“Who’s that?” Craig asked, drawing my attention away from his brother.
“Jared Healy and Bodhi Hanson.”
“Huh. Jared was a few years above us, right?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
“His son goes to my school. Started Year 8 in January,” Ross said.
My eyes widened in surprise. “Bloody hell, that makes me feel old.” I shook my head, considering just how many people around our age were married and with kids. While I didn’t know the number, it was sure to be a lot.
“Well, you’re just about to flip over to thirty-six. That makes you closer to forty, right?”
Both my and Craig’s heads whipped in Ross’s direction so fast—and I imagined with matching expressions of “what the fuck did you just say?”—it was no wonder Ross broke into laughter.
“Jeez, be careful of such sudden movements. Bones get brittle when you get older.”
My eyes narrowed, zeroing in on Ross’s warm brown eyes, nothing but amusement dancing in their depths.
“You know what, Craig?” I said, not looking away from Ross.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t think a man’s ever too old for a mid-morning swim.”
Craig shifted immediately, popping onto his feet, his rod placed on the ground. I didn’t remove my gaze from Ross. When his eyes widened, understanding registering, he jumped out of the chair, getting caught up in his rod.
“The pair of you can piss off,” he shouted around his laughter. He detangled himself and shoved his rod onto the muddy bank, shoulders still shaking.
Before he could take a step back, I latched on to his wrist. His skin was warm under my hold. It wasn’t the time to appreciate the softness of his hairs under my fingertips or even that of his skin.
“Oomph.” The sound fell out of Ross when Craig wrapped his arms solidly around his chest. I ignored the flutter of frustration that I didn’t think to go for that move. Though, having Ross pressed against me wouldn’t have been the smartest decision.
“Grab his feet.” Craig’s grin filled his whole damn face, and I struggled to get a hold of Ross’s feet, laughing too hard.
“Don’t… you… dare, you fuckers.” Ross’s own laughter made each word an effort, each syllable sounding wheezy.
I latched onto his legs and hauled him up, struggling to see through my tears of laughter while Ross squirmed in my hold.
We manhandled him to the edge.
“If I touch that water, the both of you are joining me,” Ross hollered, squirming some more.
I had absolute belief he was telling the truth. As a kid, he’d always found a way to take us down with him. Though, as a kid, I may not have put up too much of a fight, wanting to make sure the teasing went three ways.
When we shifted him close to the edge, Craig stopped, his smirk wide, gaze on me. “We throw him in, you know you’re getting wet.”
“You too. No chance you’re escaping,” I said.
“How about the pair of you just stop being dicks, put me down, and you two feel free to go for a swim?” Ross narrowed his eyes at me. He’d also given up the struggle. With his arms crossed over his chest, he almost seemed relaxed while Craig and I were busting our balls lifting him.
It was when he raised his brow in challenge, trying to call my bluff, that I shouted to Craig, “Now.”
I caught the wide-eyed look on Ross’s face, his mouth dropping open before Craig and I bounded into the lake together, throwing the three of us deep into the chilly water.
Craig’s head broke free of the surface. Spluttering, he laughed, saying, “Holy shit, that’s cold.”
I could only snort in response, the frigid water capturing my ability to form words. While today was forecast a warm twenty-two degrees Celsius, perfect for a winter’s day in Queensland, the nights were dropping to around three degrees, meaning the water was bloody cold.
“I think my dick’s fallen off,” Ross said through chattering teeth, making me chuckle harder. Yet the three of us remained in the cold water, fully dressed and shivering, all of us having far too much fun freezing our arses off.
And me? I’d never been more certain that moving back was the right thing to do. And more than that, when Ross’s gaze found my own, a smile aimed my way, I was convinced there could be something between us.
I’d waited over ten years for the chance and couldn’t screw this up.
Not like last time.
Dating a friend in the past had bitten me on the butt and changed the dynamics of everything. I couldn’t risk it again without being certain we were right for each other.
Time was on our side, though. I’d use it to reconnect with the man who’d had a piece of my heart for a hell of a long time.
