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Soon enough, I feel war behindwet skin of ainst his shins as he studiesat me

With a wink, I slip off the wall and into the pool, practically daring him to come and follow me

A moment later, I hear a splash I surface in the asp as a warh to spread flat across my belly, just for a moaze fixed on me

“This is a dangerous gaie,” he murmurs, his voice pitched low, just for me, so nobody else will overhear him

I grin in response “I know”

But I have no idea how dangerous it’s about to get From the other end of the pool, Mom calls out for attention “Who wants to play chicken?” She taps Dad’s shoulder, and then swats hiroan I know secretly he loves it Nobody brings out oofy side quite like my mother, and she knohen he needs it most

Given how stressed he’s been at the hospital, I’m sure he really does need this time to blow off steam

“John and I will go up against the first contender,” Mo, when behind me, someone clears his throat

“Maggie and I will play” Russ I whip around to stare at hiaht? But he just winks at me, and keeps an innocent, wide smile plastered on his face as he paddles toward the shallow end of the pool

With one last gasp of worry, I swim after hiuess Russ has been hanging out with us for so long that they wouldn’t even think to be suspicious of anything going on between us Still, itgood-natured insults about who’s going to destroy whom

Mos her legs around Dad’s neck, and he hauls her up onto his back They’ve done this so many times that she finds her balance in a split second, like it’s second nature