I got out the marshmallows to toast. Ren challenged Kishan to a race, going from the blanket to the rocks and back.
“Come on, Kishan, first one back wins.”
“What do I win?”
I suggested, “How about you get the first s’more.”
Kishan shook his head. “How about the prize is a kiss from Kelsey?”
Ren’s face darkened.
I ventured, “Uh, Kishan. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Kishan persisted, “It’s fine, Kelsey. It’ll give him real motivation to try. Unless he thinks he’s going to lose.”
Ren growled. “I won’t lose.”
Kishan poked Ren’s chest. “On your best day, you wouldn’t even see my tail.”
“Fine. Let’s do this.”
“Guys, I don’t think—”
“Go!”
They both took off running so fast they became almost a blur on the sand. My marshmallows forgotten, I stood to watch them run. Kishan was lightning fast, but Ren was quick too. He was right behind Kishan. When they turned at the rock, Ren turned tighter, got a couple of feet ahead of Kishan, and was able to maintain his advantage on the run back. At the halfway mark, Kishan reached out, grabbed the blue hood on Ren’s sweater, yanked it hard, and pushed him into the sand.
Ren spun and fell, but quickly got back up and surged forward, running with a vengeance. His legs pumped even faster than seemed possible. Sand flew out from behind him several feet, as he came up neck and neck with Kishan. The race ended with Kishan winning by a foot.
Ren was angry. Kishan laughed and nudged Ren aside so he could claim his prize.
I stood up on my tiptoes and pecked Kishan on the cheek. Ren seemed appeased and started to relax. He picked up a rock and threw it out into the ocean.
He grumbled, “You only won because you cheated.”
Kishan said, “I won because I know how to win. Cheating is irrelevant. You have to learn to do whatever it takes to win. Speaking of which, that was not the prize I had in mind.”
He reached over and grabbed my elbow, then he spun me around and dipped me over in a dramatic kiss. It was much more drama than substance, but Ren went ballistic.
“Let. Her. Go.”
After Kishan stood me up, I moved back a step and Ren barreled into Kishan’s stomach, effectively cutting off his peals of laughter by shoving him into the sand. They rolled across the sand wrestling and growling at each other for the next ten minutes. I decided not to intervene. It seemed like fighting and wrestling with each other was a favorite pastime of theirs.
When they finally broke off fighting, we all ate s’mores. Smoothing Ren’s hair back from his forehead, I said, “You know he didn’t really mean anything by it. He’s just trying to bother you on purpose.”
“Oh, he meant it alright. I told you, if he keeps making plays for you, then all bets are off. Hey, these are really good. Hmm, they could use—”
“Peanut butter?” we both said at the same time.
He started planting sticky kisses all over my face. I laughed, rolled him off my lap, and jumped away. He’d just sprung to his feet to catch me when my phone rang. It was Jason.
“Hey, Jason. What’s up?”
“I just thought you’d like to know that there were a couple of guys on campus yesterday asking about you. They said they represent a legal firm, and they have news about your parents’ will.”
“I see. What did they look like?”
“Tall guys, expensive suits. They seemed legitimate, but I didn’t tell them anything. I figured I’d talk with you first.”
“Okay. Thanks for telling me, Jason. You were right not to tell them anything.”
“Are you in some kind of trouble, Kelsey? Is everything alright?”
“Everything’s fine. Don’t worry.”
“Okay, see ya.”
“See ya.”
I closed my phone and looked at Ren. He stared back, and we both knew. Lokesh had found me. I heard Kishan speaking quietly and turned to see he was on his phone, presumably with Mr. Kadam.
We started packing up immediately. Suddenly, the atmosphere at the beach had changed. It now seemed somber, dark, and sinister, when it once had felt friendly and safe. The sky appeared foreboding and ominous, and I shivered in the suddenly cool breeze.
Ren and Kishan agreed that if Jason hadn’t told the men anything, it was unlikely that they had found our home yet. We decided to drive home, tie up a few loose ends, and leave Oregon.
On the drive, I called Sarah and Mike and told them I was returning to India right