The fire snapped and crackled as the flames licked at the marshmallows hovering over it. Surrounding the fire were eight friends who had spent the afternoon swimming and picnicking together at the Wheeler Lake. The burgers that were grilled for dinner were long gone and now the food of choice was s'mores.

"Mart," Trixie noted. "You've only eaten one s'more. Are you sick or something?"

"No," replied Mart.

"Well, what's wrong," asked Trixie.

"Nothing," answered Mart.

"Whatever it is, you know I'll find out eventually," said Trixie as she slid two marshmallows onto a long stick. Crouching near the fire, she held the marshmallows close to the flames and watched as they turned a golden brown.

"Trix, do you need a graham cracker," asked Jim.

"That's okay. I got one for her already," offered Tad.

Silence settled over the group as they watched Tad help Trixie pull the marshmallows off the stick and sandwich them, plus a piece of chocolate, between two crackers.

"Yum. Tad, this half is for you," Trixie said, holding out a portion of the cracker.

Tad took the gooey concoction that was offered him, licking the oozing chocolate off his fingers.

"So, Trixie, how was your golf lesson," asked Diana, hoping to ease the tension that was building as the group continued to sit around the fire.

Trixie began recounting how her afternoon golf lesson with Tad had gone. Occasionally Tad interjected to share his perspective of the lesson. Trixie giggled as she described her losing control of the golf cart and almost driving it off a little bridge. The both laughed as Tad shared how one of Trixie's shots ricocheted off a tree and nearly hit him. Trixie's suggestion that he wear a football helmet as protection next time made everybody chuckle. As the story went on, it became apparent to all sitting at the fire that the two had had a fun afternoon.

Diana sat back in the shadows and watched the exchanges between her friends. Trixie appeared to be oblivious to the awkwardness that existed between her and some of the group. She just chattered on, her usual effervescent self. At times Tad seemed to be aware of some discomfort between him and the Bobwhites, but it didn't appear to bother him too much. Jim remained quite silent with his jaw tensed and his eyes narrowed. Diana cast a sideways glance at Mart.

She wasn't sure what he thought about his sister and Tad.

"I need to find out what he is thinking. And more importantly, I need to find out what is going on in Trixie's head. Is she into Tad? She and I need to have a "come to Diana" moment. I'll get that girl to open up, even if I have to take up sleuthing to do it. By the time I get done with Trixie, she won't know what hit her," Diana silently vowed to herself as she zipped up her hoodie and snuggled closer to Mart.