Her Unlikely Family by Missy Tippens Page A

breath.
    â€œMan, I’m numb already,” Lisa said.
    Mike tried to step deeper, but said, “Oh, oh, ouch,” as he hopped from foot to foot.
    Maybe his too-tender feet weren’t so perfect after all.
    Lisa watched as he continued to hop around. A grin seemed to sneak up on her, then her shoulders started to shake. Finally, she gave in and howled with laughter. The kind of laughter a teenager should indulge in every day. The kind Josie hadn’t heard out of Lisa yet.
    Something that had been tight within Josie let loose. This is the way it should be, Lord. Lisa happy. Mike and me having fun. Like a family should be.
    A family? A chill as cold as the river water had Josie up off the ground and heading up the hill. Had she really placed herself in that loving picture? She who had no idea what it really meant to be part of a normal family?
    â€œWhere’re ya going?” Lisa hollered.
    â€œI, uh. I’ll be right back.”
    A family? Yes, Lisa and Mike. They were a unit. Why should that send fear racing to her heart?
    She was acting crazy, just plain weird. Josie opened her car trunk and pulled out the cooler, then grabbed a blanket. After lugging it down the hill, she took off her boots to join them, trying to forget her overreaction.
    She climbed up on Lisa’s big rock.
    â€œWhoa.” Mike made his way through the water to take her hand. “Here, I don’t want to see your head cracked, either. You’re not quite as young and agile as Lisa.”
    â€œNow, how am I supposed to take that comment, Mike?”
    Another one of those dreaded slow smiles pulled at his lips and sparkled in his deep blue eyes. “I guess I would take it as an insult. What about you?”
    â€œYou big oaf.” She shoved at him with the hand he was gripping, pushing him off balance.
    He tried to let go of her, but she held tight, trying to steady him. Unfortunately, he was too heavy for her. His feet went flying out from under him, and he yanked her off the rock as he landed on his rear in the water. She landed beside him on her hands and knees, banging her right knee on a protruding rock.
    All she could do was huff, trying to catch the breath that had been frozen out of her. But Lisa’s hysterical laughter brought reason back to Josie’s frosted brain. She slowly straightened, weighted down by sopping clothes and a throbbing kneecap, and offered Mike a hand.
    â€œI’m afraid I can’t move. I’ve become a chunk of ice,” he said.
    â€œThat’s what you get for calling me old and stiff.” She reached and found his hand in the water. With a tug, she helped him up. They ended up about six inches apart, smiling like idiots.
    They stood like that for too long, yet she couldn’t resist. With slight pressure, he began to pull her toward him. But before her body would follow, he pushed her away and let go. The grin faded, and he glanced at Lisa.
    â€œHey, you two. Let’s get going. I’m cold.” Lisa’s arms were crossed tightly in front of herself once again. She glared at them as if they had committed a crime.
    Close to it. Josie knew he had been about to kiss her. Had Lisa noticed?
    As Josie climbed out of the water, Mike held out his hand to help her. She acted as if she hadn’t seen it. Lisa marched up the hill, and Mike took the blanket and wrapped it around Josie’s shoulders.
    He untucked his shirttail from his waistband and squeezed out the water. “Go on up, Josie,” he said without looking at her. “I’ll bring the cooler.”
    â€œSure. Okay.” She had no idea what to say, so she started toward the car. Lisa turned and shot daggers her way.
    Once she and Lisa had closed themselves inside Betty’s warmth, she in the front and Lisa in the back, Lisa said, “I saw the way you two looked at each other.”
    â€œI don’t know what you mean.”
    â€œYeah you do.”
    â€œWe were just