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Home?
This place is not a home.
We join Erin, Jena, and Taeli down at the tarp, and they are already seated. Erin has a cooler full of iced beer and water. They have their aprons on and are popping the tops to the paint cans.
“Tell us where to start,” Erin says.
I drag the crate of buoys from the deck to where they are and pull my phone out. I click on my photo album and show them the pictures I saved from the internet. “I saw these online and was thinking something like this.”
“Those are adorable,” Jena says.
“I wonder where your grandfather got all these,” Taeli says.
“My mother said he collected them for years. He was in the Navy, and they lived all over. He’d buy one for my grandmother to remember each town. I know they’re more nautical than river, but I don’t know … they seem to fit this place,” I explain as I look back at the fishing shack.
“Totally. They are very lake-house chic,” Jena agrees.
I pass a couple to each girl, and then I hand a few more to Ansley.
“Let’s see how the stencils look on these,” I tell her.
We paint as they chatter away about their day, the wedding planning, and their significant others. Then, the conversation turns to me.
“So, how are things going with you and Corbin?” Erin asks.
I shrug. “Fine.”
“Fine? That’s all you’re going to give us?” she scoffs.
I look up to see they are all staring at me.
“What do you want to know? It’s been a couple of weeks. We’ve had several dinners and ice cream dates, we drove the parkway, we went skinny-dipping, and we gave each other a couple of mind-blowing orgasms.”
Their mouths drop open.
“Mind-blowing, you say?” Erin gasps.
“Mind-blowing,” I repeat.
Erin looks at Jena. “I told you. I always knew he was the superior Tuttle brother.”
“Hey,” Taeli and Ansley say in unison.
“Sorry, guys, but he wears a uniform and fights fires with his bare hands. That trumps construction worker and singer,” Erin declares.
“Award-winning country music star,” Ansley mumbles.
“So, are you two exclusive?” Jena asks.
“We just met. We’re dating. Let’s not try and marry us off or anything,” I say.
“Sorry. It’s just that Corbin was with Susanna for so long, and no one ever thought they’d split. Not for real,” Ansley informs.
“All I can tell you is that even if things don’t end up being long-term for the two of us, I hope he can move on from that toxic relationship. He’s a good man. He deserves someone who appreciates that,” I say.
“Who are we talking about?”
We look up to see Leona and Sara-Beth carrying two large picnic baskets.
