even to himself. He turned around, looked at the door, but though it looked perfectly normal and he felt no vibe, he was not about to go inside again.
He started walking back to the room.
âDad!â
Rachel and Ryan were walking up the sidewalk toward him, on their way to the big pool. He purposely slowed his gait as he saw them approach, waving.
Ryan ran over. âWeâre going swimming!â
He ran a hand through his sonâs hair. âThatâs great, sport. Have fun.â
âAre you coming, too?â
âIn a while.â
âThat was quick,â Rachel said.
âYeah.â
âSo how was your swim?â she asked.
He thought for a moment, unsure of what to say.
She frowned. âLowell?â
He forced himself to smile. âFine,â he told her. âFine.â
Six
âCheck out that one. I bet her snatch is a snack and a half.â
Owen casually glanced to his left, following Davidâs subtle nod, and saw an older girl, probably seventeen or eighteen, walking toward them, the thin material of her white thong bikini clinging to her lithe form, revealing jutting nipples and a visible cleft between her thighs.
They were sitting in the Jacuzzi, drinking Cokes, feigning a sophistication only David actually possessed. Originally, David had wanted to go swimming, and Curtis would have gone along with it even though he didnât want to, but Owen had put his foot down. Theyâd been the first people to the pool this morning other than the staff, and when heâd glanced into the water of the deep end next to the waterfall, he had spied a shape at the bottom. The same human shape he and Curtis had seen yesterday. He didnât think his brother had noticed it because Curtis had been scoping out a hot resort worker in a one-piece who was scooping bugs and leaves out of the shallow end with a net, but he could tell from Curtisâs reaction to Davidâs suggestion that they get in some serious swim time that the figure was still in his mind.
The dead man.
Thatâs what it was. It wasnât a figure. It was the drowned body of a man, and the fact that it had disappeared and turned into something like a stain on the light blue bottom of the pool made him think that it was probably the ghost of someone whoâd died there. Not that he really believed in ghostsânot exactlyâbut he was still open-minded enough not to discount things he saw just because other people said they werenât true.
So heâd suggested that they hang out in the Jacuzzi, check out the chicks. Going on babe watch automatically trumped swimming, and David and Curtis readily agreed to his plan. Theyâd been here for nearly half an hour now, watching as the pool area filled up, even scaring away an elderly couple who wanted to use the whirlpool.
The girl in the white thong passed by, and all three of them casually turned their heads to check out her ass.
âIâd love to sniff her suit,â David said, and Owen could not help giggling.
Curtis finished his Coke and tapped his plastic cup on the raised ring of cement encircling the Jacuzzi. David tossed him the two-liter bottle and Curtis poured himself a refill. Suddenly the whirlpoolâs timer went off, and the jets stopped, bubbles ceasing. David stood. âI donât know about you two, but Iâm sweating like a fucking pig here. I think itâs time we hit the cool water.â
Curtis nodded. âIâm with you.â
Even Owen had to admit that a half hour in swirling warm water beneath an increasingly hot sun was more than enough. The three of them got out, carrying their drinks and walking over to the edge of the big pool. In front of them, two young boys sped down the slide together.
âFags,â David said disdainfully. He sat down on the edge of the pool, putting his feet in the water. âJesus Christ!â he cried out. âThatâs cold!â
It was cold,
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