Cousins. Vacation, warm air, salt water. A place you want to come back to every summer.

Like every year, the Fisher and Conklin families went to their summer house in Cousins. Years of memories, a few scratches in the yard, a lot of photos taken on the beach. The wind that blew hair, the sounds of seagulls stealing food. The gazebo where the best parties and deepest conversations were held. The pool where Belly was thrown into every year at the beginning of summer, the beach where the boys had their first drink of alcohol. It was all Cousins. Home.

This summer, however, was a bit different. When both families' cars pulled up to the yard, they saw that their neighbors - Mr. and Mrs. Smith, an older couple who ignored all the noise coming from their house, even Jeremiah throwing up flowers from Mrs. Smith, had moved out. Instead, there were a few boxes in the yard and a black Borden Collie dog running around the property. A few sounds from there signaled a recent move.

Lauren nudged her bestfriend lightly with her elbow, her chin pointing at the new neighbors. "Maybe they need help moving?" Sussan asked more gently. She was always so nice to people. Far too nice to the world.

"Look Jere, no more throwing up in Mrs. Smith's poor flowers," Conrad sarcastically teased his younger brother, to which Jeremiah just rolled his eyes. Of course Conrad wouldn't let him forget it.

This summer, even though everything seemed the same, a few things had changed. A few thoughts raced through Jere's mind as he watched new neighbor and her dad unpack a few things. What was she like? Was she nice? Did she love Cousins as much as he did?