Page 48 of The Pass
I don’t wake Sydney. We were up most of the night talking. Well, mostly talking.
The lake is still quiet and my buddy is too. I wish I knew what to say to make him feel better about talking with his family. I can’t do it for him any more than he can help me decide, so I do what I can which is drive his ass all around the lake.
We have lunch and then head back so he can get on the road. Sydney is sitting on the patio with a pair of bright green sunglasses that match the smallest bikini I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen some small ones.
My steps falter and I’m almost certain I trip over my tongue like a cartoon character.
“Ah, Syd, you missed a great morning out on the water,” Datson says, apparently impervious to the itsy bitsy teeny weenie, hot-green bikini attached to the hottest woman alive.
“Great and morning don’t belong in the same sentence,” she quips back.
He takes a seat on a chair next to her. I’m still trying to work my feet. She short-circuited whatever part of my brain is responsible for that.
“Look at you two,” Datson says, and I think he must have figured out that something’s different between us. Possibly because I’m staring like a goddamn idiot. “You’ve got fucking matching suits. Aren’t you two the cutest BFFs ever.”
I glance down at my bright green shorts and then back to Sydney. Sure enough.
“These are new. How’d you know?” I ask her.
“I didn’t. I bought this yesterday.”
“Adorbs.” Datson sits forward and claps his hands. “Well, as much as I’d love to third wheel it for another few days, maybe get a glimpse of the hot kisses I keep hearing about but not witnessing, I should get going.”
“Thanks for coming. It was good to see you. If you can get away again, you know where to find us. I think Benny and a couple of the younger guys are coming up for the Fourth.”
“I appreciate it.” He stands and Sydney does too to hug him. “Take care of him.”
“Always,” she reassures him. When she steps back, she lets her hands fall to his arms at the elbow and squeezes. “Careful driving back.”
By the time I walk Datson out to his truck and come back, Sydney’s poured us each a drink and reheated leftovers.
“I was hungry. Thought you might be, too.”
“Datson and I got lunch.” Dropping on the chair, I eat half of the food anyway before speaking again. “What do you want to do tonight?”
“I assumed you had some elaborate plan. If not, I’m good with just hanging at the house.”
“Oh, I have a plan. I just wanted to make it seem like you had a choice. We can chill here for a bit, but we leave for official date one at seven.”
* * *
“Sydney, you look amazing.”
I can see the faint blush of her cheeks even in the dim lighting of the restaurant. “Thank you. This place is incredible. Much better than Jonah’s garage, though, I had fun last night. Best date material. It’s going to be hard to beat it.”
“Oh, ye of little faith.”
“So, what does the official date one entail?”
“You’re looking at it.”
She waits for more. She knows me well.
“There’s a club upstairs. I doubt there’s much action on a Sunday night, but it’s supposed to have the best view of the entire lake.”
“And?”
My smile is big and immediate. “Boat ride home under the stars.”
