“Wrong camp.” I roll my eyes and step out into the bright morning sun. Yesterday I was all amped up to be a counselor and live out all the fantasies I had as a kid. Those fantasies did not start with me on the shit list. In fact, I was nowhere near the shit list.
I want to blame this on Shane because if he hadn’t been flexing his protective muscles I would have stayed in and read a book like the nerd I am, but there’s no one to blame but myself. I should have been the bigger person.
“Go grab breakfast.” I nod to the building next to Mr. River’s office. “I’ll dump my stuff and meet you there.”
She hesitates on the top step as she scrutinizes my face. Whatever she sees makes her nod, and she heads off toward the building. Now that everything has gone bottom up, she’ll be stuck to me for the rest of the summer being the best version of herself. It will be her way of trying to make up for me almost getting thrown out. Not that I blame her. Well, I kinda do, but I’m not mad anymore.
Okay, maybe slightly mad. But I’m sure it will wear off after I’ve eaten a nice hot breakfast.
I trudge down the steps and avoid eye contact with Mr. River as he comes out of his office. The man can throw serious disappointment with his eyes and I never want to be on the receiving end again. No joke, it was almost as bad as when my mother does it.
When I thrust open the door to my new cabin, my heart leaps in my chest and it takes everything in me to suppress a screech. Surprise shifts to anger when I catch a smile working its way across Shane’s face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” My gaze drops and narrows when I see a black bag at his feet.
“Well…”
“No,” I say. This isn’t happening. I’m grateful he talked Mr. River into letting me stay, but I don’t want to spend every free second with Shane.
Not after the weird kiss last night. To say that was odd, and confusing, and nice would be an understatement, but still. No way. He doesn’t get to ignore me for years, then shove his way into my life and expect to settle where he left.
Shane sighs. “This was one of his conditions.”
“For you to be my babysitter?”
“No—to make sure you’re safe. He doesn’t want you bunking alone.”
“Then pick another girl.”
He nibbles on his top lip and glances away. “He thinks you will be a bad influence.”
Shock and irritation heats my face. In eighteen years, I have never been called a bad influence. In fact, that’s the reason Scarlett’s parents like me so much. They think I’ll keep her in line. Nine times out of ten it doesn’t work, but they don’t know that.
“No,” I say again out of aggravation, but I don’t have much of a choice. Bunk with Shane or go home. Those are my options.
And now I’m furious. None of this would have happened if he didn’t butt in yesterday.
“Come on. We’re both adults. Now, do you want top or bottom bunk?”
My gaze narrows on him but all that does is multiply the humor lighting his eyes. He acts as if this is the funniest thing in the world. Spoiler: it’s not.
I tighten my grip on the strap of my bag. Well, whatever, screw him. He will not ruin my summer. “Top. That way if a bear, or you know, a machete-wielding murderer happens by, you’ll be the first to die.”
I glimpse a full-on smile on his face as I pass—the same one he always used to get his way in high school—but I don’t give him the satisfaction of acknowledging it.
“Guess I’ll unpack later,” I mumble as I toss my bag on the ground.
We’ll need to work out a system because there is no way I’m showering with him in here. Now more than ever, I’m glad I packed my worn-out sweats and flannel pants. Scarlett came close to convincing me to bring my smallest sleep shorts. A large dose of sloppy should keep his mistaken kisses far away from me.
“Let’s go get breakfast and pray all the good stuff isn’t taken,” he says as he drapes an arm over my shoulder.
I stiffen at the contact and the moment seems to knock some sense into him because he removes it with speed I didn’t know he possessed.
We say nothing as we walk the short distance to the cafeteria. By the time we step inside, I’m thankful for the noise, because whatever that awkwardness was made it hard to think straight. Now I can’t hear myself think at all.
Kids sit at their tables talking loudly and animatedly. They all arrived this morning and I can feel their excitement in the air. Yesterday I would have been right there on their level, but now it’s all I can do to plaster on a fake smile so I don’t scare them away.
I make my way to the trays, Shane’s presence behind me like a dark freaking cloud the entire time.
No clue how we got to this weird middle ground of not really friends who kiss after a near-crash, but I’d rather go back to ignoring each other.
I load up my tray with eggs and toast—the only two things left—then turn to scan the room for Scarlett.
My heart pounds once out of irritation. Why am I not surprised she is sitting with Dax and Jason? I may not blame her for last night, but I blame them. They’re the reason Shane got all protective. And it was their idea to go sneaking off.
Whatever. As I beeline for the table Scarlett sends me an apologetic look and I get the feeling she didn’t sit with them willingly.
“Hey.” I set my tray down hard on the table as I step over the worn bench seat.
Sorry, Scarlett mouths as she picks at the remnants of her food.
“So,” Jason says, focusing on me. “I’m surprised you’re still here.”
“Yeah…well…” I stab a piece of egg with my fork, but I’m not hungry anymore.
“I can’t believe that tool hauled you out of there and right to Mr. River,” he continues, ignoring the warning look Dax throws his way. “What’s up with that, anyway? Trying to make some big show of his power or something?”
“He didn’t rat me out,” I mumble, not even the slightest bit interested in this conversation. “We got caught. End of story.”
“Well, none of us did, so clearly his sneaking around skills have been dulled by his Goody two-shoes nature.”
“Or maybe you didn’t get caught because Mr. River was busy dealing with us.” A shadow looms over me and I glance up to see Shane’s face set into a scowl.
To his credit, Jason is smart enough to clamp his mouth shut and not press the subject. However, he’s not smart enough to hide the obvious disdain he feels toward Shane. I’m kind of with him on that right now.
“Lyla, a word.”
I toss down my fork and reach for a piece of cold toast. “I’m eating.”
“Now.” The authoritative edge to his voice makes my insides boil. Scarlett was right. When did he get a stick lodged up his backside?
I push away my tray and stand, avoiding the three sets of eyes staring at me as I stomp my way out of the building. The moment I’m on the porch, Shane catches my elbow and leads me around to the side.
“What?” I snap. This is getting beyond ridiculous. He can’t fall back into my life, kiss me, and then act as if he has some kind of control over me.
“I don’t think you should hang out with those guys. Look what already happened.”