This Might Get Awkward by Kara McDowell

Author:Kara McDowell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Griff’s shirtlessness becomes a problem. His skin is turning pink. I slow the boat down and reach across him for the bottle of sunscreen. “You’re getting roasted.” I squirt a large amount of coconut-scented lotion into my palms and massage it into my arms.

“Am I?” He presses two fingers against his pink shoulder and lifts them up again, watching his skin flood with neon color.

“It’s going to be painful,” I say, applying the lotion to my shins, my heart thundering at what inevitably comes next. “You want to know the worst thing about a sunburn?”

“The skin cancer?”

“Okay, the second worst thing.”

“The pain?”

I roll my eyes. “The third worst thing.”

“Enlighten me.”

“Every single person you encounter will point it out. There’s no escaping it. You could be a bright red lobster, wincing in pain as you walk, and someone—everyone—will stop you on the street to say ‘You’re sunburned,’ as if you didn’t already know.”

“Remind me again why you love this place so much?” He raises a skeptical eyebrow, and I know he’s just teasing me, but I’m compelled to answer him anyway.

“I grew up here.”

“So did I, and I’ve never loved anything half as much as you love this lake.”

“I’m not talking about Page. I’m talking about the water. I was born on this lake. These stone walls are the building blocks of the happiest memories of my childhood. My mom is dead, school has always sucked, and summer is lonely. So, Dad and I spent all our time out here. I can’t even count the hours I spent in the bow of the boat, making up stories in my head.”

“You were literally born on the lake?”

“On a houseboat in Gunsight Canyon.”

“That’s pretty badass.” He smiles, and I smile back until my cheeks hurt.

“Sunscreen!” I eventually say, tearing my eyes from him.

“Will you get my back?” He hands over the bottle of sunscreen and turns.

“Sure.” I swallow heavily. It’s only weird if you make it weird. It’s only weird if you make it weird. It’s only weird if you make it weird, I chant inwardly.

Griff smells like coconut and sunshine, and my fingers tremble as I smooth the lotion over his broad back. Without him looking at me, I finally work up the courage to ask the question that’s been nagging at me for days.

“Did Beau ever date someone whose name starts with the letter D?”

“You two haven’t had the past relationship talk?”

“Is there a reason we should have?”

“It’s a pretty common relationship milestone.”

My fingers freeze against his warm skin. I clear my throat, hoping I sound casual when I say, “I wouldn’t know.”

“Beau’s your first boyfriend?” Griff looks over his shoulder, but I avert my eyes.

“Yep. Must be why he didn’t feel the need to ask about my exes.”

“Why are you bringing it up now?”

“There was a card in the hospital from someone who called themselves ‘D.’ I’m curious, that’s all. All done!” I announce. Griff turns to face me, his expression blank. My heart falls a little; he must not recognize the initial, which is understandable.

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