Page 93 of Fool Me

“Something like that.” It’s all she offers, but it’s enough that I can see the surprise I feel mirrored three times.

“Don’t push it,” Sloane adds like she can feel our excitement over the nugget of information. “Today we’re relaxing and having fun, not unpacking my baggage.”

Tessa leans a head on her shoulder. “As long as you let us carry the load at some point.”

“Maybe someday.”

The four of us walk over to where the guys are dragging tubes and paddleboards to the edge of the river. I grab an armful of life jackets and Tessa and Aspen grab the coolers, while Sloane and Briar each take a dry bag and rope.

We’re almost ready when another car pulls up and Drake steps out, looking like he’d rather be almost anywhere else.

“I thought you were going to bail on us,” Denver says.

Aspen’s head snaps up like she wasn’t expecting her brother either and then she’s racing over to give him a hug. He presses a kiss to the top of her head, whispering something before nodding to the group and sending Aspen back over.

“Almost did,” Drake says, so softly I almost miss it. What I don’t miss is the way Tessa’s posture changes, going stiff at the sound of his voice.

“You good?” I ask bumping her hip.

“I just didn’t expect him to be here is all.”

“Doesn’t seem like anyone did,” Atlas adds.

“He’s your teammate, right? You guys must see each other all the time during the season.” Drake rarely comes around unless it’s just him and Denver or Aspen. In the years I’ve lived in Timberline Peak, he’s never shown up for a group activity with everyone.

She shrugs. “He’s around, I suppose, but he avoids me like I’m the plague when our competitions overlap.” Her voice is filled with barely-disguised pain.

“That’s kind of rude. You guys have known each other your whole lives.”

“He’s just . . . Drake.” She says it like it’s an explanation. “I’m used to it. I’ll be fine.”

I slide my board into the water and Atlas holds it for me while I call Echo over, but my eyes stay on my friend. Once Echo’s safely on the front of the board, I slip my shorts off, stowing them in the dry bag at the back of the board.

Atlas groans and I find him watching me from the bank. “Thanks for the board, Denver, but I think I’m just going to stick on this one with Harlow,” Atlas says, his eyes raking over me slowly.

Denver chuckles, but I scoop up a handful of water, splashing him. “Absolutely not. There’s not enough room for the three of us.”

“I think that’s part of the appeal,” Denver says, helping his wife into her tube.

“Fine,” Atlas grumbles dramatically as he carries his board down the bank and joins us. Denver ties an extra tube to his and adds the cooler.

Tessa grabs her own board, joining us, letting her legs dangle into the water. Aspen follows, doing the same.

We’re just waiting for Drake to unload his board and join us. Next to me, Tessa huffs dramatically. Her annoyance with herteammate is plain as day as she pulls the cover-up she’s wearing over her head and hands it to me.

“Can you put that in your dry bag since we’re waiting?”

“Of course.” I take it from her.

Tessa adjusts the straps on her swimsuit as Aspen whistles next to her. “Shit, Tess. Those bottoms.”

“My sponsor gave them to me. I wasn’t sure about them, but I work too hard not to show it off.” She shifts to her knees on the board making her toned glutes pop even more in barely-there black bottoms.

“Are you going to make us wait all day?” Denver yells back toward the road.

“Hold your fucking horses, D.K.!” Drake shouts in return before he reappears from the back of his truck.

Tessa’s paddle slips into the water with a splash. Aspen scrambles after it, but Tessa can’t seem to pull her eyes from the tattooed statue with the paddle board hanging loosely at his side.

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