Skinny Dipping with the Boys

Chapter 5 - Water Like Glass

Dinner was early and casual. We all ate pizza on the deck. It was a good group. Everyone seemed to have someone they could hang out with. I started to dissect everyone with my eyes. The three sets of parents were all cut from the same social cloth and yapping away. The alcohol was flowing. Rusty had poured a bunch of rum into my soda. I started to feel buzzed. The Stone family seemed a notch more reserved than the rest of us. The twins were super cute but innocent and proper. Jed and Victoria were in college and in their own little world. The youngsters were clueless as they should be and easily entertained. I did notice Eve looking over a Rusty's little brother, Will. They were both twelve and shy. It was fascinating. Maybe some tween sparks would fly.

I found myself staring across the table at Grant. I tried not to but it was no use. He only had eyes for his cellphone. I surmised he was in a text battle with Grace. I knew the distraught look. Poor guy. There was no doubt she was high maintenance. I'm sure she was going to do her best to ruin his Fourth of July. I hoped she'd known how lucky she was. I learned Grant was going to get his shot in the fall to start as quarterback for Lake Travis High School as a junior. I didn't really know what that meant but others seemed to be impressed.

There was still an hour of sunlight after dinner. Rusty could not wait to get the new boat out on the lake for some wakeboarding. The water was like glass and the boat traffic had died down. The adults were content with sitting on the deck and catching up over more cocktails. Rusty recruited me, Grant, the twins, Will and Eve to join him. Grant continued to be distracted by his phone but at least he was on the boat. I still had the purple thong on and caught him looking more than once. It was a start. I decided to play it cool and not overtly flirt with him.

Rusty focused on driving and towed Will on a wakeboard first. The boy had skills. The Walkers spent a lot of time on Lake Havasu in Arizona. Eve and the twins passed on wakeboarding that night, but promised to give it a go the next day. That left Grant and me. The boat sat idle in the warm water. The sun was dipping into the pines. It was still ninety degrees. It was simply beautiful on the lake. The air itself was intoxicating.

"Come on, Purple Thong," said Rusty. "You're up."

"Okay," I said.

I took the life vest from Will and secured it around my upper body. I was nothing special, but I could wakeboard. Actually, I loved it. I'd been to various different lakes with my family and friends since I was little. I sat on the swim platform and tightened my boots. I took a deep breath and realized something. There was nowhere else on the planet I wanted to be at that exact moment. I felt calm, warm and safe. Grant handed me the towrope and I hopped in with a splash. Rusty lined me up with the rope taunt. I was in position.

"Ready??" yelled Rusty.

"Ready!"

Rusty dropped the throttle and the boat launched forward. I popped up right away and did my thing. I was a cheerleader and used to flying in the air. I couldn't do any fancy flips or maneuvers but I could jump the wake. I went for it. I kept catching more and more air. Okay, I was showing off for Grant. I knew he was watching because I asked him to film me on my cellphone. I started getting tired but the water was so glassy flat that I just couldn't waste it. You never know at the lake when you'll get perfect water.

I launched myself off the lip of the wake one more time. I overdid it. I caught way too much air and overshot the wake entirely. My board came down at a weird downward angle and I caught an edge the second I hit the water. It caused me to slam headfirst into the water at twenty miles an hour. I was not wearing a helmet. My eyes were open and I felt the impact on my retinas. I hit so hard I was dazed and confused. I didn't blackout but I was not moving. I was concussed.

Rusty immediately turned the boat around and got to me within twenty seconds.

"Are you okay??" Rusty called out.

"She's not moving!" I heard my sister say, panicked.

"Julia???" shouted Grant.

I heard them but I didn't respond. I was just out of it floating facedown. Grant dove in and swam to me. He turned me over to get my face out of the water and held me in his arms. I was starting to come around.

"Talk to me," he said. "Please, say something."

I heard genuine concern in his voice. He held me so tight and swam us over to the boat's swim platform. It was like a dream. His touch alone was incredible. Talk about feeling safe. Rusty helped him lift me onto the boat. I was dizzy. They had me lay down on the cushioned seats. Eve was freaking out trying to get me to talk. I still had not said a word. Rusty gunned the boat and drove back to the house.

"Is Grant here?" I said.

I don't know why those were my first words but that's what came out of my mouth.

"I'm right here," he said holding my head.

I smiled and then threw up my dinner all over him.