This chapter picks up right where chapter three left off, on the same night Jake and Kayla had their fight.  Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Charlotte was all tucked into bed after insisting Jake tell her a bedtime story, and my mom was sound asleep.  I think she works too hard, but she would never admit it.  Jake and I were sitting on my porch swing.  It was dark, but you could just barely see the stars dusting the sky.  It was one of those summer nights where it cooled down enough that you were still warm, but a light breeze made you want to snuggle up with a blanket by the campfire.

               “Thanks for being so sweet to Charlotte.  She doesn’t get a lot of guy time and I think it’s good for her so she’s not just around my mom and I all the time” I stared down into my hot chocolate and avoided looking at Jake, dreading his next question and wishing I hadn’t even said anything in the first place.

               “Kayla, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to but, where’s your dad?”  Jake seemed genuinely concerned which was refreshing.

               “He’s dead.  So you said you’re a lifeguard.  That’s cool!  How long have you been doing that for?” my words came out rushed.  I could tell Jake was shocked by my response and change of subject, but I had just met the guy, and I wasn’t about to start spilling secrets.

               “Um.  I’m sorry about your dad.  I got my lifeguarding certification at fifteen and have been working at the pool ever since” Jake was talking slowly and quietly like he was walking on eggshells around me, which was exactly what I was trying to avoid.  Good thing I didn’t tell him the real story, who knew how he would react then.

               “Hmmm I can’t really picture you rescuing drowning children, I feel like you would try to be a show off and end up drowning and some four year olds would have to save you.  Though there is no way they could save your damaged ego after an event like that.  Such a shame” I tried to sound serious through all of that, but there is no way I pulled it off.

               “I am deeply offended.  For your information I can do a fantastic backflip off the diving board and I was lifeguard of the month one time.  Just because there are only three of us does not mean it is any less of an honor” Jake pretended to get all emotional and I couldn’t help but laugh.

               “Wow I am truly embarrassed to be associated with you” I couldn’t resist, making fun of Jake was becoming my new favorite hobby.

               “By the way I put a fly in your hot chocolate so who’s the real winner here?” Jake smirked as I jumped up and dumped my hot chocolate over the railing and into the flowers.  Turns out there was no fly, and the idiot made me waste a perfectly good cup of hot chocolate. 

We went back to our usual banter about pointless stuff like what would be more entertaining, egging or TPing the Idiots’ houses.  I don’t know how long we sat there, but eventually the combination of the hot chocolate and the gently rocking porch swing made me drift off.

***

               The next morning I woke up in my room with no idea how I got there.  Jake’s sweatshirt was draped around me.  He must have carried me up to my room after I fell asleep on the porch the night before.  Gosh that was embarrassing.  He probably thought I was some wimp who wanted his sympathy for all my problems.  I mentally berated myself for falling asleep and looking vulnerable.  What if I snored? Or drooled?  Or worse talked in my sleep?

I grabbed my gear and got Charlotte ready.  We were just finishing breakfast when I heard Jake honk from the driveway.  Time to face the music.

“Morning Char.  Morning Kayla” Hmm Jake wasn’t acting any differently than normal.  He and Charlotte did their adorable little handshake she came up with then he smirked at me and turned on the country station as usual.  It was almost as if last night never happened.  I didn’t trust that I was completely in the clear yet, he was probably just waiting until Charlotte was gone to mention it.

It was blazing hot during practice and we were both dripping sweat by the end of it.  We ran some new drills and set up a couple new freeball plays.  I had to admit Jake and I worked well together.  He came up with strategies I would never think of, and I kept us on track and saw patterns of what worked and what didn’t.  We made a good team.

I had always pegged Jake as a laid back football obsessed guy who didn’t take anything seriously, but I was wrong.  He knew I liked to focus during practice and he respected that.  Though I think holding in his “Jakeness” must have been difficult because I was crazy and never stopped talking in the car after practices.

He was definitely one of the funniest people I had ever met, I laughed more when I was with him than I did with anyone else.

***

The next day I decided to take Charlotte to the pool for the morning before dropping her off at day camp before my double shift at the steakhouse.  Jake didn’t seem to be working today and no one I knew was at the pool so I was laying out on a chair reading a new book.  It was a mix of a romance novel and a thriller suspense book, it was perfect and I was tearing through it, of course looking up now and then to check up on Charlotte who, as usual, had made several new friends and was playing with them in the shallow end. 

Sometimes I wish I could go back to being a little kid.  Life was so much easier.  They didn’t have to worry about grades, or money, or rumors, or people lying or letting you down, all they had to worry about was having fun and making friends, and even that came easy to them.

“Excuse me m’am but we’re going to have to ask you to leave the premises” I jumped when I heard the voice behind me.  I was so absorbed in my book I didn’t hear anyone approaching.  I looked up at the man behind me, but the sun was directly behind him so I couldn’t make out his face.  He suddenly started laughing and I recognized the laugh easily.

“Jake Mitchells!  You scared the crap out of me.  What are you doing here?” I couldn’t even pretend to be mad at him.  When Jake laughed you couldn’t help but laugh too. 

“I have to admit I’m stalking you.  No bozo, I work here remember.  And anyway if I was going to stalk a Ryans girl it would definitely be Charlotte.  She’s my dream girl” He mockingly clutched his heart and sighed with a love-struck look in his eyes.  I snapped my fingers in front of his face to bring him back to reality.

“That’s my sister bud and she is way out of your league” He looked hurt as if I had just shattered his hopes and dreams.  He hung his head in despair.

“If anything I’d say you’re stalking me.  Babe we see each other four times a week, isn’t that enough for you?” He looked all smug.

“I didn’t think you were working today.  Like I would ever stalk you, keep dreaming Mitchells.  And don’t call me babe, people might think I associate with you and that would be embarrassing” I grinned and slipped my sunglasses on, looking around as if I was afraid of being caught with Jake.  He laughed that laugh of his.  Suddenly Charlotte ran over and tackled Jake in a bear hug.

“Jake I missed you!” Charlotte’s grin stretched across her face.

“You just saw me yesterday, but I missed you too!  How is my favorite Ryans sister?” He looked at me out of the corner of his eye and I rolled my eyes.  As if I would be jealous of the attention he gave my six year old sister.  If anything I would be jealous of Charlotte’s hair.  I had always secretly wanted to be a blonde, but I was too scared to dye my hair.

“I’m fantabulous.  That’s fantastic and fabulous combined.  My friends and I made it up, at least I think we did.  Can you come over for dinner tonight?”  Charlotte jumped up and down in excitement.

“I wish I could, but your sister has to work tonight.  Hmmm let’s see what’s today?  Tuesday?  How about on Sunday you, your sister, and I go on a triple date?” Jake’s words surprised me.  A date?  No it wasn’t a date he was just being nice to Charlotte and knew I would have to be there with her.

“Kayla can we can we can we?” Charlotte looked so excited I couldn’t say no.  I nodded reluctantly.

“It’s a date.  Now I have to get to work, my shift’s about to start.  I will see you ladies tomorrow morning for practice” Jake stood up, pulled on one of Charlotte’s pig tails, smiled at me, then walked away.  I don’t know why, but I found myself looking forward to Sunday.

A triple date?  Sounds interesting.  What do you think Jake has in store for the Ryans sisters?  Sometimes i wish i was Charlotte's age again when life was simple, and other times i wish i was married and an adult with my whole life figured out.  If you could be any age how old would you want to be?  Don't forget to vote and comment!  Thanks guys!