We're visiting the cottage again for the first time in nearly a decade. It's Em, Aly, Danny, Bella, Matthias and I.
I pose and Em takes pictures of me while the others lay on the beach, suntanning.
"I like that shirt," Emery grins behind the camera.
"Thanks," I beam back, "you bought it."
"I know."
We skip stones afterwards, like we did when we were kids. Emery is good at it now, better than me.
We rejoin the others on blankets and lounge chairs. I lay back on a towel and Emery falls asleep on Aly's lap.
"He still purrs like a kitten in his sleep," I smile fondly down at Emery's curls.
"I hope you two aren't still up to your old funny business," Aly says.
"What?" My smile slips away.
"Emery tells me everything, Brandon. I know you two used to mess around. I'm just saying-"
"Chill, lady. No! We're not doing anything."
"Okay." She shrugs. "I believe you. Emery told me the same and I believe him."
"But make no mistake. He was mine first and always will be, no matter who he's with. He knows that."
She tilts her head and looks at me pityingly, like I'm the saddest, most pathetic thing she's ever seen.