Julie stared down at her folded hands.
"Would you be happier if I stopped seeing your father?"
"I don't know," she mumbled. "I guess not." "What would make you happy?"
"I don't know." She gnawed her lower lip as tears filled her eyes. "I don't want him hurt, that's all."
"You think I'd hurt him?"
Shrugging, she wiped her eyes. "Everything was fine till you came along."
"Your dad wasn't fine. He was lonely."
"He had us."
"And he had a wife who'd run out on him. That left a big hole inside. Maybe he didn't let you see the hurt because he didn't want to make things worse for you and Benny, but it was there. And it isn't so bad anymore."
"Thanks to you, huh?"
"Thanks to the way we feel about each other."
Julie took a deep, trembling breath. She picked up her towel, and rubbed the tears from her face. "Nick's waiting for me," she muttered.
"You'll make his day when he sees you in that bikini."
"Trying to butter me up?"
"Yep. It's the truth, though. Look, Julie, I'm going to be your friend whether you like it or not. Because I love your father and I like you."
"You like me, huh? Sure."
"I do. And you'll get to like me, too, sooner or later. Before you know it, you and I are going to be buddies. Do you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm irresistibly charming."
Julie cracked a smile. "My ass," she said, and crawled out of the tent. The bright sunlight made her eyes ache. Standing, she brushed some dirt and pine needles off her knees. She felt strange — her mind vague, her muscles weak, her legs trembling. As she walked toward the lake, she tried to make sense out of her encounter with Karen. Her mind couldn't hold steady on it. Maybe everything had changed. Or maybe the talk had just confused her.
Nick, standing at the shore, was watching the twins wade in. He had a towel draped around his neck, and wore blue shorts that looked like the ones he slept in. When
Julie walked closer, he turned around as if sensing her approach. He gazed at her. She blushed, uncomfortably aware of her near nakedness and the way her breasts jiggled with the motion of her walk. "All set?" she asked.
Nick smiled thinly, nodded, and quickly turned away.
Julie realized that she liked how she'd felt while he was staring. Beneath her uneasiness, there'd been a kind of thrill. She found herself dashing past Nick, the chill water splashing up her legs. Knee-deep, she spun around, scooped up water with both hands, and flung it at him.
"No!" he cried. He raised his arms to block the cold shower, and cringed as it splashed against him.
Julie stood up straight. She frowned with pretended concern. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did that get you?"
He looked astonished for a moment. Then, laughing, he lunged forward, drove his hands into the water, and launched an icy barrage that pelted Julie from face to knees. Staggering away, she lost her footing. She yelped and fell, flapping her arms and hitting the lake flat on her back. She shuddered as the chill water closed over her. After the first shock, though, it didn't feel so bad. She pushed against the rocky bottom and sat up.
"Are you okay?" Nick asked. He sounded worried.
She wiped her eyes clear, and blinked up at him. "Was it a graceful entry?''
Rose and Heather were giggling.
"Beautiful," Nick told her.
"I'm so glad." Her bikini top felt slightly awry. She made sure her breasts were still in it, gave the front a small adjustment, and stood up. Nick stared as the water streamed off her.
"How's the water?" Dad called from behind him.
"Cold," she answered.
Karen was walking along close beside Dad, holding his hand. Her one-piece black suit clung to her like shiny skin. It was open in front with a wide, deep V that extended down to her belly. The lower part of the suit seemed even more revealing, cut so high at the sides that it left her hipbones bare and formed a long, lean triangle down to her groin.
Benny, off to one side and slightly behind Karen, was agape as he stared at her.
Someone whistled. Julie spotted Flash near one of the tents, his arms loaded with firewood. The whistle caught Nick's attention. He looked over his shoulder at the same time that Karen turned around to say something to Flash. Julie sighed. The suit was backless and almost bottomless, so narrow down the buttocks that it left the sides of her cheeks bare. They were lean, and smooth.
"Come on, Nick."
He kept staring.
"Forget it. She's already taken."
He faced Julie, innocently raising his eyebrows as if he'd been caught daydreaming by a teacher.
"Besides," Julie said, "isn't she a little old for you?"
His eyebrows dropped to their normal level, and the corners of his mouth turned up. "Yeah," he said. "She's sure something to look at, though."
"Tell me about it," Julie muttered, feeling a little sick.
"She's gorgeous, in fact."
"Not to mention irresistibly charming."
Nick opened his mouth to speak, but Julie whirled away and dived, hitting the water flat out and swimming hard. Bastard, she thought. Damn it all to hell. The bitch is irresistible. Has Dad head over heels, and Benny damn near swooning. Even Nick's got the hots for her. Parading around damn near naked. Flash whistling at her. He didn't whistle at me. What am I, dog food? Damn her! Wants to be my friend. Sure, sure.
Julie realized she was crying, sobbing into the water. She choked and came up for air.
Wonderful. Drown yourself.
She kept her head above the surface, but continued to swim as hard as she could. She didn't look back. She was near the center of the lake, so she turned to the right and swam parallel to the shore.
She saw a small inlet where a slab of granite slanted out of the water. She sidestroked toward it. When she reached the rock, she crawled up it and lay down flat. She crossed her arms under her face. The surface was hot and gritty against her skin. The sun on her back felt good. She panted for air, and tried to stop sobbing.
Then she heard splashes. Someone swimming not far away. Coming closer.
Go away, she thought. Whoever you are, go away and leave me alone.
Down near her feet, the splashing stopped. She didn't bother looking around.
"You're pretty fast." Nick.
"A regular speed demon," she muttered.
"Mind if I come up and join you?"
"I don't care."
She heard a swoosh of water, then dribbling sounds as he crawled up the rock. He sat down close beside her and leaned back, bracing himself up with stiff arms. His slim belly, streaming with water, heaved as he gasped for breath. "You mad at me?" he asked.
"Why should I be mad?" Julie muttered, and turned her head aside so she wouldn't have to look at him.
"I don't know. Because I made you fall?"
"It wasn't that."
"Then you are mad at me. What'd I do?"
"Nothing," she mumbled.
"I don't get it."
"That's okay. You don't have to get it."
"Is it because I was staring at you? Like the other night when you yelled at me?"
"I didn't yell," she protested.
"You said, 'Take a picture. It lasts longer.' If that's it, I'm sorry. Really. It's hard not to stare, though. You're so. "He hesitated.
"What?"
"Well, you know — beautiful. I keep trying not to stare, but then you come along in something like. like what you're wearing, and…"
She raised her head and looked at Nick. He was frowning out at the lake. "You think I was angry because you were staring at me?"