Ruth slapped her on the shoulder. “Oh my God, Mick, do you have a summer crush? That is the best thing I’ve ever heard. Like a movie.”

Mickey shrugged. “They’re mostly Sean’s friends,” she answered, realizing it was no answer at all.

“Well, we are definitely making this happen,” Ruth said as she threw her hand up in the air and whistled.

“Ruth!” Mickey hissed, all the heat in her sun-soaked body rushing to her cheeks. But the boat was already sliding up beside them.

“Heya, Josh,” Mickey said. “Cody. This is Ruth, my friend from school.”

“Best friend,” Ruth added, and Mickey beamed.

“Mick, been a while,” Cody said, but even through the glare of the sun on the water, she could tell his eyes were on Ruth. “Wanna go for a ride? We’ve got the boat for the afternoon, a cloud-free sky, and a six-pack we swiped from the house. What more could anyone want?”

Mickey glanced back at Ruth.

“Oh, come on,” Cody said. “It’s a lake; we can’t go far. Bring your phones; it’ll be fine. Your mom loves me.”

“Actually, she prefers Josh,” Mickey said.

“Can you blame her?” Josh said. His voice was deeper than she remembered, and Mickey noticed the way Ruth moved her body when he spoke, the littlest bit, only enough for the sun to hit her chest just right.

“What do you think, Mick? I’ve never been on a motorboat!”

“I’m sorry, did you just say you’ve never been on a motorboat? Well then, it’s settled; you’re getting on this boat right now. It’s time we pop that motorboating cherry.” Cody grinned widely and reached for the nylon rope looped around the float.

“I don’t know,” Mickey said.

Ruth flicked her hair over her shoulder as she stood, wiping nothing from her skin and adjusting her bathing suit bottom before turning to Mickey.

“It’ll be fine, Mick,” Ruth said. “I promise.” She held out her hand, and with the midday sky so bright blue behind her and the sun all in her hair, she looked like an angel. Like the kind of person put there to be followed.

PEYOTE

“THIS’LL BE FUN!” CAL said through the last bite of her vending machine sandwich.