"Want to play?" I asked Everly.

"I think I should stay in the shade. But you and your black shorts should go have fun."

"No way. I invited you here. And I have no desire to chase Nick's ass around the pool." Louder, "No matter how much he longs for me to do so!"

He bobbed his fist back and forth toward his mouth.

"Not even then, Sweetness. Not even fuckin' then."

Everly laughed, her cheeks flushed pink. "I'm okay. Go. Have fun."

"Yeah, come," Amelia said. "Have fun, Callum."

Everly nodded, even though her eyes did not seem to agree. So I followed a group of drunken monkeys into the pool and pretended with my eyes closed to find Amelia and not feel her flexible leg on me under the water when I did. She hopped on my back when it was my turn to be Marco and by then, I'd had enough. She slid in front of me as I tried to leave, splashed my chest, playful, hopeful, but she was no little mouse, no fleeting butterfly with ethereal gifts. She was only a neon light that hurt my eyes, sewed to a selfish heart that tested my temper.

Everly Anne smiled at me when I came back to the table, flicking a bit of water from my fingers at her before I towel-dried.

"Having fun, Peach?"

"Yes, actually."

"Because you enjoy me being tortured?" I sat down and dried my face. Everly stared at me for a moment, her eyes flicking to my wet hair before she replied, "I like watching you smile."

"I could have sat right here and found plenty of reasons to smile."

"And I don't like keeping you from things you should be doing just because I can't."

"Ah, that word, Peach. You know better."

"It's true. So this time the "just" is . . . justified."

"Why can't you swim? Will your skin fall off?"

"Not from swimming. No."

"So what's the big deal with swimming then?"

"No cheating, remember?"

"Fine," I nodded. "What can we do? Together."

"We could swim under the shaded part of the pool-I'd actually like that very much right now-but I don't like people looking at me so ... undressed."

"No one is going to say anything. Ignore Amelia. She's drunk. Who cares."

"I care. And it's not Amelia I'm worried about."

"Me?" I said surprised. "You think I'm going to judge you?"

"I think I don't want to find out."

"No? My Farfalla doesn't want to live wild and free for one day? She'd rather be the little mouse?"

She looked to the pool for a moment, then back to me. "Okay, but only in the shade, and you have to tell me if . . . you need to be mindful of me . . . I need you to make sure I present well. Do you understand?"

I cupped her cheeks. "Nothing is hurting you on my watch."

We walked to the shaded side of the pool and I climbed in first. Everly glanced to the other end of the pool where Tatum and Nick floated and kissed, Amelia sunbathed, and Noelle passed out in a donut tube.

"Mindful," she repeated.

"I won't let you wake up with a donut tanned on your ass cheeks. I promise you."

She let her bathing suit cover fall away, revealing her navy and white suit beneath. She was pin-up perfect. A white bow tied in the middle of her conservative cleavage held all of my attention.