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“Because, um, I looked up and saw that,” I pointed to the giant moose head hanging above the fireplace. “I really hope that’s fake,” I wrinkled my nose.
“It is,” he chuckled. “We may hunt, but do you really think Grammy and my mom would allow us to hang a real one?”
“No,” I giggled, ashamed of my reaction, but that thing was really scary looking.
“I want to show you something,” he said softly, placing a hand on my waist and guiding me to the back of the family room. The whole back wall was windows and French doors opened onto a deck.
He opened the doors and stepped back so I could go first.
“Wow,” I gasped.
The deck led straight down to a dock and there were even jet skis.
But that wasn’t what left me breathless. It was the view.
The forest surrounded the house, cocooning it like a blanket, but the back was open and for as far as I could see there was water.
“That doesn’t look like a lake,” I breathed, placing my hands on the railing of the deck and leaning forward.
“It’s not. It’s the Atlantic Ocean. We just call it the lake house, because it doesn’t really look like a beach house, so that seemed weird.”
“Of course, because that makes so much sense,” I laughed.
The water lapped against the muddy shore. There was some sand, but not much, mostly mud, rocks, and grass.
Birds chirped incessantly and squirrels ran around the yard. It was peaceful, as if the chaos of the outside world hadn’t touched this place.
“I’m glad you brought me here.”
“You are?” He chuckled, leaning his hip against the railing. “It’s not too country for a city girl like you?” He faked a deep southern drawl.
“I’m hardly a city girl,” I rolled my eyes
. “Besides,” I placed a hand on my hip, smiling in challenge, “I do know how to shoot a gun.”
He chuckled at that. “And you learned from the best.”
“Really?” I raised a brow. “Because I didn’t think he was all that good.”
“Oh,” he grinned mischievously, “now you’ve done it.”
I squealed as he tossed me over his shoulder and jogged down the deck steps.
“Trace!” I screamed. “You’ve got to stop doing this!”
“Never! It’s too much fun!” He smacked my butt.
“You. Are. Ridiculous,” I spat as he jogged straight for the water. When I saw what he was about to do I pleaded with him to stop, but to no avail.
He tossed me straight into the chilly ocean water and I sank below.
I came up sputtering, holding my nose. “You jerkface!” I screeched. “Water went up my nose!”
He chucked from the shore, the bottoms of his jeans were wet from where he’d walked into the water to throw me.
He shrugged and held his hands out to his side. “You shouldn’t have questioned my teaching techniques. I assure you babe, you couldn’t have learned from anyone better. And not only am I a beast with a gun, I’m also proficient with a cross bow, as well as a plain old bow an arrow. I’m a jack of all trades.”
“What are you? Katniss?” I growled, rubbing my eyes as I trudged out of the water.
