She slips inside the house and I drop back into my seat at the table.

“So, what else is new?” I ask.

“No, no. We’re talking about you.”

“You already know everything. I still haven’t made a decision about next year, so if Mom and Dad sent you to get answers, you’re not going to get any. Or maybe it’s your own initiative—annoy me into doing what you think is best.”

“Well, I am curious about where your head’s at, but I promise I’m here only for the lake. And, seriously, give me a little credit,” she huffs. “I’d never do Mom and Dad’s bidding.”

“Sorry, I know. I got an email from Coach Wiles yesterday. He wants to set a meeting for when I get back to Valley.”

“About what?”

“If I had to guess, he found out I’m considering quitting baseball to focus on basketball.”

“Are you though?”

I squirm in my seat, not wanting to think about it, let alone talk about it. “I don’t know.”

“You’ll figure it out, T, and Mom and Dad will be fine with whatever you decide. Has Dad been calling and asking you?”

“Not since I left Valley. I told him I wanted the summer to decide and he’s respected that.”

“They just want to feel involved.”

With a sigh, I sit back in my chair. “Yeah.”

“What’s the plan for the Fourth?” she asks. “I invited so many people I’m not sure how we’re going to fit them if they all show up.”

“I have an idea about that actually. What if we had the party at Jonah’s? He’s got more room and that killer pool.”

“He’d be okay with that?”

“Yeah, he already mentioned it. We’ll help him pitch in for booze and whatever else he needs.”

“Mom and Dad really should have bought a house with a pool.”

“The pool is right there,” I deepen my voice to mock my dad and motion to the lake.

“And it’s free to heat,” we say together and then laugh.

“I missed you, T,” Tara says.

“Missed you too. I’m glad you came down early. We can hang out more and you can get to know Sydney.”

“No offense, but spending quality time with your fuck buddy is not what I had in mind for my extra week at the lake.”

I scrunch up my face at the phrase coming out of my baby sister’s mouth. “Fuck buddy? Seriously?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, your best friend.” She air quotes the last two words and then rolls her eyes. “It’s no wonder you can’t keep a girlfriend. Amelia was worried about her, seems with good reason.”

“Okay, pump the breaks. Sydney was my best friend. She still is, but we decided we wanted more. And I plan on keeping this one, so stop stressing.”