Lucky for me, Delia took pity on her new lifeguard. We had coffee and croissants together. I welcomed her company, even if it was a struggle, at times, to keep up with her.
I step outside and wander towards the beautiful lake. The morning chill is beginning to clear from the air. Brooklyn will be here in a few hours, and I’ll finally be able to talk to her — to try and put one thing right in my life.
I reach the dock and frown at a piece of abandoned clothing on the ground. Someone must’ve left it here by accident. I pick up the fabric and hang it on the storage shed like a flag. The black and white dress flutters in the breeze.
I take in the scene as I walk onto the dock. The sun peeks above the mountains in the distance and floods the lake with shimmering light. It’s so peaceful, so serene, so…
Is that a person out there?
I squint into the distance. I see arms lifting from the water and legs kicking out behind. Without a doubt, it’s a person. They’re slicing through the water smoothly, methodically. I smile, impressed. Whoever it is, they’re clearly a good swimmer. Not to mention the lake must be freezing cold.
I stand for a long moment, watching the rhythmic motions. And then, I turn to look at the grounds around me. I’ll admit that Legacy Inn is pretty amazing; I can understand why Brooklyn’s family comes here every summer. While I feel bad leaving Mom alone for the next three months, I’m also grateful for some space to myself. I need time away from the trainwreck that my life has turned into.
I glance towards the water again, looking for the swimmer. But the horizon is empty — no kicking legs or splashing arms.
My blood goes cold and my heart beats loudly. Where did they go?
I scan the lake’s surface, and my eyes zero in on a mass of bubbles near where I last saw the swimmer.
“Come on,” I murmur.
I hold my breath and slowly count to three, waiting for the swimmer to resurface.
They don’t.
Immediately, my body kicks into action. I rip off my sweater, and kick off my sneakers. My hands by my belt, I pause for a second before dropping my jeans. They’ll only weigh me down.
Clad only in boxer briefs, I tear across the dock at full speed and dive into the lake.
The freezing water hits me like a smack in the face, but I barely flinch. Adrenaline courses through my body as I launch myself forward. Never in a million years would I have predicted that I’d be doing a rescue before my job even started.
My muscles ache with the cold water and adrenaline, but I quickly reach the area where I last saw the swimmer. I gulp in air and then dive below the surface, searching for signs of life.
I spot the person — a girl — motionless, her eyes closed.
I have no life preserver, so I’m forced to ignore all of my training. I grab the girl around the midsection. I’m about to swim to the surface when — WHAM — I get an elbow to the ribs.
A cloud of bubbles rises in front of my eyes as I swear underwater. The poor girl must be terrified. In shock.
Winded, I drag her to the surface but she fights me every step of the way. I know from my lifeguard training that this is normal — drowning victims can thrash and panic when they’re rescued. I thank my lucky stars that I’m bigger than her, she feels tiny in my arms.
We reach the surface and I wrap my arms around her, making sure she can breathe and lifting her from the water.
Finally, I’m able to see her face. “Are you okay?”
She coughs raggedly on the water, gulping air. And then, scarlet explodes across her cheeks and her eyes snap open.
“What did you do that for?!”
7
Anaya
I cough, my lungs aching for air. I’m reeling. I was having the perfect morning swim before this crazy guy grabbed me. I was so shocked, I inhaled water. Water I’m now struggling to expel from my body.
The guy stares at me, his turquoise eyes perplexed. “I… I thought you were drowning.”
“I’m the swim instructor. Why would I be drowning?” I wriggle out of his arms and take another deep breath before swimming manically towards the shore.
He swims beside me, easily matching my pace.
“Go away,” I say, irritated.
“You’re the swim instructor?” His voice goes up an octave.
“Yeah. And you ruined my swim.”
He holds back a couple of paces and chuckles. “I’m the lifeguard. It’s my job to rescue people when they disappear underwater like that.”
Oh. Well, when he puts it like that…
Flushing in embarrassment, I swim faster. I’ve only been at Legacy Inn for a few hours and I’ve already made a fool of myself.
I reach the dock and clumsily haul myself out of the water. I’m in such a rush that I slip on the wet surface and stumble forward, windmilling my arms to regain my balance.
“Whoa, don’t hurt yourself.” The guy’s voice is amused.
I turn to glare at him, and I get my first look at the boy who “rescued” me.
He pulls himself out of the water easily, and stands up with an agile grace. He’s tall, his tanned body chiselled and muscular. His blond hair hangs damply across his forehead, framing beautiful blue-green ocean eyes. Now, I see what Nath meant.
I stare at him for a long moment, frowning. I don’t know this guy. Does he really go to Edendale High? I’m pretty sure I would recognize a face like his.
And then I see what he’s wearing — just a pair of boxer briefs.
My blush deepens. I turn away and stumble again.
“You gonna make it?” An arrogant smile flashes across his lips.
“I’m fine,” I say, flustered. “Why aren’t you wearing any clothes?”
He smirks, clearly not at all embarrassed that he’s soaking wet and wearing only boxers. “Well, you didn’t really give me time to run home and change before saving you.”
“I told you, I didn’t need saving.”
“And I told you, it’s my job to save people who look like they need saving. Which you did.”
I cross my arms. “Did not.”
He smirks again, too casual. “I guess we’ll agree to disagree.”
I roll my eyes, annoyed.
Suddenly, his eyes clear and his eyebrows smooth. “Hey, I know you.”
I freeze, my mouth dry. I’ll bet that he is one of Isabella’s crew, one of Edendale High’s elite. I could kick myself for not recognizing him, for not having the upper hand. My stomach twists as I frantically try to place him. But nothing. I don’t remember ever seeing him at school.
“Well…” I start, my voice hesitant. I flounder for a moment and then give up. “I don’t know you.”
“You wouldn’t.” He shrugs. “I’m starting at Edendale High this fall. But I was there the other day for a meeting and I saw you storming out the front doors.”
I relax a fraction. “Oh.”
I’m filled with a mild sense of relief. He’s a new kid at Edendale. Working with someone who doesn’t understand the social hierarchy at Edendale High will make this summer so much easier. I place a hand on my hip, feigning confidence.
He runs his eyes over me and smiles again. The slightest of dimples appears. “Are you always this angry?”
“Only with people who assume I need to be saved,” I say.
His mouth drops open, and he bursts into laughter. The sound is surprisingly pleasant. It echoes around the lake like music.
“You’re funny.” He extends a hand. “I’m Wes.”
A small smile breaks over my face and I quickly try to hide it. I take his hand gingerly. “Anaya.”
His eyes twinkle playfully in the sunlight like we just shared a joke. Embarrassment tugs at me and I feel bad for being rude. The guy was only doing his job, after all. I can understand how my sinking below the surface could look alarming to a lifeguard.
“And, you know…” I stare at the ground and try to force the words from my mouth. “Uh, thanks for saving me. I mean
, I know it’s your job. I shouldn’t have elbowed you like that. I know it must have looked, um...”
He raises his eyebrows, amused. “Are you trying to say sorry, Anaya?”
I nod curtly, holding my breath.
“Apology accepted.”
I roll my eyes and exhale. “And do you have something to say?”
Wes smiles cheekily. “You’re welcome.”
It’s going to be a long summer.
8
Wes
“Snuffles, no! Bad dog!” Brooklyn calls from the balcony of her cabin.
I jump out of reach of the three pounds of vicious Chihuahua attacking my ankles. I hop onto an old tree stump where Snuffles can’t get to me, and then bend towards the dog. “Hi Snuffles, remember me?”
Snuffles lifts his little lip in a snarl, and makes one last snap at my left foot before beelining into Brooklyn’s outstretched arms.
I force a smile. I love dogs, but Snuffles is the worst. Not that I’d ever admit that to Brooklyn.
I stand and smooth my shirt, my heart beating hard. I picked the shirt on purpose — baby blue, Brooklyn’s favorite. She always said that blue makes my eyes stand out. I channel all of my inner confidence as I face her. I’ve got this. I dated the girl for three years, for goodness sake. I know her.
“Hey, Brooky.” I try to keep my voice level, my smile casual. “You look good.”
And she does. Her blonde hair has been cut since I last saw her, to a fashionable shoulder length. Her tight yoga gear shows off her slender frame. Her skin looks bright and dewey, like she’s happy and well-rested — though it’s just as likely due to the full face of makeup that she’s wearing despite being in the middle of the mountains.
“Thank you, Wes,” she says and my heart sings. They’re the first proper words she’s spoken to me since we broke up. Then, she sighs. “What are you doing here?”
Her tone of voice isn’t annoyed nor excited. She just sounds… tired. Feeling off-balance, I frown. This isn’t exactly the greeting I was expecting. Especially after days thinking about this moment. I remember the hours she spent crying over me leaving, and the times I tried to tell her I wanted to be with her. She always hung up the phone before I could get the words out — I chalked it up to her sadness.
“I’m working here,” I say, watching her face carefully. “I got a summer job here to surprise you.”
There’s a beat of awkward silence as Brooklyn stares at me, her expression unreadable. My stomach sinks and I have the unmistakable sense that Brooklyn isn’t thrilled to have me here.
I search my brain for something else to say.
Nothing. My words have deserted me.
The silence is unbearable now. But finally, Brooklyn breaks it. “Sorry about Snuffles acting crazy. I think he’s tired from the car ride.”
I shoot Snuffles a skeptical look. He seems like his usual, vicious little self to me.
Luckily, the diversion gives me time to recover. I shoot her my most charming smile. “It’s all good. Want to go for a walk?”
She tilts her head to the side and I watch as her eyes travel up and down my body. In the back of my mind, I wonder if she’s judging whether I look good enough to be seen with her. But Brooklyn’s not like that.
“Sure.” She smiles and my stomach flips. That’s a good sign.
I wait while Brooklyn fetches a leash for Snuffles and looks for her sunglasses. She applies a fresh coat of lipgloss in the mirror before joining me outside. Does she want me to notice her lips? Think about kissing her?
We set off for our walk, but it isn’t long before Brooklyn turns around to change her shoes. She returns and we start walking again, only to find that she’s forgotten her water bottle. Apparently she wants to “hydrate” during our stroll.
I wait patiently on the path, holding Snuffles’ leash from a comfortable distance. After three years with Brooklyn, I’m used to this. She’s always running late. I’ve come to think it’s part of her charm.
When we finally set off for real, she shoots me a big, genuine smile. My heart breaks for the days when we would walk the hallways at Billings High, together and happy. Back when I was the star quarterback with a bright future.
Nostalgia floods my veins and I speak without thought. “I miss you, Brooky.”
Another awkward pause. Brooklyn suddenly seems very, very interested in something on her phone. My stomach twists uncomfortably. Maybe she didn’t hear? Should I repeat myself?
The walk to the Inn feels like it takes forever, though it can’t be more than five minutes. The silence sits between us, heavy and obvious. Finally, we reach the gravel path that loops around the main building and I can’t take it anymore.
“So…” I venture. “How’s Billings?”
Brooklyn absentmindedly rakes a long-taloned hand through her hair. She always wears big, pointy fake nails. At least, I think they’re fake.
“It’s fine,” she says brusquely. “But Wes, it’s time we cut to the chase.”
I look at her hopefully, my heart pounding. This is it. Does she want to get back together too? I smile and tentatively reach out to grab her hand.
“Why are you here?” Her tone is sharp.
My mouth twists in confusion. “What?”
“You heard me.” She frowns.
Feeling lost, I throw up my arms. “Brooky, I told you. I’m working here as a lifeguard.”
She sighs, strangely impatient. “Yes, I know that. But, why did you come to my cabin?”
My hope melts like frost in the morning sun. “To see you. I want to be with you.”
“Wes, that’s sweet and all.” Brooklyn sounds exasperated. “But, we broke up, like, a week ago.”
I frown. “Neither of us wanted that, though.”
“So?” Her expression is still unreadable. Then, she whips off her sunglasses and opens her eyes wide, looking like a sweet little doll. “I need, like, space. You know? To move on.”
My heart sinks. This is not at all how I expected this conversation to go. I just want my girlfriend back, the old Brooklyn. This cold and distant Brooklyn is a stranger to me. “But I’m here for the summer because of you.”
Another sigh and she rolls her green eyes. “Yeah, but like, you’re not living in Billings anymore. This is senior year... I’m going to be head cheerleader.”
“So?” I kick a little rock in front of me.
Brooklyn shrieks and ducks towards the chihuahua. “Wes, careful! Watch Snuffles!”
“Sorry,” I mutter, though the rock went nowhere near him.
Brooklyn sniffs and turns her nose up towards me. “Don’t say sorry to me. Say sorry to Snuffles.”
I refrain from rolling my eyes. “Sorry, Snuffles.”
Snuffles growls.
I turn my eyes towards the ground. I thought Brooklyn was upset when I had to leave town, I thought that she wanted us to get back together. But with how she’s acting right now, I’m no longer sure.
An awkward silence drapes over us again as we round the corner towards the lake. My mind races and I struggle to find words to say. Meanwhile Brooklyn whispers sweetly to Snuffles like I’m not here.
The world feels like it’s crashing down around me again. I wish I could figure out a way to break through Brooklyn’s tough exterior, figure out a way to get her back. It’s the only way I can get my life somewhat back to normal.
9
Wes
My gaze is averted to the ground when I collide with someone. I put my hands out to steady the person I walked into. “Sorry!”
I’m greeted by a familiar voice. “So. We meet again.”
Surprised, I look up into a pair of big brown eyes. I get locked in for a moment and almost forget where I am.
“Anaya. Hi.” I force the words out. I feel out of breath. “My bad, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
Her eyes twinkle playfully. “That’s okay. At least you have clothes on this time.”
I laugh, the tension from
moments ago long gone. Anaya really is funny. “Touché, damsel in distress.”
She opens her mouth to retort. “I don’t—”
“I’m Brooklyn.”
Brooklyn’s loud, clear voice overpowers Anaya’s soft and calm one. She looks Anaya up and down skeptically. Her nose is wrinkled, her eyes narrow. She’s apparently forgotten about her phone. And Snuffles.
“Nice to meet you.” Anaya smiles politely. Then her eyes zero in on Snuffles. “Cute dog!”
She crouches towards Snuffles.
“I wouldn’t do that, he doesn't like strangers…” Brooklyn trails off as Anaya reaches forward.
We both gape, open-mouthed, at the picture in front of us. The wonder of all wonders has happened. Anaya is petting Snuffles behind the ears, and all traces of evil psycho Chihuahua have vanished. Snuffles tilts his head and licks Anaya’s hand.
“Now I’ve seen everything,” I murmur.
Brooklyn elbows me in the ribs and shoots me a dirty look.
Anaya stands again and grins. “I’ll let you get back to your walk. See you tonight, Wes.”
“See you.”
My gaze lingers on her back for a moment as she walks away. I remember the face she made when I “saved” her earlier today and I can’t stop a smile from crossing my face. She’s so expressive, her words so genuine — like she says everything that’s on her mind. Working with her this summer is sure to be eventful.
“Hellooo, earth to Wes?” Brooklyn waves a hand in front of my face.
I’m jolted back to reality and I blink at her. “Oh sorry, what did you say?”
“I was asking.” Brooklyn’s eyes flash, her face expertly crafted into a look of sexy annoyance. “Who is that?”
“Anaya.” It’s a cool name, I like the way it sounds when I say it. “She’s the swim instructor.”
Brooklyn narrows her eyes. “And why would that put her in the position of seeing you without your clothes on?”
The Complete Legacy Inn Collection: Four Sweet YA Romances Page 19
