bitch,” Gibson said, no longer busy holding back George.
“I can’t believe this place rubbed off on you so fast,” George was saying to Shelby as the sheriff unlocked the handcuffs.
“I can’t believe you were in on this,” Cassidy said, shaking her head at her father.
“Can’t let you kids have all the fun.”
“Say what you will, Gibs, but you put yourself between Jonah and one pissed off football player,” Jameson pointed out.
“You looooooove him,” Scarlett crooned.
Gibson looked as though he was going to toss Scarlett in the water. And then he did just that.
Her shriek was cut off as the water closed over her head.
“Damn it.” Devlin sighed. He gave Gibs a shove from behind and sent him into the lake after Scarlett.
Shelby let out a snort-laugh that set everyone else off.
Gibson and Scarlett surfaced, spitting water and splashing each other.
“Can we all just agree to stop messing with each other and enjoy the rest of the day?” I suggested.
“I’ll drink to that,” Shelby said cheerfully, pulling a Mountain Dew out of her backpack.
We soaked up the sun and swam and ate. Late morning gave way to lazy afternoon. Folks coming and going. Because I said things like “folks” now.
I kicked back in a lawn chair, my feet up on the railing of Sonny Fullson’s deck. Shelby plopped a chair down next to me.
“You did good,” she said, grinning up at me.
I felt good.
“Thanks for talking me down before,” I told her.
“My pleasure.” She reached into her backpack and pulled out a bottle of sunscreen. “Here, you’re looking a little pink.”
“What else do you have in there?” I asked, squirting the SPF 50 into my palm.
“Well, picky eaters can’t go to a floating deck party and expect to have their special dietary needs met,” she said, warming to the topic.
“Of course not.”
“I’ve got two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread. Two bags of sour cream and onion potato chips. Another Mountain Dew.” She dug deeper, rummaging. “Oh, and some bug spray, spare sunglasses, and another shirt in case this one gets wet or stained.”
“You’re a party professional,” I observed.
“I also have this,” she said, looking furtively over her shoulder.
Rather than pulling it out, she tilted the backpack in my direction to show me a very nice bottle of gin, tonic water, and a bag of sliced limes.
“Have bar, will travel.” I approved.
“There are no better moonshine makers in the country. But I still prefer some Bombay Sapphire once in a while. Besides, I like to enjoy a beverage with my show,” she said, nodding to the next deck.
Misty Lynn, who’d just got done adjusting her pink leopard-print bikini top over her very fake, slightly lopsided breasts in Gibson’s face, was now sobbing as Rhett Ginsler accused her of trying to get in Gibs’s pants yet again.
“We might need Sheriff Tucker’s services after all,” I told Shelby.
She snickered. “You seem like a refined urbanite. At least, more so than our pal Misty Lynn over there. Can I make you a gin and tonic?”
“I’d be honored.”
She dug deep, producing two Solo cups. “I’ve only ever seen you drink beer,” she said, helping herself to ice out of the nearest cooler. I noticed a long, jagged scar on her thigh and wondered what had caused it.
“You’ve seen me hungover on moonshine,” I reminded her. I held the cups while she poured the gin.
“The Black Friday Bootcamp,” she laughed, remembering. “Half the town turned out to see how hungover you’d be. They really do love you here.”
Scarlett’s voice carried from where she perched on the rocks with Cassidy.
“What do you mean you don’t get it?” Scarlett demanded. She’d mostly dried off, but my sister hadn’t dried out.
“I mean, how would letting Jonah believe that Shelby was still an evil reporter get him to start crushing on her?” Cassidy frowned, dipping her toes in the water. Unlike her best friend, Cassidy wasn’t one to overindulge often. Though I’d been entertained by drunk Deputy Tucker recently.
“Pfft,” Scarlett snorted, obviously having no idea how far her voice carried. “Don’t you know anything about matchmaking?”
“You know my dating app history. Of course I know nothing about matchmaking.”
“Well, the proximity of them living together with strong feelings toward each other created sparks. I created an obstacle—Shelby being a low-down, no good, dirty reporter—that I could remove at the opportune moment to best ensure sexy times. Sparks plus no obstacles means those two will be knockin’ boots in no time.”