Paisley leaves for Brooke's camp soon after I get back from my encounter on the road with Deni. Words aren't enough to express how thankful I am when she tells our parents she won't be back until tonight. This means she won't be here when Deni arrives for our afternoon on the lake, so she won't be pestering us while playing private investigator to feed her fantasy of spending the summer next door to someone famous.

There is still the matter of alerting my parents that I'll also be gone for the afternoon and taking the pedal boat with me. It isn't unusual for me to take the boat out, but they like to know when I'll be doing it and when I expect to be back. The parent I want to mention this to is my dad, who is less likely to ask questions about what part of the lake I plan to go to and if anyone will be with me. This, of course, means he leaves to help Hank Reid chop down a tree on the Reid's property before I bring it up.

That leaves Mom. There could be questions.

I don't mind my parents knowing I have plans with Deni today, but Mom reads me like an open book. She seemed a little too happy about how much time Deni and I spent together at the bonfire, and the hints she's been dropping about how delightful she found Deni and Lia aren't subtle. She's on to me every bit as much as Paisley is, and she may also be trying to play matchmaker.

I love my family, but I would like to keep my interest in our new neighbor to myself for now. Dealing with Paisley's questions and observations today were enough, and there's every possibility this interest is one-sided. Deni may only see me as a lake buddy for the summer. This is why I wait until a few minutes before she's supposed to arrive before announcing my plans.

"I'm going to take the boat out for a while." I purposely choose that moment to open the fridge and hunt for a couple of bottled waters so I don't have to look at Mom. "I'll be back before supper."

I shut the fridge door and scan the counters for the other thing I want to bring with me, which is the portable waterproof radio. Music is always good to have on hand in case our conversation wanes, which I hope it won't. It's better to be prepared, though, and I'm not bringing my phone because I don't want to risk dropping it in the water. That happened last summer. If I do it again, I could end up without a phone until I move away for university.

"You should see if Deni wants to go with you," Mom says. "She might like to see other parts of the lake."

Is her suggestion a coincidence, or has she figured out that Deni will be with me and wants me to fess up? It's difficult to tell. Either way, I'm busted.

"Already on it." I stuff the waters and the radio in a plastic bag, and then make a break for the door. "She'll be here in a few minutes. See you in a while."

I let myself outside before Mom can reply, and then make my way down to the shoreline to get the boat ready. Once I've placed the bag with the water and radio in the back of the boat, along with two lifejackets, I get to work cleaning the front seats of a few leaves that have found their way there.

I've just untied the ropes tethering the boat to a tree when approaching footsteps alert me to Deni's arrival. I drop the last rope to the ground and glance up to see her heading my way. She's changed into shorts, a cropped T-shirt, and cat-eye sunglasses since I last saw her this morning.

I wish I could see her eyes. Paisley was correct about me being mesmerized last night, and most of that came from our eye contact and how expressive Deni's eyes are. Then again, if I'm going to pay attention to steering the boat, I probably don't need the extra distraction.

"Hey," I call out, once she's a few steps closer. "You're right on time."

"Would you have left without me if I'd been late?" she quips.

I fight back a grin at the feisty tone she's already setting for the afternoon. My mouth quirks up into a smirk as a result.

"I might have invited Alfie instead, since he seems pretty cool." I point at a handle on the front of the boat. "Want to take that handle on the corner and help me bring this into the water?"

She reaches for the handle. "Alfie is definitely cooler than me, but he might have a hard time reaching the pedals."

"Good point. How are you at that?" I look her up and down and say a silent prayer that she's okay with being teased about her height. The last thing I mean to do is offend her.

"Oh, burn. Don't start in on my height unless you plan to pedal this thing on your own." Deni arches an eyebrow, but the amused tone of her voice sets my mind at ease.

"Me, start in on something? I would never." The wide-eyed look of innocence I give her is halo-worthy, if I do say so myself.

"You only get one pass with the short jokes before I absolutely wreck you. Consider yourself on notice."

"You know, I believe you. And you look kind of terrifying right now."

"Good. You should be terrified." She nods, seeming to approve of this. "Now are we taking this thing out on the lake or what?"

My shoulders shake as I struggle not to laugh. "I'm not sure now. Will I make it back alive?"

"If you behave."

"No promises, but I'll try my best. Scout's honor." I raise my right hand up to shoulder level and make the Scout sign to punctuate my statement, but Deni appears doubtful about something. "What?" I ask.

"I'm not sure I believe you were a Scout."

"Why's that?"

"I've never known someone who was."

I can't tell if she's kidding, or if growing up in Southern California is truly that different from growing up in Northwestern Ontario. Practically every classmate I had was put in some level of Scouts or Guides at some point during elementary school, which I suspect was a way for our parents to get us out of their hair for a couple of hours each week.

"No one?" I squint at her. "You should get out more."

"I get out plenty. Or is 'out' not the same thing as 'oot'?"

There's the payback for the short joke, finally. I've met my match with this one, and honestly, it's glorious. Now she's the one waiting for my reaction to being ribbed about something that could be annoying. Every fellow Canadian I know has heard the 'oot' comment more than a few times from our friends across the border.

I make a face, even though I'm reveling in this good-natured sparring with her. "Nice try. I do not say 'oot,' and you know it."

"You do a little."

"Get in the boat, Cali. We'll talk about your accent once we're on the lake."

"I don't have an accent," she informs me.

"I heard you pronounce 'roof' as 'ruff' last night. You have an accent."

The way she pronounces 'roof' is adorable, but I'm not about to tell her this. Not yet, anyway.

Deni places her hands on her hips. "I pronounce 'roof' how I do because it's the correct way to pronounce it."

"There's a reason it's spelled with a double o, and it's sure not because the correct pronunciation is 'ruff.'"

"Can we talk about the correct way to say 'about,' then?"

"Not if you want a tour of this lake today. In the boat, please."

"Fine." She puts a sing-song tone into the word, as if humoring me, even though it's obvious she's hiding a smile.

Deni climbs into her seat. I wait until she's settled before walking the boat a couple of feet into the water, past the point where it would scrape on the sand and pebbles lining the lake floor. Then I ease myself into the boat, doing my best not to tip it or have water come in. It's easier to do this with the weight of a passenger on the other side than it is when I take it out on my own.

I press my lips together and pretend to assess if she really can reach the pedals until she gives me a stern look that I don't need to see her eyes to interpret. I'm pushing it, but I'm certain she'll give as good as she gets the moment she finds an opening to hone in on something else about me. I'm looking forward to when she does.

We start to pedal. The first place I'm taking her is on a mini-tour of the shoreline. After that, I'll bring her to a spot I go to when I want to be alone. I haven't taken anyone there before—not even Trin—but I'm compelled to share it with Deni for reasons I can't explain. It's an opening into my soul, although she has no way of knowing this.

"Where are we headed?" Deni asks. I'm almost disappointed that she opted to ask a question, rather than continuing with the wisecracks.

"Over to a part of the lake that doesn't have many camps built on it. It will take us a few minutes to--"

I stop speaking and pedaling at the same time, unable to believe what I've just caught sight of. My afternoon with Deni is happening because I wanted to avoid Trinity and Landon, but that's who I spot sitting on a dock, peering in our direction. I only took us this way first because I was sure they would be at Adam's camp by now.

"You know what?" I tell her. "I'm going to take you somewhere else first."

We can backtrack to my camp and then cut across the water. I had been planning to circle the lake to get there so Deni could see most of the shoreline, but that will have to wait. I shift the steering handle and resume pedaling.

"Is everything okay?" Deni inquires.

She'll know I'm lying if I claim everything is fine. I could tell her the truth, but talk about a mood killer. There has to be a witty reply somewhere in my brain that can bring us back to the kind of banter we had going on a few minutes ago, but it isn't surfacing just yet. I focus on steering us in the other direction and picking up speed.

"Hunter!" Landon calls out.

He can yell my name, but there's no chance I'll acknowledge him. Not here, not now, and not when I have Deni with me.