Misty Lake: Book One in the Misty Lake Series by Margaret Standafer Page B

beautiful,” Karen said softly. “We watched it being built, curious what it would look like when it was finished. It’s more incredible than I even imagined it would be.”
    Sam nodded. The fact that everyone seemed to know more about her house than she did bothered her. She wanted to ask questions, find out how long construction took, when it started, if anyone had seen her grandfather when he visited, but she didn’t know if she really wanted the answers so she remained silent.
    They floated for a few minutes, studying the house. When Sam didn’t say anything Joe gave Jake a questioning look, tilting his head toward the open water. Jake answered with a short nod and Joe announced, “Hold on!” before he started the boat up again and they took off flying across the lake.
    Sam appreciated the gesture. At the moment, she just wanted to put some distance between herself and the house she knew so little about. She lifted her face to the wind and let it blow the tension away.
    “How about a ride?” Joe asked as he slowed the boat once again. Sam was about to ask what he meant when Jake got up and went to unstrap the giant tube from the back of the boat.
    “I’m ready,” Jake said.
    “We’ll see,” Joe answered.
    The look that passed between the brothers wasn’t lost on Sam. She had spent enough time in competition with her brother and her cousins to recognize a challenge when one was given. The men continued to grin and eye one another as Jake wiggled into a life jacket and Joe secured the rope to the hooks on the back of the boat.
    Karen moved up to the front of the boat next to Sam while Jake and Joe continued their preparations. “You should see it when all four of them are together,” she said with an exaggerated eye roll. “Everything from who can eat the most hotdogs to who can tell the best joke to who’s driving the fastest car is a contest with them.”
    “I remember doing the same thing with my cousins when we were kids. I guess we eventually outgrew it,” Sam said with a laugh.
    “Maybe when you have three brothers the competition never ends. I don’t get it but they seem to thrive on it.”
    “Sounds like a close family,” Sam said soberly.
    “Very close. Joe and I started dating in high school. Once they realized I wasn’t going anywhere they started treating me like a sister. The McCabes are a crazy bunch but there’s nothing they won’t do for one of their own,” Karen said looking lovingly at her husband.
    Joe, catching her looking at him, came over and planted a kiss on her lips. “Love you, baby, now hold on, I’m going to give my brother a ride he won’t soon forget.”
    Jake looked at Sam as he stood on the edge of the boat. “He’s going to try his darnedest to get me off that tube. In case I decide to let go and let him think he succeeded, make sure he doesn’t leave me in the middle of the lake.” With that, he was in the water swimming for the tube. 
    Joe threw his head back and laughed and Sam couldn’t help joining him. This afternoon was just what she needed, she decided. She watched Jake skim and bounce across the water holding on to the tube for dear life. Joe sped up, slowed down, drove the boat in tight circles and, as Jake had predicted, did everything he could to throw him from the tube.
    Sam saw Jake bounce several feet into the air only to come crashing back down again. At times, when Joe took the boat into a tight spin, he slid so far off to the side of the tube she had no idea how he managed to hold on. It looked horrible to Sam but Jake laughed during the entire ride.
    Finally, Joe slowed the boat and Jake let go, sliding into the water. He was floating on his back, breathing heavily when Joe circled back around to pick him up. “Looks like that’s one for me, little brother,” Jake grinned as he heaved himself back into the boat.
    “Hmpf. I took it easy on you, didn’t want you to embarrass yourself in front of Sam,” Joe shot back. “Now give