Take a Deep Breath (Lake of the Pines) (8 page)

Liv felt like a school girl again. She couldn’t stop
smiling. “Grandma, I’m going to take a quick shower and then I’ll be in to help
you with the picnic food.”

“Take your time, dear!”

Liv was blow drying her hair when Sara wandered into Liv’s
bathroom. She wrote her name in the steam on the mirror and drew a smiley face
underneath it.

“Hi, Sweetie.” Liv sorted through the drawer in the vanity
looking for a pony-tail holder.

“Where did Cam go? He disappeared when I was giving Pup-Pup
her bath. I hoped we could play ball again when it stopped raining.”

“You like him? Don’t you?”

“He’s great Mom! He’s fun to play with!”

“He is pretty great, isn’t he? Well, he took my car to grab
a couple of things at his place and will be back soon. He’s going to take us
out on his boat this afternoon.”

“Really? All right! Can Pup-Pup come too? Do you think I can
go tubing?” She peppered Liv with question after question.

“Slow down a second. I’m not sure. We’ll have to ask Cam.
For now, why don’t you get your bathing suit on and get our beach bag ready to
go. Make sure you put in the beach towels and the sunscreen. Once you have
everything ready you can watch TV. Cam should be here in less than an hour.
I’ll be in the kitchen helping Grandma finish our picnic lunch.”

Sara squealed, “A picnic too! Sweet!”

And it was sweet,
Liv thought. She could hear
Hannah in the kitchen peeling hard-boiled eggs for the sandwiches. She was
humming as she worked. Liv opened the fridge and dug out a jar of pickle relish
from behind the milk. “Here you go, Gram.”

Hannah scooped some of the relish out into the bowl with the
hard-boiled eggs and other ingredients in it without measuring it.

“You certainly seem to be feeling better today, Liv. You and
Cam both looked like the cat that swallowed the canary! Did you guys
reconnect?” She asked with a twinkle in her eye.

“Oh, Gram, you won’t believe it. In fact, I don’t believe
it. Cam and I…”

“Finally figured out you both wanted to be more than ‘just
friends,’” Hannah finished.

“Yeah, we did. How did you…”

“It’s about time, Livvy. It’s about time,” Hannah gave her
granddaughter a hug.

Liv pulled back to look at her grandmother. “I’m so happy
Gram. It almost feels too good to be true. I just hope I don’t mess it up
somehow.”

“That’s nonsense. I’ve always thought you and Cam belonged
together. I’ve watched the two of you grow up together. I knew you’d make your
way to each other eventually, in the right time. I’m happy that the right time
is finally now.”

“Thanks Gram, you have no idea how much, how long I’ve
wanted this.”

“I think I do. Your grandfather and I danced around each
other for years before we finally connected.”

“Really? I don’t think I ever heard this story.”

Hannah finished packing the picnic basket and sat down at
the kitchen table. Liv pulled out a chair and sat down next to her.

“Well, your grandfather used to work for my father. We had a
horse farm and Jack was a trainer. He was a few years older than I was. I used
to find any excuse I could to go out and watch him work.”

“I didn’t know you had horses.”

“They were so beautiful. We raised quarter horses that my
Dad then sold to area ranchers. I loved to ride,” Hannah continued, looking
wistful. “Anyway, eventually your grandfather finally got the clue that I was
in to him.”

“Did he kiss you?”

“Actually, I kissed him. He was taking too long. We were
working in the barn together one day. A mare had just given birth to her foal.
I got really emotional about it and hugged him. I could feel the heat between
us.”

Liv blushed. She knew what kind of heat her grandmother
meant. It was weird hearing her grandmother talk about it. “Then what
happened?”

“I pulled back from his arms and looked up into his eyes. I
could see the war in his eyes as he struggled not to kiss me. Before he could
turn away, I laid one on his mouth. That’s was all it took. He had his hands in
my hair and kissed me like no one ever had before. Thinking about that kiss
still rocks me.”

“I didn’t realize Grandpa had it in him. He always seemed so
serious and straight-laced.”

“Oh, most of the time he was, but when he wasn’t, he really
let go.”

“So, did you guys get married soon after that?”

“No, Jack didn’t think he was good enough for me. He put up
a lot of walls between us before he figured out I’d just keep knocking them
down until he gave in to me.”

“That sounds like you Gram.” Liv hugged her Grandmother. “I
miss him too.”

“Miss who?” Sara asked. She wore a bright orange and yellow
striped swimsuit. She had her sunglasses perched on top of her head and her
purple flip-flops on her feet.

“Grandma and I were just talking about my Grandpa. He died
when you were just a toddler.”

“Is he up in heaven like Cocoa?” Sara asked. Cocoa was Liv’s
thirteen-year old dog that passed away of old age last summer.

“Yes,” Liv smiled. “Just like Cocoa.”

“I miss Cocoa,” Sara said suddenly morose.

“Well, she is always in our hearts. Now are you ready to go
on the boat with Cam?” Liv asked.

“For sure! The beach bag is out by the door. I found four
beach towels and the big bottle of sunscreen.”

“Great. If you want, we can head down to the dock to wait
for Cam.”

“Okay Mom. I got Pup-Pup’s leash too.”

“Remember, we need to make sure that’s okay with Cam first.”

“He’ll let me, Mom. I just know it.”

“Here’s the picnic basket,” Hannah said as she handed the
heavy basket to Liv.

“Thanks Grandma.” Liv took it from her. “Are you sure you
don’t want to come along?” she asked again.

“Heavens, no! I’d much rather stay here and work on my
knitting.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Quit. I’m fine. Go and have fun.”

Liv kissed the older woman’s worn cheek. “Okay, then. We’ll
see you in a little bit.” Liv headed out the front door with Sara and Pup-Pup.
Liv turned back and looked over her shoulder. Her grandmother stood in the
front window and waved. Liv smiled and waved back. Sara was already half-way
down the hill to the dock below.

“Slow down! Wait for me!”

“Hurry up then!” Sara skipped ahead.

Liv chuckled to herself. It was turning out to be a really
good day.

Cam whistled as he drove back to his place. He felt a little
like he was sleep-walking.
If this is a dream,
he thought,
I don’t
ever want to wake up.
Going out on the boat was going to be great. He
could spend more time with Liv and get to know Sara. He made a mental list of
the supplies he needed to gather up: youth life jacket for Sara, tow rope,
tube, sun screen, towels. He might need to fuel the boat up, too. He’d only
taken it out once since he’d gotten to the lake, but he remembered the tank was
low.

As he rounded the corner, he noticed his Dad’s shiny new
pick-up was parked in front of the house. Along with it he could see his Uncle
Roger’s Harley and a Mercedes he didn’t recognize.
They’re early.
Cam
vowed to himself that he wouldn’t let his father ruin his good mood. He braced
himself as he entered the house. It was only mid-morning and already a
cigar-haze hung in the room. He heard his father’s loud voice bellowing from
the dining room. They’d already started a friendly game of poker and were
drinking beer. In fact, it looked as if everyone had had more than one beer.

Cam tried to escape down the hall before his father noticed
him. The two of them could never be in the same room together for more than ten
minutes without getting into an argument. Cam wasn’t Brad and never would be.
Cam knew he couldn’t live up to his father’s expectations no matter how hard he
tried. After a while, Cam determined it wasn’t worth trying. Instead of playing
football like Brad, he’d played in the band. Instead of drinking beer and
playing cards, Cam preferred to go mountain biking or kayaking. Instead of
becoming an attorney, he’d become a physician. Cam was more like his mother and
that didn’t sit well with Max Preston. Cam couldn’t be something he wasn’t and
this caused more rifts than one. His mother always came to his defense, which
would just set his father off more. Cam learned early on that avoidance was the
best course of action when it came to his father. Unfortunately, he wasn’t
quick enough this time.

“Is that you Cameron?” Max called out. “Come on in here. I
wondered where you were. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you. Want us to deal
you in?”

“No thanks, Dad. I’d like to, but I already made plans with
a friend.” Cam tried to be diplomatic with his father. He stood in the entryway
between the dining room and kitchen.

Max looked up from his hand of cards at Cam. He was a tall,
muscular man. While he had a little paunch, for the most part he was pretty fit
for his age. He limited his drinking and smoking to his poker games, but when
he did, he tended to go a little overboard with it. His silver hair was always
cropped short. Max got a haircut every three weeks whether he needed it or not.

“Hey, I didn’t realize I raised a daughter instead of a son.
When are you going to cut that girly hair?”

“Funny, Dad. I’ll cut it when I cut it. I’m on vacation
anyway.”

Max pulled out the empty folding chair next to him. “Sit
down, son. Let me deal you in.”

“I already told you, Dad I have plans this afternoon. I’m
going to be late if I don’t get going now.” Cam sighed.

"Are you sure you can’t play just one hand?”

“I would if I could, but I promised Livvy and her little
girl that I’d take them out on the boat this afternoon.”

“Livvy who?” Max played dumb.

“You know who Livvy is Dad.”

“Right, the girl you moped around about for months back in
high school. Brad said you’d ran into her. Are you sure you want to get
involved with her again? I don’t want to see you get hurt. Getting involved
with a married woman is not a good idea.”

“Dad, stop. First of all, she’s divorced. Second of all, I’m
a grown man and I can take care of myself. It’s my business if I want to see
Liv or not.” Cam struggled to control his anger.

Max frowned. “Okay. You won’t hear another word about it
from me. Me and the guys here were hoping to take the boat out fishing this
afternoon, though. We’re going to try to limit out on perch.”

“The fish don’t really start biting until dusk. I’ll have
the boat back in plenty of time. If not you can always use the smaller boat.”

“I guess that would work.”

“Great, Dad. See you later. Uncle Roger. Mr. Brunswick. Good
to see you again too.” Cam headed toward the bathroom to take a quick shower
before heading back out to get the boat ready.
Why does he always do that
to me? I’m not twelve-years old.
He continued to fume as he pulled on his
navy swim trunks and a fresh white t-shirt. He tried to put his dad out of his
mind and concentrate on having a good time with Liv and Sara. He threw some
towels and sunscreen into a duffel bag and headed out the door.

The sun was shining now and Cam’s dark mood began to improve
as he headed down to the lake. He dropped the duffel on the dock and pulled the
tarp off the boat. The life vests were already stowed under the seats. Now he
needed to find the child-size life jacket for Sara and the tube. He smiled
imaging the fun Sara would have riding behind the boat on it. He found the
smaller life jacket hanging on a hook right inside the shed door. He rooted
through the junk in the shed until he found the tube under a pile of old rafts.
It was dusty and slightly deflated. Cam hosed it off and tossed it into the
boat along with the life jacket. He’d put air in the tube when he gassed the
boat up. He grabbed the duffel bag and dropped it into the boat as well.
Balancing one foot on the dock and the other on the edge of the boat, he untied
the lines and pushed off to launch the boat. He drifted away for a few feet
until the water was deep enough to lower the inboard motor and power it up
without damaging the blades.

He fished in his pocket for the boat key, lowered his
sunglasses and turned the key in the ignition. The motor hummed and he was
underway. The Adams’ cottage was on the east side of the lake. He’d stop at the
marina on the way over. Luck was on his side and the fueling station on the
pier wasn’t busy. Within fifteen minutes, the boat was fueled up and the tube
was pumped up. Cam cut the motor as he neared the Adams’ floating dock and let
the boat glide the rest of the way in. Sara was waiting at the end of the dock
with Pup-Pup, waving to him. Liv followed right behind them carrying a picnic
basket. She had on a pair of jean shorts over her black one-piece bathing suit
that tied behind her neck. She had her hair pulled up in a high ponytail and
dark glasses on. Cam’s spirits immediately lifted, just seeing them.

“Hey there beautiful ladies, are you ready to go?”

“Yes!!!” Excitement spilled all over Sara’s face. She jumped
up and down on the dock. Cam threw the bow line to Liv and she wrapped it
around one of the posts. He jumped off the boat and secured the stern line to
hold the boat in place.

“Can Pup-Pup come with us? Please, please, please!”

Cam laughed. “I don’t see why not.”

“See Mom, I told you she could come!”

“I didn’t say she couldn’t. I just said you had to ask Cam
first.”

Sara peered into the boat and pointed. “Look, look, he has a
tube! Can I have a ride on that? I can swim you know. I took swim lessons last
summer and I swam all the way across the deep end and back all by myself.”

“That’s great Sara! I bet your Mom was proud of you. Before
we do anything though, you have to put on a life jacket.” Cam tossed her the
small orange, coast-guard approved life preserver.

“Ahhh. Do I have to? Those things make me too hot.”

“Sorry, darling, but those are the rules. No life jacket, no
boat.”

“Oh, all right.” Sara put on the life jacket without another
word of complaint. Liv helped her buckle it up and adjust it so it wasn’t
“choking” her. “Okay, I’m ready. Now can I ride on the tube?” she asked.

“Well, that one is really up to your mother,” Cam deferred
to Liv.

“I don’t know Sara. You’re awfully young and you only just
learned how to swim,” Liv debated.

“Please, Mom, please. I’ll be careful.”

Liv sighed. “Okay. I guess so. But not too fast.”

“Hooray!!!” Sara jumped up and down in excitement.

Cam helped Sara and Pup-Pup into the boat and pointed to the
seats in the front the boat.

“You two can sit up there in the bow.”

He turned and took the picnic basket from Liv, setting it
behind the driver’s seat and reaching back for Liv’s hand. The boat started to
move away from the dock. Liv’s legs began to stretch between the two. She felt
herself starting to fall when Cam caught her and they both fell into the bottom
of the boat, just missing the picnic basket.

“You did that on purpose!”

“Who me?” Cam turned the palms of his hands up and shrugged
his shoulders. Liv took the seat next to the driver’s, while Cam unhooked the
lines and pushed off.

“Once we’re on the other side of the lake, we’ll put the
tube out. I know a nice cove where we can go that’ll be perfect.”

“Okay!” Sara wiggled in her seat.

The motor purred as they made their way out of the inlet
leading from the dock to the main lake.

“Are you ready?” Everyone nodded agreement. “Okay, then.
Hold on.” Cam opened her up. The bow of the boat lifted out of the water as
they skimmed over the waves. The lake wasn’t too choppy yet from a lot of boat
traffic. Cam easily maneuvered the boat and followed the shore line toward the
cove. When they were out in the middle of the lake away from a lot of other
boats, he slowed the boat down and looked over to Liv.

“You wanna drive, Liv?”

“Me? I don’t think I should. I’d be afraid I’d wreck your
boat.” Liv shook her head.

“Come on. You aren’t going to wreck the boat. And even if
you did, who cares, it’s just a boat. It can be replaced.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never driven a boat before.”

“Even more reason to try it now.” He stopped the boat and
pulled her over toward him. She reluctantly took his place in the driver’s
seat, while he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He showed her
how to steer the boat and move it forward. When Sara wasn’t looking, he leaned
over and kissed the side of Liv’s neck, sending chills through her.

“Hey, I’m trying to concentrate, here!” Liv laughed.

“Sorry! I’ll be good.”

Liv was nervous as she placed her hand on the throttle and
moved it forward. The boat took off.

“Ease up on it a little.”

Liv slowed it down a little and soon was driving the boat as
if she’d done it all her life. She smiled as the warm wind blew across her
face. Cam gestured for her to turn the boat toward the shore a little and over
to an inlet leading to the smaller cove. She turned the wheel slightly and
eased back on the throttle as they approached.

“Wow! That was exhilarating!” Liv let Cam take over the
controls. “I’ve never done anything like that before. It was so much fun!”

“Can I drive too?” Sara asked.

“Maybe next time, but for now, it’s time to go tubing!” He
cut the engine after successfully moving ahead into the cove and turning the
boat back around to face out of the inlet toward the main lake. Sara helped him
turn the crank to lower the anchor so the boat would stay moored as they got
the equipment ready. First, he looped the tow line onto the ski ring at the top
of the pole sticking up from the stern of the boat and connected the other end
to the tube. Next, he pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing his tanned
chest and firm abs and tossed it on the seat. In one smooth motion, he heaved
the tube over the side of the boat and jumped in to join it.

“Wow, you made a big splash!” Sara teased. “Can I get it now
too?”

“Just a second.” Cam slicked his hair back from his face and
wiped the water from his eyes. Then, he pushed the tube out and away from the
boat so the tow line wouldn’t get caught in the motor.

“Okay, Sara. Are you ready?” He turned back toward Sara
while treading water. “Go ahead and jump in.”

Sara stood on the edge of the boat and looked down into the
water. Pup-Pup paced back and forth on the seat trying to figure out a way to
jump in after her.

“Oh no, you don’t, little one. We don’t need you going into
the drink.” Liv moved toward the seat where Sara had been sitting to balance
out the weight in the boat. She scooped up the little dog and held her in her
lap.

“Are you okay, Sara?” Liv asked as she watched Sara still
standing on the edge of the boat.

“I changed my mind. I don’t think I want to go after all.”
Sara backed down into the boat.

“It’s okay, Sara!” Cam called up to her. “You don’t have to
jump. I’ll help you in.” He climbed up the ladder to where Sara sat. “Just sit
up here on the edge and let your feet dangle over the side and I’ll help you
in.”

Sara relaxed and followed Cam’s instructions. Soon she was
floating around in her life jacket next to Cam, splashing and laughing. Liv
leaned over the edge of the boat to watch. As she did, Pup-Pup wiggled free and
took the opportunity to jump in after Sara. Sara turned toward the splash and
watched as Pup-Pup went underwater and then immediately popped back up to the
surface.

“Get her! Get her!” Sara started to panic. “She’s going to
get drowned!”

“It’s all right, Sara. Calm down. Dogs know how to swim,”
Cam assured her.

Sure enough, the once-fluffy little dog paddled over to
where Sara and Cam were floating. She tried to climb up on the tube, but wasn’t
big enough. Cam easily caught the renegade puppy.

“Here Sara, hold on to the tube, while I take Pup-Pup back
to the boat.”

Liv knelt on the seat and stretched out over the side of the
boat to get the soaking puppy from Cam. Just as she was reaching for the
wiggling puppy, Cam made a switch. He set the puppy on the edge of the boat
with one hand and grabbed Liv’s arm with the other, pulling her into the lake
with him. Sara laughed hysterically.