Page 54 of Lucy Loves Him Not
“Back to work, folks!” Olivia shouted orders.
The sun was low in the sky and the yard, front and back, was looking beautiful. We planted flowers and a few baby trees. Fresh paint was on the fences. The porch had significant repairs done. Bag after bag was filled with weeds and brush.
The only people remaining were Adam, who was dramatically lying on the grass with his arm covering his eyes; my mom, who was in the kitchen rummaging around Olivia’s cupboards; Victor, who was seriously discussing patio plans with Olivia; and me. I was trying to focus on the patio conversation, but I was so hot and tired I just wanted to plop on the ground next to Adam.
“I think Adam’s done,” I whispered conspiratorially to Olivia, pointing to his splayed-out self.
Victor heard me and his eyes shot over to Adam. “You okay over there, man?” he shouted.
“You need a pool, Olivia. It’s too hot,” Adam moaned. “Why Texas, why?”
“You hot?” Victor asked, a bounce in his step as he walked over to him.
“I’m fried,” Adam said. “Literally fried.”
Before Adam could finish speaking, Victor sprayed Adam with water from the hose. Adam was up on his feet shouting in a second. The two fought over the hose for a minute and Olivia and I watched in entertained shock.
Victor’s eyes fell on Olivia. I started to back away as a visceral memory of junior high attempts at flirting rushed back to me.
“No, no, we are not teenagers.” She tried to back away, but stumbled into me instead. The two of us fell over each other to get away.
We both got sprayed.
But Olivia was fast and bolted. To my relief, Victor chased after her but dropped the hose, swapping for a water bottle to keep up.
I laughed at them from the back porch until I saw Adam race toward me from the corner of my eye, grabbing the hose on his way.
I screamed, but I was no runner. I attempted to escape but slid on my heel, tripping and falling back into his arms. He gallantly caught me while I giggled and shrieked.
I was happily trapped in his arms when he dowsed me. The cold water on such a hot day felt almost as good as his body against mine.
I twisted my arm up and turned the nozzle until it hit him, too. We were locked in a tight embrace, both getting sprayed and tripping over ourselves with laughter. We wound up on the grass. My ribs ached from laughter. We were spraying each other, tangling up, and pretending to fight with grass sticking to our wet clothes.
All I could think was,Adam. Adam. Adam.
His curly, wet locks fell across his forehead and the soaked tee shirt clung to his broad chest. His warm hands grabbed me as we fought over the hose.
We were tangled up together, breathless with laughter when Victor sprinted to us, snatching the hose from our slippery grips, and aiming it at Olivia who was close on his heels. We collapsed side by side on the ground, breathing heavily and completely drenched. His pinky brushed against mine. Our eyes met.
“What in the world is going on out here?” my mom asked from the doorway. She stepped outside.
“Mom, help!” Olivia giggled hysterically from Victor’s grasp, sounding thirteen.
Mom looked over at Adam and me. “Are you two okay? Every one of you is drenched!”
We sat up chuckling. “We’re fine,” I said.
“Finally cooler,” Adam said.
“It was a hose fight, but not a fair one,” I explained.
Mom shook her head at the lot of us. “These new guys,” she said.
Adam glowed at this. He gave me a sidelong glance, asking amusedly, “We have a reputation?”
“Of ruining things. The festival. My shirt.” I gestured to my soaked self.
His eyes slid down me. “I’m not sorry for any of it.”
