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"You can," Ruth said, "but I’ out of the water"

"Suit yourself, Grand in the water"

Bethanne hesitated "You go on and I’ll join you later"

"Mo-oroaned "Okay, if it’ll make you both feel better, I’ll swim in my underwear"

Annie shucked off her shorts and cotton top, leaving thee, and walked into the lake with her arms raised "Oh, boy, this is cold"

Bethanne kept a keen eye on her daughter The cool water lapped at her bare toes, and she felt the sweat roll down her neck The sun was even fiercer now Annie,in or not?" she shouted to Bethanne

"Co in" Bethanne carefully removed her own clothes and waded into the water in her bra and underpants The lake seeasp

Ruth strolled down to the shore, watching theuard at the baby pool

"Come on, Ruth," Bethanne said "You wanted adventure Well, this is it!"

Herlike this in my life"

"Don’t be shy," Annie said "We could be here for hours We ht as well enjoy ourselves"

Ruth cast them an anxious look "You won’t tell anyone, will you?"

"Crossup to ain, waving her in "The water’s fabulous"

Ruth took off her clothes and folded theht into the water Unlike Annie and Bethanne, who took tied ahead Maybe she feared one of theht with amusement

The three frolicked and played like schoolchildren splashing one another and diving under the water Bethanne couldn’t re herself so much, she didn’t immediately hear the noise that attracted Ruth and Annie’s attention

Both of the

Bethanne turned around and was instantly overwhel toward the Bethanne’s arm "I remember where I heard about this lake," she cried "It was from the bikers at the restaurant"

Nine

The e of the lake, and lined up side by side

Shivering in the water Bethanne huddled close to Ruth and Annie No one seemed to know exactly what to do or how to react The water suddenly went fro All three of theh Bethanne realized their efforts to hide the like this would happen?" Ruth wailed "We’re goners for sure"

"Over my dead body," Bethanne said from between clenched teeth

"That’s what I’m afraid of," Ruth muttered "Hoill I ever explain this to Grant? This is all my fault"

"It’s no one’s fault," Bethanne said She wasn’t about to let theseher shoulders, she beganrab her ar to ask them for help," she said If she treated them with respect, then they’d do the same She hoped

"Mom!" came Annie’s plaintive cry as Bethanne pulled her arnored Annie and Ruth’s pleas and the teasing catcalls from the bikers She was all too aware that her wet underwear concealed nothing Scooping up her capris, she tried to pull the in Because she et, the fabric stuck and she lost her balance She would’ve turound if not for one of the bikers who reached out and caught her

"Thanks," she said breathlessly

The biker removed his helmet

Bethanne blinked twice It was the same man she’d served in the café less than twenty-four hours earlier The one who’d stayed in her aze unreadable

Rooster removed his helmet next; so did the other two bikers, Willie and Skunk, if she remembered correctly

By then Bethanne was fully dressed, although her clothing clung to her, soaked as it was from her underwear

Annie stepped out of the water and quickly dressed, too That left Ruth, who stubbornly remained in the water She squatted down so only her head was above the waterline and refused to budge

"Grandht," Annie told her "You can couys"

"I’ll stay where I a at me"

Rooster threw back his head and howled "I don’t think you’ve got anything I haven’t seen before, Grandma"

"Turn around," Ruth barked "All of you I don’t need any Peeping To at me"

To Bethanne’s amazement, all four bikers did as Ruth demanded

"We’d appreciate your help Our car won’t start," Bethanne said, as much to distract the four ine, either," Annie added