Page 20 of Carson

She claps as soon as it starts and then immediately holds her hands out. “The water is chilly down there.”

My brother looks down at her wet tennis shoes. “You need to get those off. You won’t get warm until you do.”

She hugs herself around the waist. “You’re right. I just couldn’t resist getting in. I’ll be right back.” Before she heads inside, she pulls the bag she had slung across her chest over her head, tossing it to the ground beside him. “You guys have an entire treasure chest in your backyard,” she tells us, pointedly looking at Carson and then me.

“Follow me,” she says, stopping at my side. “You can help me with the food.”

I look at my brother, unsure of what to do. He isn’t paying us any attention. I decide I’m making it a bigger deal than it is. She just needs my help.

She’s sitting on her bed taking off her shoes when I step into her van. “It’s a good thing I cut the top of this thing out and extended it upward. How tall are you?”

“I’m six three, but Carson is …”

“Six two,” she interrupts.

“How did you know that I was going to say that?” I ask, sitting down at her little table.

She looks me dead in the eye. “Um, because he’s obviously a full inch shorter than you.”

We stare at each other for a moment before both of us burst out laughing.

“Okay. Okay. Jeez, you can’t be finishing my jokes for me.”

“Joke? You don’t say?”

She smiles as she laces up her dry shoes. “The hot dogs are in the fridge.”

I lean over, flipping the door on the little fridge open. “So did you get any sleep?”

“No, but I can sleep when I’m dead.”

“That’s my motto,” I agree, grabbing the hot dogs.

“Oh, grab the ketchup too, will you?” She stands, bouncing on her toes like she’s trying out the shoes for the first time.

I force myself to focus on my task. “What was I looking for?”

“Ketchup.” She stops by my side, leaning over to look inside with me. “Right there.” She points to the red bottle in the back corner.

She bumps her shoulder into mine before pushing in front of me. “I’ll get it.”

I stand abruptly, bumping into her and sending her stumbling forward. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry.” Instinctively I reach out and wrap my hands around her waist, keeping her upright. We both laugh.

Carson steps up into the van, catching us in our amusement. “The fire’s ready,” he says, smiling.

Fuck. I’m having fun with her.

That’s a problem.

I’m supposed to be annoyed she’s here. I’m supposed to want things back the way they were.

I let go of Luna like she’s on fire.

She’s still chuckling when she bends over to get the ketchup bottle that fell to the floor. “This van is definitely not big enough for the three of us.”

Carson takes the hot dogs from my hands. “I can get these started. Don’t forget the buns,” he says, heading back out to the fire.

I swallow hard, realizing I’m the only one acting weird. Why am I being so weird?