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“Why didn’t you tell us, Finn?” Beck asked

“I didn’t know Mr Lockhart storized and promised to pay for a ne He’s the only one I saw Mom and Dad went over later to talk to him”

“Did you see the daughters?” Beck wanted to know “How many are there?”

“Three,” Devin answered

“What do they look like?”

“That’s a shallow question,” his father said

“I’m thirteen, Dad I’m supposed to be shallow,” Beck told him cheerfully

Devin decided to have a little fun with his sons “As a hters They’re beautiful Aren’t they, Laura?” he asked his wife

“Oh my, yes They certainly are”

Tristan was suspicious “Beautiful on the inside or the outside?”

“Both,” Laura answered

What their parents failed to hters

“May I be excused?” Finn asked again

“No, you may not,” his father said, his voice a bit sharper than he’d intended “I want to talk to you about this co”

“Okay,” Finn agreed, dropping down into the chair again “What about it?”

“I’d like you to try out for the team”

“Sir, I’d rather not I won’t have tiot plans for the summer”

His father rubbed his teht those plans be?”

“I’ to work at the Iron Horse Country Club”

“Oh? Doing what?” Devin asked

“Lifeguarding I’ve already done the Red Cross safety thing, and I’m certified in CPR”

“We’re all certified in CPR,” Beck reminded “Dad made us take the course”

“You can’t be a lifeguard until you’re fifteen or sixteen,” Tristan said

“I’ll bet they’ll make an exception,” Finn saidDevin closed his eyes and prayed for patience

“I’ll bet they won’t,” Tristan countered He reached for another chicken breast with his fork and put it on his plate Beck took another one, too

Laura looked at all the empty bowls There hadn’t been any leftovers since Finn had started eating solid food

“They need lifeguards, and I’e, so I’ll already be in a pool every day,” Finn explained

“Have they hired you?” Devin asked

“Not yet I was going to take ”

“Finn, you’re not going to work at the country club,” Devin said “Maybe next year,” he added to soften the disappointht as well try out for the team at the center Aren’t you curious to know if you could make it?”

Finn shrugged “I guess”

“I’ll try out for the swireat way to build irls like muscles”

“Girls? Is that all you think about?” his mother asked, exasperated

“Pretty much,” Beck admitted

His brother nodded “Yeah, we all do, pretty rounded for another week, reo to the Lee Center—”

“I’ll lift your grounding Sunday You’re home until then”

“If I try out”

“Yes, that’s right”

Finn didn’t have to think about it “Okay, sure I’ll do it”

“Do you think the Lockharts will ever let us swim in their pool?” Tristan asked

“No” Laura was appalled “Absolutely not They think you’re all delinquents”

“What did we do?” Beck asked “Tristan and I weren’t even home when Finn broke their ”

“You’re related to him,” she explained “Delinquents by association”

“That’s not fair,” Beck complained

“Life isn’t fair Get used to it,” his father said

“Whose turn is it to do dishes?” their mother asked

An arguhtly ritual, it see rock, paper, scissors three times until Beck conceded defeat