Page 29 of First Moon

“Not for one second. I don’t think she believed half of what the boys told her, but she knew how to pick her battles.”

Jack laughed.

I took off my sandals and stripped down to just my bikini, then walked to the edge of the creek, stepping onto the flat limestone shelf. The stone was warm under my bare feet, the water cool when I dipped my toes in. Behind me, Jack discarded his shoes and shirt before he joined me.

We waded in, the water clear enough that I could see every stone beneath my feet. It was cold at first, then perfect. Jack reached for my hand when I slipped on a rock, and I let him keep it, even after I found my footing.

We crossed to the deeper side, where the rope swing hung over the green water.

“Did you jump from this?” he asked.

“Of course. That’s a James family rite of passage. I never felt more alive than the moment just before I hit the water.”

The rope dangled there, tempting me. I reached for it, tugging the rope free. I stepped back to the bank, and looked at him over my shoulder. “You game?”

“Can we go in together?” Jack asked.

“Heck, yeah. You hold on first and I’ll climb onto your lap.”

He seemed to hesitate for a split second, then tapped his shorts pocket as if to see if something was still there. Whatever he felt seemed to satisfy him. He grabbed the rope with both hands. I climbed on top, facing him, my legs wrapped around his waist, then placed both hands above his head.

“Ready?” I asked.

“Yes, but don’t jump. Just swing.”

“Okay, but it’s not scary to jump.”

“I know. But I might want to talk while we’re out there. I mean, there’s something I want to say.”

Before I could ask any questions, he pushed off with his strong legs. The bank dropped away beneath us, the green water flashing below my feet, Jack’s arms strong around the rope and my legs locked around his waist. I laughed as the September air rushed over my skin, the sycamore leaves blurring above us. I was twelve years old and thirty-three all at once, wild and happy and home.

But instead of letting go the way we always had as kids, Jack held tight. The rope carried us out over the deepest part of the swimming hole, then slowed at the far end of its arc. We hung there above the water, suspended between the creek and the sky.

I looked at him, laughing. “Um, this might just be a James family thing, but we usually let go at this point.”

His eyes held mine. “I don’t ever want to let you go.”

The sincere expression on his face made my laughter catch.

“Ivy James,” he said.

“Yes?” I asked, slightly breathless.

Jack’s arms flexed around me, keeping us steady, his chest warm against mine.

“I love you. I love the way you light up every room you ever walk into. I love to make you laugh, and God knows you kill me every day. I love your messy purse and your lost keys and that you’re always running at least five minutes late because you’re thinking deep thoughts or song lyrics instead of paying attention to the time. I love your talent and your drive. You’re pretty without trying. And I love your heart, which is about ten sizes too big for your body. I’ve been looking for you my whole life. You’re my home.”

My arms were starting to ache, but I couldn’t have let go if someone paid me.

“Will you marry me, Ivy James?”

My heart kicked so hard I almost slipped.

Jack tightened one arm around my waist. “Careful.”

The rope swung slightly, the two of us dangling over the deep green water.

“Yes, Jack. You’re the one thing I can’t live without, you know that?”