Falling for Bentley (Part One) by Shawnte Borris

laughed, “Yes, Haley I’m sure. If we were in the city it probably wouldn’t be appropriate, but our town has like a thousand people in it. It’s pretty hard to not hang out together. Besides, most of these guys hang out at my mom’s almost every weekend.”
    “Well if you’re…” before I finished my sentence, I was hoisted over Bentley’s shoulder screaming, “Bentley Knight, put me down!”
    Bentley went running off the dock and jumped right in. I barely got a full breath in before my head went under the cold water. I came up spitting water out of my mouth.
    “I’m going to get you for that!”
    He had the nerve to wink at me, “I’m counting on it, friend ,” before he swam away.
    “Cannon ball!” JJ hollered before soaking me again.
    Bo tried to cannon ball, but it turned out to be more like a belly flop.
    “Oh, Bo, that has got to hurt,” I laughed.
    Bo laid flat on his back and rubbed his belly. “Maybe not as much if I’d stopped at burger two. I think I’m gonna puke.”
    “I told you. Just don’t puke in the pond, the rest of us would like to keep enjoying our swim.” I heckled as I splashed him before swimming over to Cullen.
    “Hey, Cullen, what’s up? You’re pretty quiet today.”
    “Just thinking.”
    “Anything serious?”
    “Nah,” he said, sitting on the bank.
    I went to sit beside him, “You sure?”
    “I’m just trying to impress this girl and nothing works.”
    “What have you tried?” I asked as I wrung out my hair.
    “Every pick up line you can imagine.”
    I cringed, “You did not just say that.”
    “What, what did I do wrong?” he asked, panicked.
    I laughed, “Cullen, no girl likes a guy with cheesy pickup lines. We just turn around and make fun of you later for them.”
    “No, Haley, I have good ones, really,” he insisted.
    “Okay then, lay it on me,” I snickered.
    “Alright you asked for it.” Cullen turned around to face me. “Haley, don’t say things like that unless you plan to cowgirl up. I could give you way more than an eight second rodeo ride.”
    I burst out in full laughter, “You have got to be kidding me?”
    “It’s just the cowboy in me, Haley, get used to it.”
    I was holding on to my sides, “Stop, Cullen, stop, that’s so bad.”
    “It is not,” he argued.
    “Oh, it is, Twilight,” I said wiping away a tear.
    “What has you in stitches?” asked Andrew as the rest of them swam over.
    “Cullen. He just gave me the worst pick up line I have ever heard.”
    “Oh, I’m pretty sure I can beat him,” said Andrew, “Ever since I heard your name and saw your ass in those daisy dukes you're so fond of wearing with those boots, I've been fantasizing about bending you over a bale of hay and taking us both to heaven.”
    “I’ve got one,” Bo said next, “So...you think my tractor's sexy?” Now everyone laughed. “Shut up it worked…once.”
    Mack and JJ pipe up, “We have one.”
    “Bring it.”
    JJ cleared his throat, "Haley, I know you don’t want to see guys unless they have a six pack, so I’m just going to work out so I don’t have to walk around here sporting a keg someday.” JJ and Mack bumped fists and yelled, “Boom!”
    Rolling my eyes, I turned to Travis, “Alright, what’s yours?”
    JJ shoved Travis, “He’s been going out with Whitney for so long, I doubt he remembers what a pick up line is.”
    “I do, too. In fact, I used one on her the other night,” Travis said crossing his arms over his chest.
    “Well then, let’s hear it, baby brother,” taunted Bentley.
    “This is my kind of night, just you and me and the back of my pickup truck.”
    Bentley looked shocked.
    “Huh, that’s pretty good, Travis. You boys should take a number from that.” I stood up, “Well, boys, thanks for lunch and the swim, but I’m going to head in now.”
    “Do you need any help packing up?” asked Mack.
    “No thanks. You guys did all the fencing, which would have taken me all summer. So stay and enjoy