“He’s nice.” I shrugged, and studied the woman in a red robe on the cover of the book. What was she hiding?
“You’ve mentioned that.” Sam bopped my knee with his. “What does he think about your writing?” He tapped the sheets of paper on the bed.
“I don’t know, really,” I said. “I haven’t given him any of it to read. It’s kind of personal, you know?”
“Too personal for your boyfriend?” Sam asked, smirking.
“You know what I mean.” I kicked him. “I’ll share one with him at some point, but it’s scary to have other people read your work.”
“But it’s not scary when I read them?” He looked up at me from under his lashes.
“Well, when you read them in front of me, it is,” I evaded. “But no, I trust you.” Sam seemed satisfied with that answer.
“So other than the fact that he’s nice, what do you like about him?” It wasn’t a snarky question. He seemed genuinely curious. I twisted the embroidered bracelet around my wrist.
“He likes me back,” I said truthfully, and Sam didn’t ask any more questions after that.
* * *
EVERY NOW AND then I’d learn something about Charlie that threw my entire perception of him into question. He was driving around in a trusty old blue pickup truck that his grandfather had handed down to him “on account of my excellent grades,” he explained. I’d laughed, when he’d told me, assuming he was joking, but his dimples vanished. I frowned. “Full academic scholarship and everything,” he said. “Don’t look so shocked.”
He still preferred to take the Banana Boat in to work. “I like feeling the wind on me after spending the night in that hellhole,” he explained. “Besides,” he continued with a wink, “the boat is more convenient for post-shift skinny-dipping.” And that was the Charlie I knew.
Jumping in the lake butt naked after our shifts had become a ritual. I assumed Sue knew what was going on—we weren’t exactly quiet—and my parents had seen me walk into the cottage with a towel wrapped around me and my work clothes in my fist, but no one seemed to care too much. I caught bits and pieces of body parts, and that wasn’t always by accident, but mostly it was an innocent way to blow off steam.
Charlie’s latest fling, Anita, joined us on occasion. She was a bit older and had a cottage further down on the lake, but her presence did nothing to stop Charlie from crossing any and every line he could.
We were swimming after a Thursday shift. Charlie and Anita drank beers standing in the water by the end of the dock, whispering and laughing and kissing, while Sam and I floated on pool noodles further out.
“Don’t you think Percy’s a knockout?” Charlie asked loud enough for us to hear.
“I already told you that I do,” Anita giggled. I could see the tops of her small breasts peeking out from the water and felt my face heat.
“Right, I must have forgotten,” Charlie said to her with a kiss on her cheek.
“I’ll bet,” Sam laughed, but I felt uneasy. It seemed like Charlie was working up to something. I inched toward Sam and my foot kicked his leg, startling him. We were close enough now that I could see the way his chest glowed milky white under the water.
“You know, Pers,” Charlie drawled, “Anita and I both think you’re hot. Maybe you should join us sometime.”
My mouth dropped open, and I felt Sam’s foot wrap around my ankle.
“Leave her alone, Charlie,” Anita scolded. “You’re freaking her out.”
“I have a boyfriend,” I replied, trying to sound bored but bracing myself. It didn’t seem like Charlie had hit the punch line yet.
“Oh, that’s right,” Charlie replied. “Some rich guy. Sam told me. It’s too bad, though I’m not surprised. A beautiful, smart, funny girl like yourself, who not to mention grew quite the rack last year.”
“Charlie,” Sam warned.
“What? It’s true. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed, Samuel,” he went on. “Seriously, Pers, I can’t imagine that any guy wouldn’t be falling over himself to be with you.” Bull’s-eye.
“Fuck you, Charlie,” Sam said, but his brother was whispering something to Anita, who was looking in my direction and making a sad awww noise.
“Oh my god.” I hadn’t realized the words had left my mouth until I noticed Sam staring at me.
“You okay?” he whispered, but I didn’t reply. Charlie and Anita were climbing out of the water, neither of them in any hurry to cover themselves with a towel.