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just your friends.
    What if Dad was right?
    “Hey, you guys,” Aimee whispered, pulling off her headphones. “Look who’s over there….”
    Fiona and Madison glanced up to see Ivy Daly and her drones making their entrance into the pool area. Ivy was wearing a bikini and the shortest shorts Madison had ever seen, with a patch on the back that said SWEET .
    “She never looks fat.” Aimee sighed.
    “That’s because she’s perfect,” Madison said jokingly.
    “Maddie, when do you have to start babysitting?” Fiona asked.
    “Tomorrow,” Madison replied. “But the cool part is that I think I’ll be coming here to the pool with Eliot and his mom. So I can hang out with you just like we’re doing now.”
    “That is cool,” Fiona said. “We have to stick together this summer even if we are going out with guys.”
    “Fiona, you’re the only one going out with anyone,” Aimee reminded her.
    A voice over the Lake Dora loudspeaker boomed.
    “YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE. FREE SWIM HAS ENDED. KIDDIE POOL IS CLOSED UNTIL THREE O’CLOCK. SIGN-UPS FOR POOL DAY IN THE MAIN LODGE. THANK YOU.”
    “Oh yeah! I have to sign up for Pool Day,” Fiona said. “I bet my brother that I could beat him at one of the swimming races.”
    “I am totally doing the races, too,” Madison said. “I’ve been looking forward to this since last summer. How about you, Aimee?”
    “Nah, I’ll be your cheerleader,” Aimee said from behind her sunglasses. “I told you…”
    “You don’t want to get wet?” Madison laughed.
    Madison knew the real reason. Aimee was a nervous swimmer. Ever since they’d been little girls, she’d been afraid of the deep end of the pool. When Aimee was five, she’d fallen into the water and stayed under for almost a minute. She’d had the wind knocked out of her and swallowed a pint of pool water. One of the pool lifeguards had to give her CPR to get her breathing again.
    “Do you guys want to go to the snack shop?” Fiona asked. It was located closer to the junior lifeguard station.
    “OH, MY GOODNESS!” Aimee said loudly. She clapped her hands over her mouth. “He’s here,” she whispered.
    “Who?” Madison asked. She turned around to see Ben Buckley entering the pool area with his older sister and little brother. He was carrying a giant bag and towels.
    “His family has one of the cabanas,” Aimee whispered.
    The Lake Dora pool offered private cabanas for families who paid extra membership dues. It also had a special recreation room, a video game arcade area, tennis courts, and even a small archery range.
    But Ben walked past without even saying hello to Aimee.
    She sank back into her chair.
    “Didn’t he see you?” Fiona asked.
    “You’re wearing a hat,” Madison said. “Maybe he didn’t recognize you.”
    “Whatever,” Aimee said, her eyes still following him.
    Madison scanned the lifeguard area for another glimpse of Hart. He wasn’t in view, but Madison did catch sight of a small boy with a shock of red hair spiking every which way on top of his head. The little boy was running—screaming—to a woman Madison guessed was his baby-sitter.
    For a brief moment, Madison forgot all about Hart.
    She began to think about the new guy in her life.
    Eliot Reed.

Chapter 5
    M ADISON STOOD OUTSIDE THE door of the Reed house, bouncing on her toes.
    Their doorbell sounded like chimes. The bristly mat outside the front door said WELCOME TO OUR HOME . Rows of purple, pink, and red petunias decorated the front lawn. A large white flowering bush near the front steps smelled like mom’s perfume.
    Madison liked everything about the Reed house so far.
    Dad had driven Madison to her new job this morning from downtown Far Hills. His place was convenient—only ten minutes away. But Madison couldn’t wait until Mom returned and she went back to living in their normal house. Then Madison would be able to walk to Mrs. Reed’s place in less than five minutes. That was convenient.
    No one answered