Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
I frowned. “Fine. I’ll try again.” I gripped it harder, and again, it didn’t start, but at least it didn’t hurt my arm as much.
“You’ll flood it if you don’t get it started soon.”
“Yeah, yeah.” On the third attempt, it started. “I did it!”
“Sit. You’re going to fall out of the boat. Let’s try less celebrating and more concentrating.” He showed me how to make it go, how to steer the tiller in the opposite direction from our intended direction, and how to stop when we reached our spot to fish. Despite his repeated eye rolls and smirks, I thought I did a great job.
“Do I need to show you how to put the worm on the hook?”
“No.” I wrinkled my nose. “I know how to fish. My grandpa taught me.”
“But he didn’t teach you how to drive a boat?”
I shook my head, putting the worm on my hook. “He just fished off the dock. Catch and release.”
Kyle cast his line. “That’s all we’ll be doing. I don’t think we’ll catch anything worthy of dinner in this lake.”
We reeled in our lines and cast again.
“I didn’t get a chance to ask what you and Josh did this afternoon,” he said.
“We picked apples, chased butterflies, and then he played in his room while I snooped around in yours,” I said and bit my lip to keep from grinning while my attention stayed on my line.
I felt his gaze on me briefly before he watched his line again. “I know you’re trying to get a reaction out of me, but I also don’t think you’re lying either. You just think I’m going to think that you’re lying. So, did you find anything interesting in my room?”
“Besides your Playboy magazines? No.”
Kyle paused his hands. “July is my favorite.” Then he resumed reeling in his line.
He was right. I tried to disguise the truth as a lie or a joke. I did snoop in his room, and I did find his Playboy magazines.
“I didn’t open any drawers. And I only looked under the mattress just to appease my ridiculous side. I honestly didn’t think you’d have magazines there.” I fought my smile. “I was wrong.”
“The articles are really good.”
I laughed. “Stop.”
He grinned. “It’s true. There was a recent article on AIDS that was well written and thoroughly researched.”
“Is that what you read to Josh at night? Thoroughly researched articles about a deadly virus?”
“No. He just likes to look at the pictures.”
“Coach Collins, you’re a pervert.”
“You mean a hot-blooded man.”
“Oh! I got a bite!” I pulled up on my pole and reeled in the fish.
“Nice one.” Kyle grabbed the fish.
“I can take it off,” I said.
He eyed me with surprise and held my pole while I removed the fish and gently returned it to the lake.
“I should have brought my camera,” Kyle said, handing me my pole.
“Why? So you could take a photo of me and my fish that I couldn’t show anyone because, according to you, this isn’t happening?”
“You’re right. This is our moment. I might not remember the look on your face when it tugged at your line, but I’ll never forget the look on your face when you tried to start the boat.”
“Oh, really? My pain is more memorable to you than my joy?”
“Everything about you is memorable.” As soon as he said the words, he got a look on his face that I would never forget.
Panic.
“I meant entertaining. I find your actions entertaining.”
“As entertaining as the magazines under your bed?”
“Did your parents forget to teach you manners and proper etiquette for respecting other people’s privacy?”
“I told you I didn’t open any drawers.”
“For someone with such a biblical name, you make me think Eve is just short for evil.”
“Stop!” I shoved him playfully just as he leaned toward the edge.
I repeat. It was a playful shove.
Yet, he fell out of the boat.
“Oh shit! Kyle?”
He emerged and shook his head like a wet dog. “What the hell, Eve?”
I cupped a hand over my mouth while my other hand gripped the side of the boat as it rocked from his body rolling out of it.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
“Of course, I’m okay,” he grumbled. “Now, help me back in the boat.” He reached a hand toward me.
I don’t know why he thought the same arm that struggled to start the boat would magically have the strength to hoist his two-hundred-pound body into it without the whole thing capsizing. However, I had no choice but to trust him. So I gave him my hand.
“Kyle—” My words died as he pulled me into the water. I surfaced and wiped my eyes while he climbed into the boat without help. “You jerk! You did that on purpose! What if I can’t swim?”
He reached under the seat and tossed me a life jacket. Then he peeled off his T-shirt and rung it out over the side of the boat. “There was this article on boat safety in one of my magazines. Did you happen to read it when you were snooping?”