Always (Bold As Love 4)

“Can I go get in the water already?” Drake asks me.

“Sunscreen, first.”

Emily hands him the sunscreen and then I help her lay out the towels.

“Seriously?” I ask, seeing that not only is she wearing a new bathing suit with the Pens on it, but she bought herself a towel as well.

“I ordered them before you were drafted, so hush. Plus, they are still my favorite team. You're just my favorite player.” She smiles easily and sits on the towel beside me. Drake tosses her the sunscreen and looks at me for approval.

“Be careful and the water doesn't go higher than your waist without me in there with you.”

“Got it,” he nods.

So much for him going in the water, not that I'm complaining. He sits close enough to look for mole crabs. Turning to look at Emily, she's slathering sunscreen over her arms. We take turns passing the sunscreen to one another as we apply it to ourselves. Last, but not least, I rub it on her back after she does the same for me.

“You know, if you keep on with all this Penguins gear, I'm not going to be able to be seen with you in public.”

Emily laughs and shakes her head as she moves to lay on her stomach first with her head towards the water. I've got my knees pulled up and my arms resting on them. My eyes are focused on the water's edge where Drake is digging quickly.

“I'm probably just going to work this semester and take a couple of online classes at a community college, so I don't get too far behind. That way, it'll be a little easier to be there when Drake gets home from school, that kind of thing. Have you heard anything more from your dad's attorney?”

“Apparently, when my mom got sick, she made him set up a will, right? The house is mine and it's paid for. I can either keep it or sale it. What money he had goes to me and part of it goes into a trust fund for Drake when he gets older. That's pretty much it. Are you going to be okay with online classes?”

“Yeah. It's no big deal. I've dropped my classes in Charlotte already. We just need to ride up and get our things from the apartment and inform the landlord. Have you registered Drake yet?”

“No. It makes more sense to do that after we find a place. I can't register him at a school when I don't know if we're going to be in that district.”

Drake runs up to us, kicking sand behind him. Proudly, his chest moving as he catches his breath, he holds out his hand. There are three little mole crabs in his hand. Emily moves so she's sitting up like I am and holds out her hand. Drake drops all three into her hand.

“I loved finding these little guys when I was growing up,” Emily comments.

“Don't you want to come help me find more?” Drake asks, hopeful.

“Sure.”

We all go to Drake's spot and find the hole gone. The tide came in and filled it back up. Gathering around, we dig, cupping handfuls of sand and tossing it aside. Sweetness squeals whenever she grabs one and it moves around on her hand, claiming that it tickled. That's how the day passes. We wade in the water for a while and then dig for crabs. Around two, Drake's ready to head home and everyone's hungry.

There's a pizza place on the way off the island and we stop there to eat. It's pretty good and then we go home. The next couple of days pass just like this one. We make the arrangements that Emily's going to stay at my house with Drake whil

e I go up for the camp. I leave tomorrow and today, it's just me and my little brother spending the day together. Emily's supposed to be coming over later. She wanted me to spend some time with him before I left.

31

Emily

I'm just about to leave the house to go over to Jake's when Dad calls.

“Hey, hon. Do you want to eat supper with me tonight?”

“I would, but Jake leaves tomorrow and I really want to spend tonight with him. I'm getting ready to head that way now, actually.”

“You've seen him all week. A couple of hours won't hurt ya.”

“Dad,” I stress. “He leaves tomorrow. What's the big deal?”

“Look, I expect you to be at Carrabba's in an hour. Don't be late.”

“Seriously, Dad?” I ask, getting pissed. This is my last night with Jake for a while and he wants me to waste part of it by eating supper with him?