Chapter 33 – Across the Hedge
It was a slow Saturday afternoon in Brentwood, and Jake had finally taken a break from his server diagnostics. He was pacing the backyard barefoot, sipping lemonade, when he heard the familiar voice from beyond the tall privacy hedge.
"You seriously have a pool?" Haley called out. "Isn't that illegal for someone your size?"
Jake smirked. "Come find out, coward."
Moments later, Haley popped her head around the gate and walked into the backyard like she owned the place. Tank top, cutoff shorts, sunglasses—her confidence was borderline cinematic.
"I asked Grandpa if I could go visit the kid across the street," she said. "Left out the part where he's a startup-running genius with zero supervision."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "You told him I was a kid. Good. Let's keep that illusion alive."
"Relax," Haley said, dropping her bag on a patio chair. "I'm just here to swim. You're not that cute."
Jake leaned against the pool's edge, grinning. "Keep telling yourself that."
She kicked off her sandals and walked toward him, pausing at the edge of the pool.
"I didn't bring a suit," she said casually.
Jake shrugged. "You're overdressed for a pool, underdressed for an interrogation. Sounds about right."
She gave him a look that was both amused and impressed. "You really think you're hot stuff, don't you?"
"I know I am," he replied, already moving toward the deep end. "You're the one who came back."
---
Meanwhile, in Jay's Driveway
Claire Dunphy pulled into her dad's driveway with the usual air of mild exasperation. She was here to collect Haley, who—as far as she knew—was upstairs doing "homework."
Jay met her at the front step, drink in hand.
"She's not here," he said.
Claire blinked. "What do you mean she's not here?"
"She went to see the neighbor kid," Jay said. "Across the street. Said something about the pool."
Claire stiffened. "The what now?"
---
Back at Jake's Pool
Haley was perched on the edge of the pool in her shorts and tank, feet in the water, hair twisted up. Jake was floating nearby on a pool noodle, sunglasses on like he had nowhere better to be—which was, frankly, true.
"You're fun," Haley said, tossing a splash of water his way.
Jake pushed off the side and swam to the edge. "You're not so bad for a girl who shows up uninvited."
"Please," she said. "You love it."
"Maybe," he replied. "But only if you admit you like me first."
Haley tilted her head, eyes narrowing in mock-seriousness. "Don't push it."
"I'll risk it," he said, now a few inches from her face.
She leaned down, still smiling. "You're such a little—"
He kissed her.
Just for a moment. Bold. Stupid. Electric.
She didn't pull away.
Then—
"Haley?!"
Both heads whipped around.
Standing on the patio, her face caught between disbelief and full-on maternal meltdown, was Claire Dunphy.
Beside her stood Judith, arms crossed and wearing the kind of expression that said, I was watching until I blinked and this happened.
Jake's blood went cold.
Haley groaned, already reaching for her towel. "Mom, seriously?"
Claire blinked like she couldn't trust her own eyes. "Were you just—was that—are you kissing him?!"
"It was just a kiss!" Haley said, mortified.
Judith stepped forward, calm but apologetic. "Claire, I'm so sorry. I'd been watching them. I went inside for thirty seconds to grab a call—"
"Thirty seconds too long," Claire muttered.
Haley looked between the two women. "It wasn't a big deal."
"Not a big deal?!" Claire hissed. "You're kissing boys in strangers' pools!"
Jake stood there, frozen, unsure if he should apologize, run, or say something cool. Nothing came to mind.
Claire shot a final glare at him before turning. "Let's go."
Haley rolled her eyes and muttered, "Coming…"
But then she paused.
She walked back toward Jake, lowered her voice so only he could hear, and said, "This isn't over."
She slipped a folded piece of paper into his hand and leaned in.
"Text me."
Then she turned and followed her mom out the gate, disappearing down the walkway, her towel trailing behind her like a retreating flag.
Judith stood beside Jake for a moment, arms still folded.
"Well," she said. "That escalated."
Jake looked at the note in his hand.
A phone number.
He grinned.
"Totally worth it."