Read The Lake (The Lake Trilogy, Book 1) for Free Online Page A

that they have positioned themselves almost exclusively to the right center of the stage. Their blankets are bigger and they all have chairs. Not a single one of them is sitting on their blanket on the ground.  Several of them even have little folding tables for their food. There is nothing ordinary about the way any of them are dressed either. No t-shirts with silly characters or sayings. Nothing sloppy. They’re all very put together, crisp. I take closer note of a few families in particular that seem to be sitting together about six yards away from us. There are three older couples and I assume they’re the parents of the younger ones sitting with them who all look to be about my age. The parents are clearly uninterested in what’s going on around them and focus as they pour themselves another glass of wine. There are three boys and two girls. I can’t tell who belongs with whom, but all five of them are very attractive. The girls are stunning and the boys are better looking than any guy I knew back home. They all look like they just stepped out of an Abercrombie and Fitch ad, but one of the boys in particular stands out to me. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s his smile, or that he is, in my opinion, the best looking of the three boys. His posture is different, more open, and he engages with those outside of their circle with waves and nods of recognition and a brilliant smile. I shake my head out of my stare and can feel my eyebrows crease together. It isn’t like me to take notice of anyone, let alone a boy like this. I dismiss any attraction I’m having since I already know that I undeniably belong with the left of center concert guests and make a move for a soda.
    “That’s funny,” Luke chuckles. “Of all the people for you to hone in on, you pick the families of our law firm partners. See the guy with the silver hair and blue Polo? That’s Gregory Meyer. He’s the senior partner at Meyer, Fincher, and Marks. The woman to his right is his wife, Eliana. The man in the plaid shirt is Josef Fincher, with his wife Marie. Next to them are Daniel Marks and his wife Alice. Josef’s son is Chris, the blonde, and Daniel’s son Tyler has the buzzed dark hair. The other boy is Gregory’s son, Will. The girl with the short hair is Caroline, but I don’t remember the other girl’s name.”
    “That’s Gwen Kestler, honey,” Claire adds, jogging Luke’s memory.
    “Oh, yes, that’s right. We met her last year at the bar-b-q. Do you want to me to introduce you? You’ll be going to school with all of them at Heyward Prep,” Luke offers.
    “No! I mean, that’s ok, another time.” So, the boy I had been staring at was Will Meyer, son of the senior partner of Meyer, Fincher, and Marks. How is it that I gravitated to the most unfeasible option of all the guys there? Not that I’m looking, but still. Yes, there will be plenty of time to embarrass myself in front of them and the rest of their rich and fashionable friends once school starts. I’ll keep my distance for now and delay that humiliating experience for another day.
    Just as I’m about to release my gaze from the league of models, Will turns and catches me by surprise. I guess I had been boring a hole into the side of his head and he couldn’t take the pressure any longer. He smiles a remarkable smile, one like I’ve never seen before. I want to look away but I can’t. And it’s not just because of his god-like features. There’s…more. Will’s face changes, his eyes grabbing hold of mine, and it’s like I can hear him say, “ Have we met? ”  My heart starts to race. I give him a weak smile and snap my head to the left and force myself to break the lock between our eyes. It was the strangest, most exhilarating five seconds of my life.
    The concert is about an hour in and I need to find a restroom. Claire points me in the direction of the library, but I need to go around to the right side of the building to the entrance on Main Street. She