The Lure of White Oak Lake (24 page)

“Momma fixed these up for us last night while we were practicing our paddling.” Austin walked onto the deck and handed Morgan her costume. “I sprayed them with Febreze and sealed them in a plastic bag all night. You’ll understand why in a minute.”

Morgan sniffed at the deer hide, then held it at arm’s length. “Oh, man, that stinks.”

Austin nodded as he slid his over his head. “Mom said the same thing, but Vikings stunk, Morgan. Suck it up.”

The hide was sewn so it hung over one shoulder and wrapped completely around Austin’s waist. He looked ridiculous in the outfit and the flat bill ball cap he was sporting. Morgan made a face. “That’s an ugly-ass hat.”

“This hat is cool.”

Morgan shook her head. “I know cool, and that’s not it. It may be in style, but it’s not cool.” She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture. “One day, years from now, you’ll look at this and say, ‘Morgan, why’d you let me wear that hat? I looked like a dork.’”

Austin pulled it lower over his eyes. “You planning on being around years from now because I’d really like that?”

Surprised by the question, Morgan said, “I hope so because I really want to rub this picture in your face.” She gagged as she pulled the deerskin over her head. “How do I look?”

Austin picked up one of the Viking hats, stuck it on Morgan’s head, and stepped back. “You look like an idiot.”

“Thanks, bud, that really means a lot since I’m wearing this for
you
.”

He pulled his phone out and put his hat on. “We both look like idiots. Now smile for the camera.”

~~~

“Jaclyn, go, we’ve got this,” Ida said impatiently. “You’re not gonna have time to get to the other side of the lake if you don’t go now.”

“There’s more beer in the back. It just needs to be put in the coolers.” Jaclyn looked up at the clock. “I can do that before I go.”

Ida took her by the arm and led her to the door. “I’ve found a wonder drug for my bursitis. I can handle loading a little brew, now go.”

“Thank you.” Jaclyn kissed her on the cheek and stepped outside. She shielded her eyes from the sun and looked at all the vessels lined up for the race. Thor was nowhere in sight. She worried that there had been some sort of mishap as she wove her way over to Chet.

Chet was perched in a wheelchair on a prime piece of real estate that gave him a full view of the race. Jaclyn walked over to him and nervously asked, “Have you seen Austin and Morgan? I don’t see them in the lineup.”

“I imagine they’re gonna bring her around the bend there. No reason for them to use the boat dock if Thor is already in the water,” Chet said calmly.

Jaclyn shielded her eyes from the sun. “Shouldn’t they be here already, though?”

“If I had worked as hard as they did, I’d want to make an entrance, too.”

Skip walked up alongside Jaclyn. “They here yet?”

“No, and I’m getting really nervous. What if—” Thor came into view as it passed behind the trees. The crowd clapped as Austin held his fist high on the bow. Morgan, unseen behind the decorations, was paddling them to the lineup.

“Told ya,” Chet quipped dryly.

Jaclyn laughed as she wove her way down to the launch and watched as Morgan stepped into the water to line Thor up. As promised, she was dressed in her deerskin. She looked like a Viking except for the sodden sneakers on her feet. “Y’all look fantastic.”

“I’m freezing my ass off,” Morgan said as she climbed back into Thor. “Why didn’t you talk me out of this?”

“Because you love it,” Jaclyn said with a smile.

Morgan grinned. “I can’t help it, I do.”

“She wore the skin, Mom. She rocks.” Austin puffed out his chest when one of the photographers for the newspaper aimed his camera at them.

“That she does.” Jaclyn took out her phone and snapped a picture, as well. “I just wanted to come down and wish you luck before I go to Maddie’s. Take good care of each other,” she said seriously.

“We’ll be just fine,” Morgan promised. “We’ve decided that if we win, you should jump in the lake with us.”

“I’ll prepare for a swim.” Jaclyn stared at Morgan for a moment in that ridiculous hat and outfit. She’d felt her heart slipping away almost from the moment she met Morgan, but on that sunny Saturday morning, she had to admit to herself, Morgan owned it.

Morgan looked back at her as if she were reading her mind. “I look forward to seeing you on the other side.”

M
organ watched as a man went to each vessel and dropped something inside. When he dropped a ball and thin chain connected to a red float in Thor, she studied it. “What’s this?”

“A sink marker.” Austin looped the ball around one of the straps holding the keg. “If we sink, they’ll know where the not-boat is. It makes it easier to clean up.”

Morgan looked at the other side of the lake. It seemed so far off. There were boats in the water ready to pick up the unlucky. “They wasted their time giving us one of those because we’re not going to sink.”

“No, we’re not.” He smiled proudly when the photographer returned and snapped a few pictures of him and Morgan.

“Good luck, you’ve got the nicest-looking craft out here.”

“Thank you.” Morgan jerked a thumb at Austin. “This was his brainchild.”

“Ours,” Austin corrected. He jerked when a horn went off. “That’s the five-minute warning. We should probably go ahead and drop the decorations.”

Morgan unclipped the chicken wire that held the papier-mâché to the sides of the craft while Austin pulled out the pole in front that held it all together. They hoisted it onto the bank. “I hate to see that go, it was really cool,” she said sadly.

“Yeah, it was a lot of work just to show off for thirty minutes. Next year, we’ll do something simple,” Austin said as he faced forward and readied his paddle.

Next year, Morgan thought to herself as she looked at her opponents. Two guys in a watering trough had already capsized. The guys in the fiberglass bathtub bolstered by plastic rafts looked like they might give them a run for their money. On the other side were two teenage girls who had lashed a piece of plywood to a half-dozen tire tubes. Their craft looked sturdy, too. Morgan pretty much ruled out the cardboard box that was sinking, and she was doubtful about the two whiskey barrel bottoms bolted together.

“Like we practiced,” she said to Austin. “Five strokes on the right, then five on the left. I’ll keep her straight, you hammer away.” They’d only practiced twice, but then they didn’t try to cross the lake. Morgan would paddle opposite of Austin and use her paddle as a rudder when they got off track. It was a simple plan that she hoped would work. When the horn sounded again, she and Austin paddled slowly to the string stretched across the water. The second it dropped, it was go time.

~~~

“Sit down.”

“I can’t, I’m too excited,” Jaclyn said as she looked down at Maddie. “I have to stand.” She raised the binoculars and watched as Austin and Morgan readied for the race. Both looked fiercely determined. As usual, there was a delay as the race team picked not-boats out of the lake that had already sunk. Others pulled soggy and disgusted contestants from the cold water. The sun was bright, but there was a chill in the air. Jaclyn shivered more from excitement.

Every yard along the lake was covered in people sitting on blankets and chairs. The crowd stretched all the way through the park. Maddie’s deck was the perfect place to watch the race with its elevation. Dawn and Caleb played with others on the swing set, and Heath was warming up the grill for the barbecue that would begin after the race. Jaclyn’s shoes thumped on the deck as she paced nervously.

People began to scream when the horn went off and the vessels started to move. Austin was paddling like there was no tomorrow, and behind him, Morgan did the same. From where Jaclyn stood, it looked as though Thor was in second behind the bathtub, but coming up close behind was the raft with two young girls paddling for dear life.

“Come on, Austin!” Maddie screamed. “Come on, Morgan! Stroke!” The shutter on her camera was steadily clicking away. “Come on, win this thing!”
Click, click, click.

Austin’s face had turned beet red by the time they reached the halfway mark. Jaclyn could tell that Morgan was yelling something. The muscles in her bare arms bulged with every stroke. The raft with the two girls came dangerously close to Thor. Morgan steered to avoid them, but the loss of her paddling cost them, and the bathtub pulled ahead. Austin’s paddle connected with one of the girl’s paddles, and it went sailing, putting their raft out of the race. The accident also gave the bathtub crew a healthy lead. Jaclyn’s heart sank as she watched the expression on Austin’s face. “Come on, son, don’t give up.”

~~~

“We’ve got this, Austin, push,” Morgan shouted. “Don’t look at the tub, just paddle with all you’ve got.” The shouting made Morgan lose count on her paddling, and the vessel veered to the left when she paddled for a second on the wrong side. The tub was just ahead, and those ruthless bastards had the foresight to wear gloves. Morgan’s hands burned from the friction, and her arms felt like they were on fire.

Austin roared as he put all he had into the paddling. She followed suit, focusing on her breathing to keep her mind off the agony in her arms. She wanted victory, she wanted it for Austin. “Hey, bud, I’m still back here paddling, and I’m not gonna give up, but I have to be quiet to conserve energy. I just want you to know that I’m so damn proud of you, and nothing will ever change that.”

Austin’s strokes became wider, faster. He was pouring on the juice. Morgan breathed out between clenched teeth, releasing a hiss on every stroke she made. They moved alongside the tub, but neither she nor Austin dared to break concentration to look at their opponents. Their eyes were on the goal. Unified in the sole focus, they pushed themselves hard and took the lead.

~~~

“Oh, my God, oh, my God,” Jaclyn chanted as she watched. Thor and the tub were side by side, and she could clearly see the fatigue in Austin and Morgan. Thor was getting close enough that Jaclyn no longer needed the binoculars. With every stroke they made, she did too. She didn’t care that she looked like an idiot swinging her arms. She jumped off the deck still rowing as though she could help them in some way. When Thor broke the finish line, Jaclyn took off running.

~~~

Morgan’s lungs were on fire, and her arms felt like they were filled with ants when Austin threw himself on her, knocking her out of Thor. They hit the water tangled together. The shock of the cold stole her breath away, and when they broke the surface, she gasped.

“I love you, man!” Austin yelled in her face. “I love you! I mean it.”

He looked surprised then, and Morgan was certain she looked the same. “I love you, too, Austin,” she said with a laugh and meant it.

Something cat-like with a head of blond hair sailed into the air with all four limbs outstretched and landed in the water between them. Jaclyn emerged seconds later and grabbed them both around their necks. The three of them laughed and screamed in victory as Maddie stood on the bank snapping one picture after another.

~~~

A deerskin when wet smells so much worse than when it’s dry, Morgan thought with disgust. The stench wafted up from beneath the blanket she was wrapped in as she and Austin stood on the podium in the park next to the mayor. The muscles in her jaw flexed to keep her teeth from chattering. Austin bounced beside her as second and third prizes were awarded.

“First prize goes to Austin Wyatt and Captain Morgan Chassion,” the mayor announced as he handed them a large trophy. Austin held it up, and the crowd roared. Morgan shied away when the mayor asked if she would like to say a few words, but Austin grabbed the mic from his hands.

“I want to thank my mom for letting me be in the race and for helping us decorate Thor. I want to thank all the businesses that donated the prizes, but I want to thank most the person that made this possible for me because no one else would let me be their partner, not even a guy I thought was my best friend.” Austin looked at Morgan. “I have a new best friend, though. I wouldn’t be up here now if it wasn’t for her. I know I’ll never find a better partner than Morgan Chassion.” Austin handed the mic back to the mayor and threw his arms around Morgan’s neck.

Over his shoulder, Morgan saw Jaclyn standing at the front of the crowd next to Maddie. There were tears in her eyes. She wasn’t just losing her heart to Jaclyn, but Austin too. She recognized the look in Jaclyn’s eyes, the way she behaved, because she’d seen it in herself. And as much as she’d tried to deny it in those quiet moments when common sense told her she was getting too deep with an uncertain future, she accepted that she was falling head over heels, and Jaclyn was too. The tiny bit of reserve she still held on to slipped from her grasp, and Morgan decided to fall regardless of where she would land.

~~~

Maddie pursed her lips as Morgan stepped out of the bathroom wearing Heath’s clothes. “Baggy, but not bad.” She smiled. “You smell much better, though. You can keep those. They don’t fit him anymore.”

“Thank you, Maddie.” She doubted Heath would want them back if he knew she was going commando. She felt like a misfit in loaned clothes and a pair of Heath’s old work boots, but there was no way she was going to be able to get back across the lake for a while unless it was by boat. Lake Shore Drive had become one giant block party, and there were still children’s races happening on the lake.

Jaclyn was on the phone when Morgan walked out onto the deck. “Are you sure? Oh, please tell Skip I appreciate him so much, and you too, Betsy. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you and Ida.”

Morgan grinned. Jaclyn’s usual attire was jeans or shorts, usually a button-down shirt or a T-shirt, but she’d been forced to wear her sister’s clothes. The blinged-out jeans showed off her butt, and the blue and white-striped mid-length-sleeved shirt hugged her upper body like a glove.

“You look hot,” Morgan said lowly when Jaclyn ended her call.

Jaclyn put a hand on her hip. “I’ll tell you what’s hot—you in a deerskin with that Viking hat. If it didn’t smell so bad, I’d ask you to wear it more often.”