Two Bar Mitzvahs (No Weddings #3)(41)

“Hannah, watch” —Ava bounded out the door and bolted off, barreling around the side of the house— “out for Ava.”

But little Ava wasn’t brave enough to abandon us altogether. She swooped back into view in a wide arc, barking once at us before disappearing again.

I ran after Ava, shouting, “That pool isn’t fenced!”

Hannah tore off beside me as we raced to restrain the animal I hadn’t warned anyone we were bringing. Hence the crate. And the long-forgotten leash.

Ava didn’t appear again. By the time we made it past the side of the house and through the rose garden, I heard a loud splash.

The pool area near the barbeque was already filled with people: my sisters and Jason, my parents, even a few neighbors who’d been invited over for a casual gathering before we needed to set up for the afternoon. But all their attention centered on the pool.

Apparently Ava was a natural swimmer, or a survivalist who hadn’t yet found the way out. I ran over to the end where the steps were and clapped my hands. “Come on, Ava. Over here.”

Hannah appeared by my side and braced her hands on her knees while she sucked in oxygen. After a couple of gulps of air, she spoke between breaths, “Hoping you don’t have to go for a swim?”

Ava swam our way, paddling from the center of the Olympic-length pool. I glanced up at Hannah, noting the others were outside of earshot. “Oh really, smartass? Who’s the one who gawked at my parents’ house instead of watching the dog? You should be the one swimming.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t dare. What happened to my knight, lifting me over puddles?”

I ran my fingers up her calf. “He’s far more interested in seeing you make a big splash.”

The smart girl sat down on the cool decking. Which meant in order for me to dump her, I had to stand up, scoop her up, and hoist her into the pool. All a lot of effort for a little bit of fun.

And so f*cking worth it.

Hannah squealed, kicking when I snatched her up, but I had a solid grip on her. The crowd gathered at the corner of the pool caught wind of my agenda and started cheering me on. Mom covered her eyes. Ava started barking.

I swung Hannah toward the pool. “One.” Then swung back, over the decking.

She growled. “Put me down this instant.”

“Two.”

She locked her hands around my neck. “If you let go, you’re coming with me.”

I grinned. “Three.” I hesitated on the last swing, catching her off guard enough for her to loosen her grip. Then I tossed her in.

She flew through the air, arms flailing, safely far enough away from Ava’s position, and splashed into the water. I stood with my hands on my hips, grinning.

Hannah surfaced, sputtering, but with a big smile on her face, and I laughed.

Ava redirected her paddling, heading toward Hannah. She caught the puppy, cradling her with one arm. “That’s right, girl. It’s just a bunch of water, all kinds of fun.”

While Hannah and Ava were preoccupied with their water-soaked reunion, I backed up a few steps, took a running head start, and leaped into the air, pulling my legs up to my chest. “Cannonball!” The last thing I saw before hitting water was the crowd scattering away from the splash zone with widened eyes.

Waterlogged jeans made for heavy going, but I swam underwater over to my girls. Hannah’s toes barely touched the bottom, and Ava’s four legs were free and paddling again. I broke through in front of Hannah, wrapping my arms around her.

A huge smile curved her lips. “You’re crazy.”

“And you love it.”

She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and gave me a quick kiss. “Yeah, I do.”

After a few minutes of reckless splashing and laughing, we climbed out of the pool. Beach towels were stacked in a pile on the nearest lounger. I scrambled over, unfolded one for Hannah, and bundled her up. Her hair was slicked back except for a few strands stuck to her cheek. I wiped them back behind her ears.

“You look great wet.”

She side-eyed me, replying under her breath, “You’ve seen me wet before.”

“Not fully clothed,” I countered.

Her brows arched. “And a fully clothed wet is better?”

“Hell no. But that was fun. And besides, it only makes me want to get you out of them.”

Squeals caught my attention. Ava had wandered into the admiring group and shook out her fur, spraying them.

“I’ve got her.” I rushed over and scooped up the little swimmer. “We’ll go shower and change. ’Bout an hour?”

Dad glanced at his watch. “A little longer, we’ll start grilling at 1:00 p.m. No rush.”

“Sounds great.” I scanned everyone’s amused faces. “Sorry for the messy entrance. For those of you who haven’t been formerly introduced, the woman I nearly drowned is Hannah, my girlfriend. I’m sure she’s thoroughly embarrassed and wants to make a quick exit, maybe set my hair on fire in retaliation. The little one is Ava.” I held up a paw, waving.

Mom laughed. “Be sure to bring Ava back. We need to show her some love when she’s a bit dryer.”

I wrapped a free arm around Hannah’s towel-covered shoulders. “Done. And feel free to gossip. We’ll be gone long enough for you to talk about us and all the neighbors within a two-block radius.”