Page 55 of Cloudless
Ellie smiles as she runs her fingers through a sleeping Jasper’s hair as he lies on a towel next to her. “They wore me out, that’s for sure. My legs will be sore tomorrow from all the running through the water.”
Dax’s legs move closer to the fire as he stretches out on a towel across from me. “They gave us a better workout than Coach.”
Mace groans next to him. “For the love of all things hockey, never mention that to him or he’ll have us skating suicides.” A shiver runs through him that I’m sure has nothing to do with the chill in the air, and everything to do with vomiting his favorite Italian food after the last time we had to skate suicides.
A rare smile takes over Wyatt’s face as his eyes scan over our group.
Dax’s booming laugh causes Posey to stir on my shoulder. “It’s not my fault you have a weak stomach.”
I rub slow circles on Posey’s back as I shift her onto a towel next to me. Pins and needles race through my arms as I shake the feeling back into them.
Her nose scrunches as she turns her back to the fire and settles onto her side.
Lila’s eyes soften as she takes in her sister's peaceful sleeping form. Her voice is soft as she looks around the fire. “I could never thank you guys enough for all you’ve done for us.”
Ellie nudges Lila’s shoulder as smiles flow through our group. “You’re one of us now. We take care of our own.”
Lila’s eyes mirror the fire's reflection as she turns to study my face. Her voice is barely a whisper. “Yeah. I’m beginning to see that.”
Conversation flows to the upcoming game around us as our eyes stay locked together. As I lean closer, a bubble of solitude forms around us. “Take a walk with me, Sunshine.”
The start of a smile appears before it vanishes to be replaced by a furrowed brow. Her eyes move between her siblings as she shakes her head. “I can’t leave them.”
Ellie gently grabs Lila’s hand as a no-nonsense look takes over her face. “They’ll be fine here with us. Go on.”
They share a silent look before Lila’s eyes return to mine. “Okay.”
I raise my eyebrows as a smile takes over my face. “Yeah?”
Her smile returns as she nods. “Yeah. You’ve got thirty minutes, Trouble.”
My head spins as I stand too quickly after a day in the sun. I extend my hand to her, palm up, as a smile becomesa permanent fixture on my face. “We better make them count, then.”
Her hand slides into mine like it belongs there as I pull her to her feet.
We’re quiet as the warmth from the fire fades to be replaced by the chill in the night air.
The sand hardens beneath our feet as the sound of the waves grows closer. Flashes of green and purple light the pier on the horizon as the Ferris wheel spins.
The vastness of the dark ocean spreading before us makes me feel like I’m stranded in the expanse of space. It almost feels like we’re the only two people left in the world.
The minutes fly by as the pier looms closer. I’m already mourning the loss of our solitude. “We should probably head back.”
Tendrils of her hair reach for me in the wind. Her voice barely rises above the roar of the waves. “Yeah. You’re probably right.”
I follow her bare footprints as she turns back toward the way we came. We drift toward the water’s edge until Lila’s silhouette breaks the streak of moonlight reflecting off the surface.
The first wave washes over her feet and bubbles on its way back to its rightful place.
“Tell me something I don’t know about you.”
Her hair glows in the moonlight as she looks over her shoulder with a smile on her face. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
Her smile dances in her eyes. “That’s a tall order, Trouble.”
I mimic her smile as a wave comes within inches of my feet. “I’ll settle for one thing then. At least for now.”
