“Okay, okay,” she admits. “After Gage got the job at Camp Prairie Star, I suggested that you apply without telling either of you about the other.”
Gage didn’t seem surprised, though. Or he hid it better than I did.
“Andwhy, exactly, did you do that?” I demand.
“Because you two like each other, and this nonsense of keeping me in the middle has gone on long enough.”
I gasp, but try to keep my voice down. “Wedo notlike each other!” I’ve barely seen the man in the last five years. I dart my eyes around now, as if he’s lingering nearby, listening to my every word.
“See, I didn’t think so either until …” She pauses dramatically. “Exhibit A: New Orleans!”
Internally, I groan. Seeing Gage with his handsy girlfriend at the Halloween parade had gutted me. I was glad he was happy. I wanted him to be happy. Maybe just not so in my face.
“What do you mean Exhibit A? Your brother and I hardly interacted on that trip.”
“Exactly! I saw the way you were watching Gage and his girlfriend at the time, whatever her name was, together before youclaimedyou had a stomachache and left the parade early. And I saw the way he looked at you.”
“He didn’t look at me in any kind of way,” I protest. “He had a girlfriend.”
“Yeah, who he broke up with the very next week after seeing you!”
That gives me pause. “Did he say something to you about me after New Orleans?”
“No! Neither of you ever talk to me about the other. Exhibit B!”
I sigh heavily. “I think all those rom-coms you read are going to your head.”
“Could be,” she allows, “but even if the two of you end up at least being friends again after this summer, I’m still winning.”
“Annie, this is … a lot. I wish you hadn’t let him catch me unaware like that. You should have warned me.”
When Annie answers, her voice is curious. “Why do you need a warning before you see my brother?”
“No, well … you know, because of everything that went down at graduation,” I stammer.
“Leave it in the past. I’m serious, Delaney. That was five years ago. You’ve both dated tons of other people since then. Surely you can try to be friends now.”
Gage has dated tons of women?I shake off the discomfort of that revelation.
“Okay, I’ll try,” I promise, “but I’m still mad at you.”
I hang up with Annie and meet Brynn back out front by the golf cart. I settle into the passenger seat and Brynn hits the gas, pointing out the sites around Camp Prairie Star. My mind wanders.
Unfortunately, I already gave up all my coaching time slots for the summer at my other job and I need the money, so leaving camp really isn’t an option. But I can’t be here with Gage all summer because here’s the thing—Gage is exactly my idea of the perfect man. He’s smart, playful, caring, handsome, athletic, protective, ambitious, and loyal. I’ve seen the way he takes care of his sister, how he used to take care of me, too. But I’m pretty sure I amnotGage’s idea of the perfect woman. At least, I shouldn’t be.
“So is Gage your ex?” Brynn asks as if reading my thoughts.
“No, we never dated,” I mumble.
“But not for lack of trying?” She must pick up on the … is that bitterness? … in my voice.
“Something like that.”
“Trying by who?”
“Him. Him trying. Me refusing. And pining.”
That’s not the whole story, but it’s plenty to tell a stranger.
