“Just don’t hold her mother or me responsible if she bites off an appendage.”

“Do you bite?” Ruth asked Mickey, laughing.

Mickey came to a stop in front of Ruth.

“Whatever,” she said. “I’m going to get our towels.”

Ruth put her hands on her hips and watched Mickey walk down toward the dock, huffing. She looked up at the porch, and Silas caught her eye. Ruth’s face was flushed from running, and her eyes glittered from winning. Silas knew the feeling. Even when it was just a silly thing like that, winning never got old. She smiled, a big, wide grin, and Silas smiled back. Then she turned and chased after Mickey, threw her arms around her shoulders and hoisted herself up to wrap her legs around Mickey’s waist. The girls fell together into the grass, their shrieking laughter echoing off the covered porch.

He watched them, lying there tangled together, until he went inside to pour himself another drink.

PEYOTE