Page 25 of The Pass
“So, this is how you spend your summers? Boozing on the lake?”
“Pretty much.” He takes a drink. “Actually, there’s a lot more to do here. There’s a lot of good restaurants and bars along the water. There’s a decent golf course a few miles from the house, running trails, and my buddy Jonah lives right next to The Cove. It’s a bar and restaurant where they have concerts on Friday nights. We can hear the bands perfectly from his deck. He’s got a pool at his place too.”
“Who needs a pool?” I dip my head back and let my hair fall into the water. I want to forget everything that led to my being here, but I have a nagging worry that Tanner might need me to be here for him despite dodging any attempt I’ve made at bringing it up. “Are you okay? Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
It takes him a second to realize I’m talking about the breakup with Amelia. “Yeah, I’m fine. It was for the best.”
I don’t know if that’s true, but he seems like he’s doing all right, so I give him a pass for now.
We swim a little, mostly just float, until both our beers are empty.
“Now what?” I ask as we climb back onto the boat.
“First weekend on the lake… party cove.”
* * *
Whatever I expected,party cove is so much more. Rows of boats are lined up and tied together. Boats of all sizes and so many I lose track. Music pumps from a DJ stand at the end of one line.
Tanner pulls up to a huge boat with an upper deck blasting music that competes with that of the DJ. A guy with red hair and black swim trunks comes down to help us tie up.
“Shaw!” he says after the boat’s secure. “It’s good to see you.”
Tanner hops over onto the other boat and they embrace. He holds out his hand and helps me over. “Jonah, this is Sydney.”
Jonah grins, looks from me to Tanner and back at me. “This istheSydney?”
“Hey.” I wave awkwardly.
He steps forward and crushes me in a hug. He’s a big guy, not quite as tall as Tanner but more muscular.
“Sydney, this is my buddy, Jonah.”
When he finally frees me, he’s still grinning ear to ear. “It’s so rad to meet you. I’ve heard a ton about you. This guy basically never shuts up about you. ‘Sydney this, Sydney that.’” He smacks Tanner on the chest. “Come on up, Ollie and a few of the guys from last summer are here too.”
Jonah goes ahead and Tanner gives me a sheepish smile. “Ready to meet the lake crew?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Good answer. They’re a rowdy group, but harmless.”
After I’m introduced to everyone, we grab drinks and take a seat on the upper deck. In the short time since I glanced around at party cove, a ton more people have shown up, and as far as I can see, people are standing on their boats drinking and having a good time.
Shots flow as easy as water. Tanner passes, sticking to water or soda since he’s driving us back, but I get caught up in the excitement. I’m three shots in, dancing with girls I don’t know, and feeling it way more than I usually do when I realize we didn’t eat breakfast.
As if he can read my thoughts, Tanner appears with a sandwich.
“Oh, you’re a prince.” I snatch it from him, still swaying in place, and take a large bite.
He unscrews a cap on the water in his other hand and holds it out to me next.
“Seriously, I don’t deserve you.”
One of the girls dancing beside me smiles. “Aww, you two are the sweetest.” She sticks out her bottom lip. “I wish I had a boyfriend to take care of me.”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I say around another bite. The bread sticks to the roof of my mouth, making the words hard to understand.
“You two aren’t together?” She points from me to Tanner, and we both shake our heads.
