’d tried to get him to go in the day before, and he’d refused.

“All right, you be a good boy and don’t move, and I’ll give you a treat when we get home,” she said, slowly bending over in order to scoop him up without startling him, ignoring August, who yelled above the sound of pounding feet, “Be careful. Killer—”

Whatever else he was about to say was cut off by her screaming when Killer headbutted her, sending her into the water. It was a good thing she’d been almost at the edge of the dock or she could’ve been seriously injured. Lucky, who’d obviously been well named, sat looking down at her with his tongue lolling and his tail wagging.

August and Green Board Shorts Guy weren’t laughing when they hauled her out of the water. They both looked concerned. “Are you okay?” August asked.

“Yeah,” she said, feeling like a drowned rat. Her jeans were waterlogged and her top was… plastered to her chest. She didn’t think she could pull off Cami’schin up, tits out—she didn’t have much of a chest to speak of—definitely a lot less than the girls in the window. She hunched over, scooted past August and his friend, and scooped up Lucky, holding him to her chest.

“Thanks for pulling me out of the water. I’ve gotta go now. Bye,” she said, and hotfooted it down the dock.

“Hey, uh, Rainbow Girl,” August called out.

She turned and frowned.

He shrugged. “I don’t know your name. You’ve got a rainbow on your T-shirt.”

“Riley. My name’s Riley.”

“August, and Ty.” He jerked a thumb at his friend and then looped his fingers under Killer’s collar. “If you give me a minute, I’ll put Kill inside and give you a ride home.”

“Thanks, but I can walk.”

“Aren’t you staying at the Bennett place?” Ty asked.

“Yeah, but it’s not that far, and I can’t get much wetter than I already am. Thanks for the offer, though.”

“Riley, it’s at least a two-mile walk. Just give me a couple minutes,” August said, loping off without waiting for her response.

“He’ll just come after you so you might as well give in,” Ty said, then grimaced. “About the blond lady. I’m sorry I called her crazy. It’s just that it was a little weird. She’s like what… thirty? And she was flirting with a bunch of teenagers.”

“She has amnesia. She thinks she’s seventeen.”

“Seriously? Does she not see herself?” He held up his hand. “I mean, she’s hot. I just don’t understand how she can’t see that she’s a lot older than seventeen.” He ran his hand over his wet hair. “I’ll just shut up now.”

Riley smiled. He seemed like a nice guy, plus, Cami was right. He was super cute. Although Riley thought August was cuter. “It’s okay. I think Cami sees what she wants to see.” She grinned. “And she covers all the mirrors.”

“Yeah?” He laughed, glancing at the window when thedark-haired girl banged on the glass. “I’m being summoned. It was nice meeting you, Riley. You’re welcome to hang out with us at the sandbar whenever we’re there. You can bring your friend too.”

“Thanks.” She had a feeling the mean girls would make sure the invitation was rescinded if they found out about it.

August rounded the cottage. He had a blue blanket and held it out to her, lifting his chin at Lucky asleep in her arms. “Is it okay if I wrap the blanket around you?”

She nodded, her cheeks getting warm. “Thanks.”

“No problem. The red truck.” He pointed at the truck in the driveway. “I’ll be back in five,” he told his friend.

Ty nodded and walked around the side of the cottage with them. “When’s everyone else supposed to get here?”

“Around six,” August said, opening the truck’s passenger-side door for her. “You need a hand?”

“I’m okay, thanks.” It wasn’t easy but she managed to get into the seat without dropping Lucky or losing the blanket.

August closed the door, rounded the hood, and then got in and slid behind the wheel. “Did Ty apologize about calling your… She’s not your mother, is she?”

She shook her head. She knew he hadn’t meant to, but it felt a little as if he’d punched her in the stomach. She wondered if that was how her brother felt every time he walked into the beach house and remembered their mom. Maybe that was why he wanted to sell it.

“No.” Her voice came out husky, and she cleared her throat. “I mean, he did apologize. But Cami’s not my mother. She’s my friend.” She explained about the accident and how Cami thought she was seventeen.

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