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“Evie and I also go way back,” Dylan says, leaning in and kissing my cheek. “Right, honey?”
“Right.”
“Evie says you all were set up.”
“Yes. A mutual acquaintance. I spotted her and thought, ‘That girl’s special. She’s got a look in her eyes.’” He squeezes my arm and grins.
“The look was a smudge of eyeliner and mascara,” I say.
“And super cute on you. Technically, we didn’t start dating until recently.”
“I had a feeling it was recent,” Becky says, a relieved look washing over her face. She scoops up her designer bag from the picnic table. “Gotta say hi to Patrick. Other folks. Great meeting you, Amy.”
“Evie,” I say.
“See you around Dylan.” She walks away, then pauses. “I told you I got divorced, right?”
“Yes,” he says.
I lean into him and whisper, “The hot stripper vibe is already working its magic back in your home town.”
“I’m spanking you when we’re back at the cottage,” he says and we both cover giggles.
Saturday afternoon the McAlister family takes the boat out on Lake Grapevine. Patrick, Danica, and Dylan take turns water skiing. Rosemary hands me a wrapped sandwich from a cooler. Dylan climbs up the boat’s steps, and grins as he deliberately shakes his wet head, spraying water in my direction.
“Stop!” I shake my finger at him.
“You ever water ski, Evie?” Reverend McAlister asks from behind the steering wheel.
“No.”
“You’d love it,” Danica says, tipping back a beer.
“I’ll teach you how to water ski,” Dylan says.
“I’ll pass. I’m not the best swimmer in the world.”
“Come on,” Dylan says. “Live life!”
“She doesn’t have to ski if she doesn’t want to,” Rosemary says, squeezing sun screen out of a tube onto her palm. “Stop being so pushy.”
“We should get back in time for the reception tonight,” Bill McAlister says and turns the boat around.
“I’m not going,” Dylan says. “I have a game.”
“I thought you canceled that,” Patrick says.
“I told him not to,” Rosemary says. “Stop being so bossy. I’m not going either.”
“Do I have to go?” Danica asks.
“Yes,” Patrick says.
“Do you have to meet with these people tonight, Bill?” Rosemary asks. “Why can’t you do that tomorrow after services?”
“This has been on the schedule for months, Rosemary,” he says. “The Bethany Synod elders flew in from Oklahoma. We need to hammer out the details for the convention next year.”
“I don’t know if I have ‘next year’,” she says. “I’d rather spend the rest of the day on the water with my family.”
