Page 30 of Hale

I’d rather not, but we’re running out of options. It’s getting dark and being on the river at night isn’t safe.

“Hey!” a man with a giant belly and big gray beard calls out. “Y’all can camp here. We don’t bite.”

A woman with an equally big pot belly laughs. “Speak for yourself, Danny.”

Rylie laughs at them and it makes the decision for me. We’ll camp with these old people. I hop out and Danny waddles into the water to help me. Together, we pull the raft on the banks.

“I’m Danny Franklin and this is my wife, Joya.”

“You kids got here just in time. Supper is on the fire,” she says, smiling. She’s missing her front tooth, but she has kind eyes.

“Something hot sure beats the cold sandwiches in our ice chest,” I say with a grin. “I’m Hudson and this is my—”

“Your girlfriend is shy,” Danny interrupts, a wide grin on his face. “I’m like Santa, baby girl. Once you get to know me, you want to sit on my lap.”

Neither Ry nor I correct him.

Joya snorts and slaps his arm. “You’ll scare these kids away. Hudson, ignore him. Sweetheart?”

“Rylie,” she answers. “Thank you for inviting us.”

Rylie comes to stand by my side. She’s nervous. I wrap an arm around her and pull her to me.

“Why don’t you go help Joya and I’ll work on getting our camp set up?”

She nods and follows after Joya over to the fire. Danny winks at me.

“Joya was sixteen when we met. I put three babies in her before she turned twenty-one,” he boasts. “Your girl is young, eh?”

“She’ll be eighteen in April.”

He nods. “I’m not the law. Your secret is safe with me.”

I should tell him she’s my sister, but there’s something forbidden and alluring to pretending she’s not. “Thanks.”

He whistles and chatters as we erect my small tent. It’s meant for one, but Rylie’s small and likes to cuddle anyway.

“I snore,” he warns. “So don’t worry about making noise.” He waggles his brows.

Laughing, I clasp my hand over his shoulder. “We’ll be quiet.”

As the sun disappears completely, the temperature drops. Rylie stands by the fire, shivering as she eats a hot dog. I down mine quickly and locate the blanket from our tent. When I come back, I sit in the sand and motion for Rylie to sit with me. She scurries over to me and sits between my spread legs. I wrap the blanket around us and warm her up.

She turns her head and whispers, “They think we’re boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Nuzzling my nose against her hair that smells like sunshine, river water, and sunscreen, I inhale her. “They do.”

“You didn’t correct them.”

“Neither did you.”

My palm slides down her arm and I link my fingers with hers. “It’s none of their business either way.”

“Look at them whispering,” Joya says and slaps Danny’s arm. “Remember when we were young and adorable like that?”

“Now we’re old and adorable,” Danny explains with a chuckle.

I’m content to hold Rylie. I love the way her body shakes when she giggles at their banter. The lines are definitely blurred because for a moment, I delude myself into thinking we’re actually a couple. Right here on the sandy banks of the river, we’re not brother and sister. I’m not in a committed relationship with Amy Kent. We’re just two people. Two people who like to touch.