Chapter 251
“As you wish,” Randell replied with a shrug.
He knew perfectly well that making a deal with Lyman was always a safe bet- Lyman never lost out.
Lyman said calmly, “Fine. I’ll hand over the investment I promised Vinson Elliott to you instead.”
He made it sound so casual, but Vinson Elliott nearly had a meltdown. He shot upright from his lounge chair. “Lyman, come on, I screwed up, okay? I really messed up!”
Lyman just stared at Vinson Elliott, silent and unmoved.
Randell had seen this routine plenty of times. Lyman getting angry? Nothing new there. But ever since Effie came into Lyman’s life, those explosive moments had become a lot rarer.
Love, Randell thought, really does mellow a man out.
Turning to Lyman, Randell said, “Lyman, don’t scare him like that. He’s about to burst into tears.”
Vinson Elliott snapped, “Randell, are you crazy? As if I’d start crying over this.”
He scoffed, glaring daggers at Randell, and for a second it looked like the two of them might actually come to blows.
But Lyman’s attention was already drifting, caught by a figure farther down the shore.
Effie.
She was just a beginner, but she was already standing steady on her board, clutching the tow rope, her face set in cool concentration. Lips pressed together, eyes fixed ahead, she looked every bit the picture of confidence-almost heroic. “Wow!” Randell whistled. “Effie’s killing it! Isn’t this her first day? She picked it up fast.”
Vinson Elliott’s eyes narrowed. “Wait a second, this reminds me of someone…” He glanced toward Lyman.
Lyman had always been the stuff of nightmares for him—a living legend, the guy whose grades were always at the top, not just in academics but in everything else too.
Back when the three of them first tried wakeboarding together, Lyman had mastered it in a snap. After just a couple of tries, he could let go of the rope and surf the waves with perfect balance. Vinson Elliott and Randell had both been convinced Lyman must have practiced in secret, but Lyman denied it, and, knowing his personality, they actually believed him.
“You two are unbelievable,” Vinson Elliott muttered, shaking his head. “It’s almost scary.”
A smug little smile played on Lyman’s lips. “Of course.”
Vinson Elliott cursed inwardly. Show-off.
Suddenly, Lyman stood up and headed toward the water.
Vinson Elliott scrambled after him. “Lyman, you’re not really pulling the plug on my investment, are you?”
Lyman replied, “We’ll see.”
Vinson Elliott looked like he was about to cry for real. He slapped himself lightly on the mouth. “Why can’t you ever keep your mouth shut?”
Randell burst out laughing. “Vince, you missed your calling as a comedian. If your mouth wasn’t where it is, where would it be? Your… lower half?”
Vinson Elliott aimed a kick at Randell. “Hey, I’ve got a mouth down there too, you know. Don’t you? Or how do you… take care of business?”
Realization dawned on Randell, and he chased after Vinson Elliott, swinging at him. “You’re disgusting, you know that?”
By now, Lyman had already reached the shore.
Effie had just stepped off her board when Lyman reached out and caught her hand.
Her legs wobbled, and she stumbled into his arms. “Thanks,” she whispered.
It was her first time wakeboarding, and the whole experience had been so thrilling
her legs were still jelly by the time she got back to solid ground.
Who would have guessed that her cool composure out there on the water was all an act? Thank goodness Lyman showed up when he did-falling over in front of everyone would have been mortifying.