James turned too, and his eyes were immediately drawn to Stuart and Virginia’s clasped hands. From the glazed look on Stu’s face and the smug smile on Virginia’s, it appeared that Laurel had the whole situation pegged exactly right. It looked like Stu had just been kissed but good. James shook his head. He liked girls as much as the next almost thirteen-year-old boy did, which meant sometimes he couldn’t help but think about them and sometimes he’d rather not. But that look on Stu’s face was a little scary. He wasn’t sure he was ready for that.
“You guys all set?”
“Did you find anything?” James asked.
“Umm . . . no. Nothing. I guess it was a waste of time after all.”
Virginia just smiled. “Not a complete waste.”
Stu cleared his throat. “Right. Well, let’s shove off then.” He kept hold of Virginia’s hand as they began the trek down to the runabout.
She reached behind her and gestured for Laurel. “Here.”
Laurel took her sister’s hand and then reached for James, but he just gave her grimy little paw a wary look. “No thanks, I need both my hands to keep me from slipping.”
She frowned.
Stu and James pushed the johnboat out in the water before hopping in and starting the motor. Stu brought it around while the others finished putting on lifejackets. He stopped to fasten his, and they took off for the dock as fast as the little boat could move.
As they emerged from the cove, the hot sun beat down, and James felt the top of his head begin to sweat. Damp waves of brown hair were soon blown stiff from the constant wind in his face. A Coke or a glass of lemonade sounded good right then. He hoped Mrs. Pendleton had brought drinks back from the store in town when she’d gone to get some more of that suntanning oil she used. He wondered whether she would bring them back something for lunch, too. Then he wondered how they would spend the rest of the day. During the hot afternoon hours, they’d probably stay in the Pendletons’ houseboat and play poker. Later, they could play Kick the Can with the little kids up at the cottages or take a hike around the campground. Mrs. Pendleton said they were eating dinner at the marina restaurant that night, and then there would be more walking around the dock and maybe some fishing as the sun set. The next day, it would all start again. It seemed as if days on the lake lasted forever and ran one into the other, as the long, lazy days of summer should. James had the sense that he should be savoring these moments. His dad often reminded him, “The best times are when you’re young and have no responsibilities.” School and Ohio, his parents, and all the rest of life seemed so far away. Right then, the only realities were the boats and the water and the hot, summer days without end.
Chapter 1
Seven years later
James lay back against the head rest in the passenger seat of Stuart’s SUV and watched the scenery rush past as they sped down the interstate. The lush green of the Bluegrass was giving way to the foothills of the Appalachians, which meant they would be arriving soon. James stole a glance over at Stu, who was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel and singing along to the radio.
“You ever talk to Virginia Elliot anymore?” he asked. Tearing down the highway toward the lake had sent James back to the last summer he had spent on the Pendleton’s houseboat. That was five years before when he was fourteen, and he was sure a lot of things had changed. Stu and Virginia had kept up their summer romances for a few years, breaking up when Stuart returned to Ohio at the end of vacation. They wrote sometimes, James knew, but his friend hadn’t mentioned her in quite a while.
“Nah, not for a couple years now. I didn’t go to the lake last summer. And the year before that, she had that redneck boyfriend, remember?”
James shook his head.
“I know I told you about it. The guy was a total jerk. He pulled me behind the marina shop once and said he’d feed me to the fish if I so much as looked at Virginia.”
“I’m surprised she put up with that.” It certainly didn’t jive with the self-assured Virginia they knew when they were younger.
“I don’t think she knew. Laurel said the guy