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“HI TO YOU BACK!” I wave enthusiastically from my desk. It’s a total Goofball Barbie thing to do, but my sisters laugh instead of making fun of me. And in this moment, I truly don’t mind being the silly one. After all these years, we still have each other’s backs.
When we were kids, we could say and do the worst things to each other, but if somebody else looked sideways at one of us, the other two would step in. Quick.
“So tell us all about camp,” Darby says, and a grin creeps across my face.
“There’s a lot to tell. But I guess it boils down to this: I’ve never had less sleep or more responsibility in my life. But I love it. I’m just trying to make this the best summer for everyone involved.”Including Spencer and me.But I leave out that part. They don’t need to know about the stolen glances whenever he’s at the ranch. Or that I’m basically floating around with a song in my heart and on my lips. And not just at Shady Hill.
So far Spencer and I have stuck to our rule of not being alone together at camp. But that doesn’t mean we’re not together. In fact, we’re together a lot.
Every night, he rushes to camp to take part in our bonfires, s’mores, and singalongs. For the record, he doesn’t sing along. He’s better at roasting two marshmallows on a stick than carrying a tune. Each morning, he stays on the ranch until he’s got to get to the library for his 1:00 shift. This gives us lots of time to play capture the flag, do art projects, and take the kids on nature hikes.
“Hellloooo?” Liv waves a hand across the desk. “Did we lose you?”
I shake my head. “Nah. Like I said. I’m just tired.”
“You do seem happy though,” Darby says.
I nod. “I am. And I think I could do this job for the rest of my life.”
Darby shifts in her chair, and I know exactly what she’s thinking. My career-driven sister wants to remind me that being a camp director isn’t a yearlong job.
“Anyway, I’m pretty sure I want to end up working with kids. Which is something I never knew before. So I’m grateful for that.”
Meanwhile, I’m trying hard not to think about what will happen at the end of the summer. I have no job lined up. No place to live. But at least I’ll get to be with Spencer. The thought of that makes my insides float again.
As if I summoned him up from my daydreams, Spencer suddenly fills the doorway. My stomach flips. He’s not even close enough for me to catch his scent, but I know exactly how it would feel to be in his arms again.
Soon, Tess.
“Hope I’m not interrupting,” he says.
“Hey, there!” Liv pops up from her chair. “Didn’t I see you out by that cafeteria place earlier?” Well. That settles the debate about which hot guy she spotted before.
“Hi, Olivia,” Spencer says, sticking out a hand. She grins and shakes his with her fingertips. Then she does a cute little curtsy. At least she doesn’t bat her eyelashes. “I’m Spencer,” he says. “I’m sure you don’t remember me, since I graduated a couple years before you. But you were the only red-headed triplets at Apple Valley High. And Tess has told me all about you both. And shown me pictures. So I know who’s who.” He shifts his eyes to Darby. “Nice to see you again, too, Darby.”
“Likewise,” she says, eyeing him like she’s studying a patient’s chart. Spencer comes farther into the office, and his eyes light on mine. When I stand, a palpable shift in energy spreads across the room. A metaphorical kite string stretched between us.
This man sure does make me float.
Olivia and Darby exchange quick glances. Then Liv squawks at me. “This is the secret boyfriend!”
“Oh. I. Uh. Umm…”
“Of course he is.” Darby smirks. “Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. It’s written all over her face.”
“Come on, Tess.” Liv arches her brow. “You might as well cop to it. You already told us the two hot guys here at camp are spoken for. And your body language is speaking right now. Loudly.”
“Huh.” Spencer folds his arms across his chest. “You told your sisters Clive is hot?”
“I told them you BOTH were hot,” I say. “Andthatyouwere spoken for.” I turn to my sisters. “But Spencer and I are coworkers right now, so we’re not telling anyone yet. So zip it, okay?”
“Consider me zipped,” Darby says.
“Who’s got dibs on the other guy?” Olivia asks.
“Our friend Kayla,” I say. “So hands off.”
“Message received.” Olivia shrugs. “I know I’ve been gone a long time, but there’s got to besomeeligible bachelors left in Apple Valley.”
