Page 61 of The Write Track
“That’s not true.” Preston had the gall to look wounded. “I thought your mother was a lovely woman.”
“Right.” Bella rolled her eyes, clearly not believing him. “Anyway, several times a year—the biggest event being in October whether it was cold or not—my mother’s group of friends?—”
“Flakes,” Preston corrected for Daisy’s benefit, earning an understanding nod from her.
“Herfriends,” Bella stressed, irritation rippling over her ridiculously cute features. “They all got into kayaks in their full makeup and outfits. They had sparkle necklaces and even put lights on the kayaks. Then they would go out on the bay and wave at everybody they passed.
“We’re talking the people at the restaurants or out on the Derby Wharf,” she continued, a smile on her face that melted everything inside of me. This memory was a good one, and she was grabbing onto it with both hands. “When I was little, she would put me on her lap in the kayak. When I was older, we rented a double kayak so I could dress up, too, and be part of the show.”
Suddenly, I wasn’t as worried. I’d underestimated her, and for that I felt guilty. She wasn’t a novice.
“We did it every year,” Bella said. “Then, when I got older, my friends and I did it every weekend. My mom dated the guy who rented the kayaks, so he would give them to us for free once all of his reservations had been fulfilled on weekends. I got to be pretty good.”
Preston glowered at her, and I grinned.
“Well, then I think we’re going to make quite the team,” I said to her.
“Don’t count on it,” Preston shot back, forgetting his manners. “I used to be part of the rowing team at Yale.”
Bella’s brow wrinkled. “I saw the photos. I don’t ever remember you actually participating in a single event, though.I thought that was just so you would have something to list on your résumé.”
If looks could kill, Bella would have dropped dead right there. Preston was practically foaming at the mouth he was so angry.
“I guess we’ll have to see on the lake, then,” he spat.
Bella merely smiled. “Whatever floats your boat.” She laughed at herself. “In this case, that’s literal.”
AN HOUR LATER, WE WERE DRESSEDin tank tops and shorts and dragging our kayak to the water.
“I’m not going to give you a hard time,” I said as she prepared to get into the front of the kayak. “How much were you exaggerating when you got into your little tiff with Preston, though?”
I braced myself for her answer.
“I don’t exaggerate,” she replied as she settled into her spot. She was in the front, so it made sense for me to push us in before hopping in myself—I had much longer legs. “The only time I lie is when I’m writing.”
I smirked. “Seriously?”
“I’m amazing. Do you want to know why?”
She seemed to have a point when asking the question, so I had to think about it. “Lay it on me,” I said finally.
“When I was a kid, I used to watch AMC’s Halloween lineup constantly.”
Her smile told me I was going to find joy in her answer, so I waited her out.
“I watched newer horror movies likeScreamandI Know What You Did Last Summer.”
“The former was much better than the latter,” I replied automatically.
“Totally,” she agreed. “Except for the Sarah Michelle Gellar chase scene. That was…” She held her fingers to her mouth in a chef’s kiss.
“That was pretty good,” I agreed.
“You’re sidetracking me.” She gave me a dirty look. “We can talk about that stretch of horror once we’re on the water. The point I was trying to make is that I watched old horror movies during that time. I was young—probably too young to be watching those movies—but my mother was always giving tours in October, so I watched movies to entertain myself.”
She took a deep breath. “I sawFriday the 13thfor the first time back then, and toward the end of the first movie, there was a scene that traumatized me for a good year.”
Realization dawned on me, and I smirked. “You learned how to kayak because the main girl in the first movie was attacked from underwater while floating in a boat.”
