Page 34 of Baby, It’s You (Clairesville #1)

Olive

T o say I rushed out of the truck would be an understatement.

I practically jumped out of my seat when I realized how close we just were to kissing.

I constantly catch myself letting my guard down around Hunter, which terrifies me.

He gets out of the driver’s side and gives me a quick, inquisitive look before heading to the bed of his truck.

I meet him around the back and grab a pop-up chair, slinging it over my shoulder.

“It’s fine, I can carry that,” he tells me as he reaches for it.

I pull back gently. “You know, I’m not some fragile little bird; I can carry stuff. I carry kegs at work.”

“I know that,” he tells me, “I just want to help if I’m here.”

Before I can respond, I see his two best friends, Wes and Eddie, walk up towards us. Wes gives me a huge smile, his blond hair shining like silk in the brutal sunlight. “Hey, Fruity O’s!”

I groan. “Oh god, is that nickname going to stick?”

Eddie chuckles. “Wes is all about nicknames. You got off easy.”

“Oh yeah?” I raise an eyebrow. “Well, let’s hear these other nicknames.”

Eddie points to himself. “Bologna.” Then he points to Hunter. “Hot Dog.”

“I’m noticing a food theme.” I look at Wes.

“Well, Eddie used to have a bologna sandwich every single day for lunch growing up.”

“And you?” I turn to Hunter and ask him.

Hunter deadpans. “I ate too many hotdogs at his ninth birthday and threw up all over the place.”

“And how many hot dogs was that?”

“Six,” Eddie, Wes, and Hunter all say in unison.

“Hmmm, so five is the perfect number of hotdogs, then.” I playfully tap my index finger to my mouth. “Good to know.”

“Mind you, I was nine years old. I could eat way more now,” Hunter points out.

“Did you know every hot dog you eat takes thirty-six minutes off your life?” Eddie adds.

Wes groans. “Don’t mind him. Eddie is our professional party pooper. Mr. Intellectual Health Nut,” he says in an uppity British accent.

“Okay, I’m not even British? Also, sorry for caring about what I fuel my body with. My body is a temple.”

A beautiful tall girl with braids walks up behind Eddie, smacking his back. “‘My body is a temple,’” she mocks while making air quotes. Then she walks past Eddie and gives Hunter a hug.

“Hey! I haven’t seen you in forever.” She squeezes him tight and then grabs onto his shoulders as she pulls away.

“Hey, Leena! Yeah, it’s been ages.” He smiles kindly at her. “This is Olive.” He turns, motioning to me.

Her face lights up as she looks at me. “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, Hunter! And she's gorgeous .” She walks towards me. “Is it okay if I hug you? I’m a hugger.”

She pulls me into her arms before I can even tell her it’s fine as I hear Hunter say, “She’s not my girlfriend, just a good friend.”

For some reason, it sounds like there is disappointment in his voice as he says it.

“Oh, of course I put my foot in my mouth the second I meet someone new. I’m sorry for assuming!” she says to me, apology in her eyes. “Hunter just never brings girls around to hang out with the group, so I was overexcited.” She laughs. “We need more females! Anyway, I’m Leena, Eddie's twin sister.”

“It’s totally fine!” I smile at her. “And it’s great to meet you, Leena.”

“Follow me, I’ll introduce you to everyone!” she chirps as she leads me towards a group that’s gathered on a grassy area near the water. Her bouncy, vibrant energy reminds me so much of Ivy.

When we get over to the group of people, Leena introduces me and then begins naming everyone off quickly. “This is my roommate, Alice.” A pale girl with green hair leans forward from her chair and shakes my hand.

“My boyfriend, Parker.”

A short, red-haired guy stands. “It’s nice to meet you, Olive.”

I love that Leena is taller than her boyfriend; there’s something so attractive about a man that isn’t intimidated by a taller woman.

“Parker’s younger sister, Ysabel.”

A small girl with matching red hair smiles up from her towel and waves. “Ezra.” She points to a large guy with shaggy brown hair, currently holding the football, running away from another guy with long dark hair. “Donovan,” she says, pointing to the long-haired guy. “Skater friends of the guys.”

Leena yells out to them while standing next to me, startling me. “Come meet Olive!”

The guys stop their game and run over. As they jog towards us, it might as well be slow motion.

Their bodies are shimmering with sweat in the light.

I feel like I’m watching something intimate and seductive.

Both men are heavily tattooed and jacked.

I snap out of my trance when I realize one of them just said something to me—the Ezra guy.

“I love your shades,” he repeats, pointing towards my head, where they are currently resting in my hair. I reach up and touch them.

“Oh, thanks! One of my regulars at work gave them to me last year for my birthday.”

“Very cool.” He nods. “I’m Ezra.” He reaches out his arm and the tattoo of an eagle on his pec moves as he does. Did it just get ten degrees hotter outside? I shake it and then the other guy holds out his hand with a serious expression.

“Donovan,” his deep voice murmurs. Who knew they made them like this at the skate park? I’ve got to let Ivy know.

I hear someone clear their throat from behind me and turn to see Hunter standing nearby.

“I brought some sandwiches and fruit if you're hungry.” He holds up a tan wicker basket with a half-smile playing on his lips.

“You made me a picnic?” I ask, unable to contain my grin.

He shrugs. “I just thought we would get hungry.”

“You’re speaking my language.”

“Well, come, sit, eat,” he tells me and motions to a large teal blanket on the grass. “After lunch we are going to take Donovan’s boat out. Have you ever been water skiing?”

“He has a boat?” I follow him over to a blanket and sit next to him.

“Yeah, the guys both live on the other side of the lake.” He points towards the right of the water. “They are cousins and run a fishing charter together. They have multiple boats. But we are just going on a smaller one today.” He motions towards an at least thirty-foot boat sitting by the dock.

“Oh yes, their tiny little boat,” I say sarcastically. “How sad that they didn’t bring their yacht. I’m deeply offended.”

Hunter laughs. “That does sound pretty ridiculous, huh?” He reaches into the basket and pulls out two sandwiches. “PB I was never taught growing up so I kind of sink like a rock. I didn’t really think this through before agreeing to come to the lake.”

“Don’t worry, they have life preservers on the boat, and I will stay next to you the whole time if you want.” He stares at me with such sincerity. “I would never let anything happen to you. You’re safe with me.”

Those words ping off my brain and soak into my chest, my heart suddenly feeling like it’s expanding. I don't know how he does it, but he tells me exactly what I need to hear in this moment. He knows what I need to feel safe and secure.

The warm sensation continues to flow through me as I finish my sandwich, and we eat the fruit he brought.

Hunter talks to me about his childhood with all the guys.

Then, how he met Donovan and Ezra. “They were the wild kids at the skate park growing up,” he recalls, laughing.

I listen to his stories and feel myself enamored with him as he lights up a little more with each memory.

Leena and Alice come over, pulling me out of my trance.

“Ready to go?” Leena asks, grinning as she pulls her braids back into a ponytail.

Hunter glances my way, his expression unsure, waiting to see if I want to go on the boat.

“Yup!” I say to her, feeling more confident with him at my side.

I stand up and adjust my bikini bottoms as the rest of the group begins to walk down to the dock. Ezra is already on the boat, turning on the engine.

I stand next to Ysabel as everyone starts to get on board.

“Have you ever been tubing, Olive?” She smiles, freckles covering her fair cheeks. She looks like a real-life Strawberry Shortcake doll.

I shake my head. “No, I haven't. Is it fun?”

“It’s a blast, ride with me when we go.”

“Okay.” I smile at her. Hunter stands on my left, and I feel braver by the second.

I climb up onto the boat and take a seat on a long, padded bench behind the wheel next to Wes and Alice. The boat engine vibrates under us, and I let out a breath as Donovan unties us from the dock before hopping on the back.

We ride around the lake for ten minutes and I’m starting to enjoy myself when Ezra lets off the gas and asks, “Okay, who's skiing first?”

“Me!” Wes hops up.

“Could have called that one,” Eddie teases.

“Oh, shut up,” Wes responds. “Everyone watch and learn.” He stands and rips off his shorts, revealing a bright red Speedo underneath.

Eddie groans and Hunter says, “What the?—”

Wes cuts him off. “Don’t be jealous. This is what peak male sexuality looks like.” He walks towards a life jacket and clips it on, then turns to Donovan who hands him the skis.

I look at Hunter across from me and mouth, “ Bro, ” raising my eyebrows.

He throws his head back, laughing in that uncontrollable way he does, the laughter charging out of him, full speed. Everyone else looks at him confused as he explains, “Just thought of something funny from earlier.”

Wes jumps off, skis on his feet, and Donovan tosses him the handles attached to the back of the boat.

We begin to pull away, slowly. Wes adjusts himself in the water and gives Ezra a thumbs up, signaling he’s ready to go.

With the go ahead, Ezra gases the engine and we take off quickly, my hair whipping at my face.

Leena lets out a squeal as she slides into Parker from the sudden movement and he wraps his arms around her, steadying her.

Once he sees Wes is up on the water, Donovan lets go of the back railing that he was gripping onto when we took off.

He doesn’t even seem phased by our quick speed as he walks through the center of where we sit.

He stops next to Ezra and connects his phone to a speaker next to the steering wheel.

The song “Cowboys from Hell” by Pantera begins blasting, echoing over the lake.

Wes is still up on the skis, riding the wake behind us, and I lean my head back, laughing as the music and wind overtake me.

The warm sun beats down on my face and I feel free and happy in this moment. Like nothing can get to me. The only thing I’m thinking about is how weightless I feel as we glide over the water.

I bring my head back down after a few minutes and meet Hunter’s eyes.

He is staring at me with an intensity I haven’t seen before, and I bravely hold his gaze instead of shying away like I did earlier.

A soft smile plays on his lips, and I bite at the inside of my cheek.

This moment feels magical and there is nowhere else I’d rather be.

He is the first to break eye contact this time when Leena leans over to him and asks him a question.

I can’t hear what he responds but he nods his head at her and quickly glances at me again.

I look out past him at the water, like I didn’t notice the interaction, but I’m actually dying inside to know what she said to him.

All of a sudden I hear Donovan shout for Ezra to cut the engine and I see that Wes is floating in the water.

“Man down!” Parker shouts and I'm worried that Wes is injured until I notice he has a big smile on his face as he lays on his back, the gentle waves from the boat rocking him.

Ezra steers the boat carefully to Wes’s side.

“I’m tired! My arms are burning like pepper on a pimple.

Pull me in, man,” he says as he swims over to the handle and grabs back on.

Donovan begins to pull the rope back in towards the boat, his muscles flexing vividly, and I bite back a laugh as I can see Alice practically drooling, staring at him.

Wes pulls his body up onto the boat’s flat back and unclips the skis.

“Hot Dog, you’re next,” Wes commands.

“Someone else can go if they want,” Hunter replies casually.

“Oh please,” Eddie says, rolling his eyes. “We all know you’re itching to get out there.”

“Okay, fine. I’ll go.” Hunter chuckles, then looks at me. “You cool?”

I nod quickly and hold my hands up, shooing him. “Go, go!”

“Alright, be right back.” He smiles, his curls loose and wild from the boat.

He puts on a life vest and straps himself into the skis, the same way as Wes. Then, Hunter jumps off the back into the blue water and gets in position to take off.

Leena leans forward towards me, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “You’re in for a treat.”

“Wha—” I start to ask her, but then we blast off again, and I instantly find out what she’s talking about.

Hunter is immediately up and begins hopping the wake behind the boat.

Then he switches, and does it one handed, casually pushing his hair back like it’s nothing.

A confident smile is on his lips as he waves to me and I wave back like some fan girl, practically giddy.

He shouts for the whole lake to hear, “This one’s for you, Olive!” and then proceeds to flip, over and over and over again, on the wake.

And at that, the water unfortunately isn't the only thing that’s wet around here anymore.