Page 45 of Hell In A Handbasket
“What’s your question, Mia?”
“Oh!” She reveals the photograph again and turns it around for me to see. “Where do babies come from?”
FLETCH
Jen Lawrence—daughter of our fuckin’mayor—doesn’t seem to mind attention. She’s long, lean, ridiculously tall for a chick, and despite the itty-bitty bikini she tugged from her suitcase on the bus, the teeny-tiny kind that covers only her most private places, she runs off a long dock and cannonballs heavily into the lake, landing a mere foot from Corey’s face and splashing him remorselessly. And because he doesn’t seem all that upset about it, he grabs her under the water and crushes her close, dragging her above the surface and laughing at her sputtering exhale.
“Get in the water, Mayet.” Archer wades just a half dozen feet from the dock, treading water and shaking his head. Because Minka refuses to take off her towel and reveal the body weallknow she’s got under it.
Fuck, it doesn’t take a blind man to see who she is beneath her fancy blouses and sleek black pants.
Everyone else swims. Soph. Jess. Ellie. And what a fuckin’ co-inky-dink—they brought enough swimsuits for Minka, Aubree, and Christabelle, too.
“Take your towel off and get in.”
“Archer!” Minka grits her teeth, clutching her towel and glancing left as Aubree jumps in beside Tim. “I’m not walking around half naked in front of these people!”
“So get in the fucking water,” he laughs. “No one will see you once you’re in.”
“Do you need us to turn around?” Cato teases. “I mean, I won’t. I’m absolutely gonna look. But you cansayyou want us to turn around if that helps. Most of the rest of ‘em are married, so they’ll avoid peeking at your pasty ass anyway.”
“Get in, Mayet!” Sophia throws a handful of water toward the dock. Kind of useless, I guess. But it splashes Minka’s toes. “You could probably even use this opportunity to try to drown me.”
“Sugar Plum!” Jay yanks the ballerina behind his back. “I know you think you’re kidding, but I’m not ready to lose you today.”
She scoffs. “She’s without claws, babe.”
Minka’s eyes narrow.
“She likes toactbad. Big words. Big threats. But she ain’t shit without her scalpel and building full of scared little techs who fall over themselves to please her.”
“You’re supposed to apologize,” Jess heckles. “Not taunt. Damn, Soph! You’re the worst at this.”
“I did apologize! I gave her two of my Snickers bars. Two!”
Jay nods. “That’s kind of a big deal.”
“But she’s holding on to her shit and acting like a baby. So whatever. I’m gonna enjoy a day of swimming at the lake with my friends, and her frigid ass can stay out there, all alone, even though I know she really, really wants to get in.”
“Idon’twant to get in.” Minka folds her arms, lifting her chin and staring down at Archer. “I want to go back to the bus, pack our things, and catch our flight.”
“We’re still hours away from our flight, Minnnka.” Archer crooks his fingers. “Get in the water. Youloveswimming. I know you do.”
“I love swimming with you. In privacy.” Her lips peel back to reveal a feral sneer. “Not with liars and cheats.”
“Oh, boo fucking hoo,” Soph mocks. “Aubree’s in the fucking water, you big sissy! She’s forgiven me.”
“If she doesn’t wanna get in, she doesn’t have to get in.” Spence climbs out of the water and onto the dock, his massive, seven-foot frame creating a shadow over Minka’s unhappy scowl. Water pools at his feet, dripping straight through the wooden slats and back into the lake. But he shakes his head. “Grow up, fools. She doesn’t wanna swim.”
“Thank you.” Minka firms her lips. “I appreciate your?—”
“Oops.” He snags the towel with one hand and tosses her with the other, chuckling as she flails and falls, arms and legs twisting and a cry of rage cutting off with a gurgle when she hits the water and Archer dives for her.
“You’re gonna regret that,” Aubree hisses, clinging to Tim. “She’s gonna kill you, dude.”
Minka resurfaces, exploding with a gasp. “You asshole!” Hair covers half her face, but her fighting fists swinging through the air, her furious arms as she battles Archer’s grip, are his more immediate concern. “You weasel bastard!”
Ellie cackles. “Weasel? Babes, I’m not sure anyone hasevercalled him that.”
