“I don’t have a swimsuit. In fall.” She shook her head.

“I didn’t bring one either.” I set the spatula down and poked at Gaze.

“No, man. Don’t.” He seemed to already know what I was getting into.

“You go, I go.” I started running toward the deck.

“Dammit.” Gaze came running next to me. We both took a running shallow dive on either side of the girls that were sitting with their feet in the water.

The cold water was a slap. My brain saw white. I hopped up and the girls on the deck were screaming at the splashes that must have drenched them when Gaze and I hit the water.

I dunked under even though it was a shock, the sweat and grill grime coming off me.

Gaze splashed me when I surfaced. “You’re a dick for using that one promise a million years ago against me.”

I heard a scream and observed Brutus grabbed Taylor in a fireman's carry. I saw where he was heading and his giant meathead could only do one thing. Toss a girl into the pool, even though she was kicking and slapping him.

I dove under the water so I could get to her just as she hit. When she surfaced, she covered her chest. Her shirt was now completely see-through.

I held out my arms and she walked into me. I had no shirt to offer her, so all I could do was give her my body to help her preserve her modesty.

“Brutus, you’re an asshole.” Peaches was beating on Brutus with a towel. He was laughing with a red face. He shot his shot, and it was the wrong move.

She was shivering in my arms. Teddi was at the edge of the pool with a towel for Taylor and a middle finger for Brutus.

“I can’t get out.” Taylor’s mascara was smearing on her cheeks.

“You can. Just wrap yourself around me and keep your chest against mine. We'll get you out and no one will see anything.” I felt her legs lock behind me. I kept an arm across her back so that there would be no space between us.

I walked through the water and up the stairs with her on me. Teddi wrapped Taylor’s shoulders in a rainbow towel like a shawl. I still didn’t put her down. I wasn’t taking any risks. I walked her right into the house and up the stairs. Mom hollered after me that we were tracking water through the house, but I knew once I explained what happened, she wouldn’t care.

I got her up to Teddi’s bedroom before setting her down on her feet. I pointedly closed my eyes so she could have privacy.

I heard her teeth chattering and started to feel the chill myself.

“I’m covered.” Taylor had rearranged her towel so it was wrapped around her.