My dad doesn’t get mad at me very often. He’s not frustrated or exasperated or disappointed in me hardly ever. Mostly because I tried very hard not to let that happen. I admire my dad. I think he’s amazing. And he’s been my hero since I was a little girl. I tried very hard to toe the line and make him proud of me.
This is a tiny infraction. It’s nothing serious. It’s certainly not going to turn into charges. But I can’t deny that the little girl inside me is still feeling very sheepish right now.
“Okay, I’m decent,” I say.
He turns. “Swimming naked is not a great idea for a lot of reasons. Not just because somebody you’re not expecting might show up. There could be poison ivy or oak around the banks.”
I press my lips together and nod. He’s right, of course.
“Also, you don’t know what kind of bacteria there might be in there. And there could be water snakes. Or underwater branches that could scratch you up. There are certain parts of your body where you don’t want scratches, Mia.”
I giggle. I can’t help it.
Not because scratches on my private parts are funny, but because this is so reminiscent of how David acted when he found me in the field the very first night during the storm. And when he found me in the deer stand. And probably how he would react if he found me out here skinny-dipping, to be honest.
My dad’s brows arch. “What’s funny?”
“Just that you’re maybe overreacting slightly. The chances of me getting scratched by a branch or bitten by a snake out here are slim, right?”
“Slim doesn’t mean impossible.”
I stifle my laughter and nod. He’s not wrong.
But wow, my dad and David really are the same guy in a lot of ways. My mom was absolutely right.
My children are going to either be the most obedient children Sapphire Falls has ever seen or absolute hellions.
Ten minutes later, we’re knocking on Judy’s front door.
The older woman pulls the door open with a huge smile. “Mia!” Then her eyes land on my dad coming up the steps behind me. “Hello, Scott.”
“Evenin’, Judy. This is who was trespassing at your pond.”
“Oh, I know.”
I grimace.
My dad stops beside me. “You know?”
“She figured it out when I showed up soaking wet in my swimsuit,” I say quickly, giving Judy a wide-eyed stare.
I really like Judy, and she has been awesome about going along with all of my shenanigans. But I’m not sure how good she is at thinking on her feet or catching subtle please-go-along-with-this hints.
But she nods quickly. “Right. Of course.”
“Well, I know you called Game and Parks, but they sent me when David was busy,” my dad says. “I wanted to let you know that it was just Mia and nothing to worry about. But…” My dad looks at me expectantly.
“I shouldn’t have been out there without permission. I’m really sorry. I will ask next time.”
Judy holds up a hand. “No need to ask. You’re free to use it anytime. You and David just consider that pond your own.”
My breath lodges in my chest.
My dad freezes next to me.
Oh. Crap.
I swear ten seconds of total silence tick past, feeling like a year, before my dad turns and looks down at me. “David? David, who?”
