Somebody to Love (Gideon's Cove #3)(97)

“Mom! Mommy! Watch me! I’m a dolphin! I’m dolphin diving!” Nicky yelled. She watched, laughed and snapped a few shots. “Now I’m a shark, Mommy! See? See my fin! I’m eating a seal!” Nicky thrashed around, causing Beauty to yelp in ecstasy.

The sun beat on her hair. No need for highlights after this summer, though she probably had a few new wrinkles after all the wind and sunshine. A few more muscles, too, though the eleven pounds hadn’t gone anywhere.

“I’m hungry,” Nick said, sloshing onto shore. “Vinny, can I please have some chips?”

“Sure, gorgeous,” Lavinia said, offering Nick the bag. Parker looked out at the deep blue lake, so pure and inviting.

“Vin? Want to go swimming?” she asked.

“Hell, no,” her cousin answered.

Parker sighed. “James, that leaves you.”

“Hell, no,” James echoed.

“Hell, no,” Nicky said, falling to his knees and digging in the sand like a dog. Beauty joined the effort.

“Come on, James,” Parker said. She took off her sweatshirt and slid out of her shorts.

“That bathing suit is not fair,” he murmured.

“You look like one of those whatchamacallits,” Vin said, taking off her post-cataract-surgery sunglasses. “Sports Illustrated models.”

“Right. Just with stretch marks and the cellulite I got for my last birthday.”

“You’re perfect,” James said.

“Aw,” Vin said. “Go with her, Jamie. Buddy system and all.”

He shook his head.

“Are you scared, James?” Nicky asked, pausing in his digging.

“Yep,” he answered.

“Really? But you’re a grown-up, aren’t you?”

“Grown-ups can be scared, too.”

“I swim a lot,” Nick said. “I could probably swim ten or thirty miles. It’s not scary.”

“No, it’s not scary. I only think it is,” James said.

Parker studied his face. “Have you been swimming at all since…then?” she asked quietly.

“Nope.”

“Will you come now?”

He hesitated. Glanced at Nick.

“Whoever goes swimming with me gets ten kisses,” Parker announced. “Nicky? Want ten kisses?”

“No,” he said. “You kiss me all the time. I want ten dollars. Or ten lobster claws. Or ten nail guns!”

“Lavinia?” Parker asked.

“I’m with the kid. Ten bucks, maybe. For fifty bucks, definitely.”

“James?”

He looked out to the water. “How far do I have to swim for these ten kisses?” he asked.

“To the raft.”

“She won’t kiss you, James,” Nicky explained, his tone tolerant. “She’s not your mommy.”

“Go on, you two,” Lavinia said. “I’ll watch the kid.”

James glanced at Lavinia, then back at Parker. With a sigh, he pulled his T-shirt over his head.

“Now we’re talking perfect,” Lavinia said, lighting up a cigarette and squinting appreciatively. “Very nice, Jamie.”

Parker took his hand and towed him to the water’s edge, where he stopped. “Come on, James. You can do it.”

“I hate the water.”

“I know.” She went in up to her knees, still holding his hand. “Come on.”

His jaw was tight, and no smile lightened his face at the moment. Took a few steps in. “You’re doing great,” she said, going in a bit deeper, not letting go of his hand. He followed, reluctantly.

When they were waist deep, Parker stopped to let him get acclimated. His face was a little pale under his tan. She swam out a few feet, then turned to look at him. “Harvard Varsity Swim Team, James. Third Olympic alternate. Red Cross certified in lifeguarding.”

“Very impressive,” he murmured, his eyes on the raft. The three boys had gotten back in their canoe and were now fishing in the middle of the lake.

“You can do it,” she said. “You have to someday.”

“Do I?”

“Yep.” Parker swam out a little farther and started to tread water. “Swim to me, beautiful man,” she said. “I’ll take care of you.”

His eyes were dark and a little tormented. “Not fair,” he said, and with that, he dived under the water. He surfaced just past her and swam, steadily, if a little desperately. One yard. Four. Ten. Parker kept pace easily off his right, her eyes never leaving him. When he reached the raft, he grabbed onto the ladder and waited for her to get up first, then followed, water streaming, his hair nearly black with the wetness, drops of moisture sliding down the planes of his face. He didn’t look at her, just sat, breathing hard.

Parker slipped her hand in his. He was shaking. Probably not from cold.

“You did it,” she whispered.

“Hated every second.”

“And you did it,” she repeated.

He still didn’t look at her, just stared back at the shore. Nicky waved. “See? It’s not scary!” he yelled, and James waved back.

The planks of the raft were dry and gray, and the water lapped softly at the edges. A seagull called from overhead. Lavinia coughed, then said something to Nicky. The sound of his laughter floated out to them.