Birds tweet overhead, their stupid oblivious happiness getting on my nerves. I glance around as I stuff my now ninety-percent-soft dick into my shorts and make sure everything is done up. Across the yard I see a flash of white hair and what I’m sure are binoculars. I’d call Mr. Woodcock out, but I don’t have time. I toss the apron over the line and cover the distance to the pool in two long strides, diving in.

I swim across to the other side. Andy drops the ball at the edge when my head pops out, barking excitedly. I snatch up the ball, toss it across the yard, and pull myself out.

“We’ll play later, buddy. Come on, let’s go in and see Sunny.” Grabbing a towel from the back of the chair, I run it over my chest and wrap it around my waist. Andy trots behind me with that ball in his mouth, desperate for more attention.

I pop my head in the door leading to the kitchen. “Hey, sweets, you gonna come for a swim before you gotta leave?” I fake surprise and almost choke on my tongue when I get a load of Sunny’s mom. “Mr. and Mrs. Waters! How’s it goin’?”

Daisy Waters is a fashion nightmare resurrected from the eighties. Her helmet-y hair keeps hairspray companies in business. Currently one side is flat, like maybe she fell asleep on the way home and crushed it. I swallow my laugh. “I wasn’t sure I was gonna get a chance to see you.”

I stay on the mat by the door, since I’m dripping water, and assess everyone’s stance. I can’t read Sunny’s expression to tell if she’s stressed out or not. I think her tank top might be on backwards. I’m worried about what I might have missed while I was getting my shorts.

“I guess it’s a good thing our flight was changed!” Sunny’s mom crosses over and gives me an affectionate hug. Her over-sprayed hair hits my wet cheek. “Don’t stand by the door. Come on in, Miller! It’s been a while! I’m so glad you came by. Are you hungry? You must be starving!” She squeezes my bicep. “You must be the reason Sunny’s making her cinnamon buns!”

“I’ve never had them before.”

I let her slip her arm through mine. Daisy loves me, despite how much I keep fucking things up with Sunny.

“Well, you’re in for a real treat.”

Robbie’s leaning against the doorjamb, eating one of Sunny’s cinnamon buns. He’s wearing a pair of plaid shorts and a tie-dye T-shirt with a band I’ve never heard of on it. He doesn’t look quite so excited to see me. I can tell he’s suspicious. Sunny’s poor lying skills are probably part of the reason. “Sunny tells us you stopped by this morning.”

I avoid answering the question directly so I don’t have to lie outright. “I couldn’t go to Muskoka without stopping to see Sunny. I’m disappointed she’s gotta leave this morning.”

Robbie glances at Sunny. “Leave? Where are you going?”

Sunny twirls her hair around her finger. “Remember before you left when we talked about me going camping for a few days with Lily? Up in Chapleau? Well, we decided to go for, like, a week, maybe a little longer.”

Daisy looks absolutely horrified. “Camping? You’ve never gone camping. And that’s so far away. Will you even have cell phone reception? What about running water? Why wouldn’t you use Alex’s cottage? He’s not there this week—at least I don’t think he is, and even if he was I’m sure he’d be more than happy for you and Lily to come along. It has six bedrooms. There’s plenty of room.”

Robbie gives Daisy a look, but she’s too busy being appalled by the idea of camping to catch it. “What about your shifts at the shelter?” he asks.

“Those are all covered, and my yoga classes, too. I’ve taken care of everything.”

“But you don’t camp.” Daisy’s stuck on this point.

“I do too camp.”

“Spending one night in a tent in Alex’s backyard at the cottage doesn’t count, Sunshine,” Daisy says.

Sunny puts her hands on her hips. “I’ve camped with Lily before.”

“Don’t her parents have a trailer on Lake Erie?”

Sunny huffs, annoyed. “Well, I would’ve camped if you’d let me go to Girl Guides, but Alex always had those hockey camps, and I never could!”

Robbie picks up another cinnamon bun and takes a bite. “These are fantastic.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Sunny looks at Daisy. “Lily says we’re borrowing a camping van or something, and she has all the gear we’ll need. It’s gonna be great!” She sounds less enthusiastic about it than she did yesterday. Maybe she’ll end up cutting it short.

“Is it just you and Lily going?” Daisy asks. “I don’t know if I like that idea.”

“There’s a group of us.” Sunny’s hair twirling gets more and more aggressive until it’s twisted all the way around her finger, cutting off the circulation. She’d never make it as a professional poker player.

“Who else is coming with you?” Robbie’s eyes shift in my direction as he takes a huge bite of bun. I want one.

The doorbell rings, cutting off Sunny’s response. I check the clock on the wall—it’s analog, so I can read it easier. It’s after nine. Shit. Lily’s here, and my time with Sunny is almost up. I didn’t even get to give her a good morning/see you soon orgasm. Damn it.

Sunny skips around the counter and gazelles her way to the front door, throwing it open with a squeal. Her extra crunchy granola bestie throws her arms around her, and they do that weird overly affectionate hug thing girls do when they haven’t see each other in all of five minutes. Although, I’ve been here for the past two days, so it’s been at least that long since they’ve seen each other, but likely not longer.