Diving In (Open Door Love Story) (16 page)
Read Diving In (Open Door Love Story) Online
Authors: Stacey Wallace Benefiel
I stick an errant lock of hair back underneath my swim cap and then slide my nose clip on. I step up on my starting block. Travis takes the one on my right and Gabe positions himself on the one to my left. We’re working on Gabe’s time for the butterfly and also the best way for him to leave the starting block – currently he’s favoring a sort of sitting-crouch where he basically flings his upper body willy-nilly into the water to gain momentum.
We’re Team Gabe and this is how we like to spend our time. Travis graduated last June and is home in Boise for good, working for his dad. I’m running the entire chain of dry cleaners after Grandpa decided to retire in July. He gave me his two extra percentage points for my birthday. Owning a company at twenty is scary, but so are a lot of things.
Like facing your demons or telling the truth or accepting yourself just as you are.
Gabe has been employee of the month at Sunny’s twice now. (Nonconsecutive. Don’t ask.) He’s yet to lose one hundred pizzas, but he spills a lot of drinks. He’s learned to always bring a pitcher. “Got a bitcher? Bring a pitcher!”
I’m thinking of making t-shirts.
And when the three of us aren’t working, or the two of us aren’t making out on the couch in our apartment, we swim and we get Gabe ready to compete.
He could probably hire a real coach – Travis and I have told him as much - but Gabe seems to think someone else would be a bad fit.
“Get ready,” Mrs. Caswell shouts, bringing the whistle up to her mouth. Mr. Cleveland stands next to her, his thumb poised over the stopwatch button.
I stoop down on my block, prepared to launch myself into the pool. The whistle blows and we’re in, the three of us neck-and-neck, cutting through the water.
Moving forward.
THE END
About the Author
Stacey Wallace Benefiel is the author of the
Zellie Wells trilogy
, the
Penny Black trilogy
, the
Day of Sacrifice series
, the
Open Door Love Story series
,
The Toilet Business
– a collection of humorous essays, and multiple short stories. She sometimes goes by S.W. Benefiel or Reina Stowe, but knows she’s not foolin’ anybody. Stacey lives in an orange house in Beaverton, OR with her two young children who have old people names. When she’s not writing, thinking about writing, or driving the kids somewhere, Stacey is at CrossFit lifting heavy things, and cursing the inventor of the Burpee.
Also by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
Open Door Love Story series (NA Contemporary Romance)
Crossing
(#1)
– Free!
My Remedy
(#3) – Izzy and Duncan’s story (Coming Winter 2015)
Day of Sacrifice Omnibus (NA Urban Fantasy Romance)
Day of Sacrifice
–
Free!
Penny Black trilogy (NA Sci-fi Romance)
Frayed
(Coming 2014)
Fearless
(Coming 2014)
Zellie Wells trilogy (YA Paranormal Romance)
Glimpse
–
Free!
Contemporary Erotic Romance by Reina Stowe
Upton All Night
Upton All Night
(The Complete Series)
Employees of the Month
As always, much love and a neon green nose clip to Sarah Scott for reading Diving In, in all its stages of draftitude.
Hugs, and a vat of iced coffee to my writerly BFF Chanda Hahn for talkin’ it on out with me at the Panera every Friday.
Kisses, snugglebugs, and a heaping helping of wonder to my chickenmonkeys, G and A. You’ve taught me how to write during a dance party and to type with a sleeping child on my lap. Mama loves you.
F.Y.I. My parents are fantastic and I adore them!! They are the opposite of all the suck parents I write. Really.
Just so ya know, Kevin, my bizarre defining moment with you was when you knew all the words to
Super Bass
and sang along with me in the minivan. That’s pretty much all I ever wanted.
Imagine there is a thought bubble above my head that says “Thank you!” to my awesome beta readers: Sarah Scott, Lisa Nowak, Angela Carlie, and J.R. Pearse Nelson.
I’m unsure about a lot of things, but I know you all have got my back.
Enjoy
Diving In?
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