Free The Final Piece by Maggi Myers

smaller swatches of fabric. There are no full-length mirrors in the house, just the mirror above the sink. As I tie the last string behind my back, I send up a prayer of thanks for that small blessing. There is nowhere for me to scrutinize myself into chickening out. I grab my flip-flops and a beach towel, carefully holding it in front of me.
    You aren’t hiding anything, dumbass. Get stepping!
    Before I lose my nerve, I swing the front door open and step out into the sunlight. The first thing I notice is Tommy bent in half, tying up the jet boat in its slip. They’re back from their cruise around the lake. My heartbeat vibrates through my body. I move my towel from in front of me to under my arm as I mentally force myself to follow Aunt Melissa’s advice.
    Back straight, shoulders back and smile like you mean it!
    Forcing my feet forward, I pray I don’t trip and make a fool of myself. I can vaguely hear someone whistle but the blood rushing through my head is so loud, it makes everything else sound like background noise. On reflex, I turn in the direction of the noise to find Uncle Rob and Aunt Melissa unloading their Cherokee. Melissa gives a quick thumbs-up and Rob mouths, “WOW.” A sudden rush of shyness has me wavering, I giggle nervously but resist the urge to retreat back into the house.
    You can do this, Beth.
    Apparently, Uncle Rob’s catcall has drawn more than just my attention. When I turn back to the lake, Ryan’s head pops up from the back of the boat. The look on his face is priceless . Mouth hanging open, his eyes skim across my body, searching for a safe place to focus. I smirk in satisfaction, letting his appraisal fill me with confidence. When his eyes settle on mine, I raise an eyebrow in cocky awareness.
    Who’s hot under the collar now, Ry?
    “How’s the water?” I try to keep a straight face, but my body has other ideas as it begins shaking with laughter. Ryan’s eyes immediately drop to my chest and his face flushes an adorable shade of red. My mouth goes dry at his boldness; a foreign fluttering begins in my belly.
    Oh my.
    From my peripheral, I catch a life vest soaring through the air just before it knocks Ryan in the head.
    “Jesus Christ, kid, quit gawking!” Tommy’s tone is meant to be teasing but the look on his face is anything but. My heart rate increases and I have a hard time breathing.
    Wow, wow, wow.
    I am unprepared for the physical response my body is having to Ryan. When I can’t have control, I get scared; dictating how I react and detach from my feelings is how I survived my childhood. Ryan makes me feel things I have no control over and it’s frightening. My brain recognizes the fear and wants to shift into defense mode but my heart is persistent and already addicted to this beautiful boy.
    I am dizzy with my emotions so I focus on what is going on around us. Uncle Rob and Aunt Melissa are walking up behind me, Pops has disappeared inside the house. Tommy regards his nephew with a look I can only describe as overprotective. It frustrates me that Tommy is finding it necessary to shame Ryan. Even though I feel conflicted and a little dirty, I like the way Ryan is looking at me and I fear that Tommy’s outburst will hinder whatever this is cooking between us.
    “Being a little hard on the kid, aren’t you, T?” Uncle Rob’s voice floats over my shoulder. Tommy turns his scowl to Rob. “Hey man, she’s not our baby girl anymore. You can’t chase off every guy that looks at her sideways, you’ve got to lighten up!” Tommy narrows his eyes at his best friend. I don’t think he’s buying it.
    I try to be subtle as I glance over to Ryan hanging his head and rubbing his temple where the life vest hit him. Sensing my stare, his eyes lift to mine; the red staining his cheeks is a stunning contrast to the green of his irises. I give him a sheepish smile as I pull on my bottom lip with my teeth. He smirks back, his eyes dropping to my mouth. I suck in a short