“Yo, D!” Nick called across the pool. “Let’s race! First one to do twelve laps across the pool gets to choose where we eat tonight!”

Howie smirked. “Sure, I’m up for it.”

“Jay, wanna race?”

“What about the loser?” AJ asked as he straddled his lounge chair next to Nick. “I don’t think we should risk it unless it’s a real sweet deal.”

“What?” Brian wondered as he lathered Baylee in sunscreen. “Winner chooses dinner isn’t a good enough incentive?”

“Nope. Gotta be something for the loser so there’s more of a reason to win. I know some of us have the same place we want to eat.”

Baylee put his hand in the hair, eyes still closed as his mommy helped put sunscreen on his face. “Loser wears a doggie collar for a whole day!”

Brian froze in the act of squirting out more sunscreen and stared at the boy who would be five in just a few months.

Recovering from his own surprise, Nick remarked, “Pretty impressive for a four-year-old. I’ll go for that. Jay? D? Bri?”

Each thought it over, weighing the pros and cons of such a challenge. Brian, still surprised that his son had made such a challenge – though really, he thought, considering his uncles, I really shouldn’t be that surprised. “I’m in.”

“Why not?” Howie agreed. “I know a place I’ve been dying to try out near here.”

“None of you are gonna win,” Nick spouted confidently. “I live on the water, remember?”

“So what?” AJ challenged. “We’ve all been in the water enough to tan your pale hide – which really does need one, by the way. You’re hurtin’ my eyes for how white you are.”

“Shut up!” Nick yelped. He yanked off his shirt and dove in. “Bay, you get down at the other end and count us off. Then tell us who gets to twelve first.”

Baylee, feeling quite proud that he had learned just that morning how to reach twelve, accepted wholeheartedly and raced to the other side, slowing immediately at his parents’ shout of “No running!”

“Ready? Set! Go!”

The four men surged forward and seemed to be equally matched for a while, but Baylee suddenly saw uncle Nick start to get ahead of the others. Well that just wouldn’t do! He didn’t want his daddy wearing a collar and he had his own place he wanted to eat.

“Faster!” he shrieked to the others. “Nick’s winning!”

Nick risked a second to pout at his nephew before continuing on. That one second cost him. AJ and Brian were now just barely ahead, with Howie right beside him. Baylee began yelling encouragement to the others when he remembered that he was supposed to be keeping count. His eyes widened frantically. He had forgotten what number lap it was.

“Nine,” said his mother, sitting beside him as his daddy touched the end and leaped toward the other. Soon it was hard to tell who was ahead. First Brian, then Howie, Nick and AJ. AJ pulled ahead. Howie. Nick. Brian. AJ. Howie. Nick –

“Uncle Howie wins!” Baylee cried.

As they panted and clung to the side, Howie wondered, “So who lost?”

“Uncle AJ and Nick.”

“Together?” Brian asked. “Guess that means we need to get two collars, huh bud? Did I come in second then?”

“Barely,” Leighanne said, slipping down into the pool next to him.

He smirked. “Better than having to wear a collar, though, eh?”

+=+=+=+=+

“You had to pick this restaurant, didn’t you?” Nick grumbled.

“Oh, stop complaining and pass me that lst bit of sauce.” He waited till it was on his plate before finishing. “Besides, the lights make that collar sparkle.”

“Shut up,” Nick growled as he reached for a slice of pie.

“Hey guys!” Brian sing-songed.

Both looked up in time to see a flash of light.

“Brian!!”