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Believe me, sometimes I’d like to trade places with an Alice Stirling.
In fact, part of the reason I didn’t want to keep working with Mac in the first place was my fear of the prevailing sentiment that I didn’t deserve the job. What if everyone thought I was flighty? Privileged? Unpredictable?
That wasn’t an easy concern to shake.
So I applied for a job at the summer camp, which—ironically—was pretty much flighty, privileged, and unpredictable. Ugh.
I just need Sunny Camp to be a smashing success. To prove me leaving McCoys was none of those things.
“We’ve been missing you at McCoys,” Alice says.
“You have?” I lay a hand over my chest, as her words tug at my heart.They miss me?Then, just as quickly, I begin to wonder if she really means it. Especially since Alice is here with Frank. He’s basically sarcasm come to life.
As if on cue, Frank clears his throat. “Tess. What a surprise, seeing you around my brother. First, the car wash. Now here. That’s two weekends in a row. Is that a record?”
I shrug. “I wasn’t keeping score. Math isn’t my thing.”
He reaches up to scratch his brow just below the brim of his ball cap. “Don’t tell me you’re actuallyherewith him, though.”
Typical Frank, giving Spencer a hard time. So I glance around, eyes big and round. Bambi-like. “Hmm. Let’s see. I’mhere.And Spencer ishere. I’m not good at geography either, but I think that means we’reheretogether.”
Frank opens his mouth, but before he can respond, Bev leans over the counter. “Your drinks will be up in a minute, and we’ll bring the food to your tables.” Then she cuts her eyes to the end of the counter. “You four can wait down there.”
“Huh?” Spencer cups his ear like he can barely hear Bev, even though the room isn’t that loud, and she’s standing right in front of us. “The four of us, did you say? Like those two, and us two? Over there? Yes, of course we’ll do that.” Spencer and I both move down to the pickup area, which is only ten steps away. Frank puts an arm around Alice’s waist and follows us. As we gather between the counter and the dust-streaked window, Spencer stands extra close to me too.
What’s he doing? And how come he smells so good? Is that cologne? Spencer Crane wearscologne? Is that why my nose is tingling in a good way? And how come my chest feels tight? Also, why do I keep asking myself questions?
Frank darts his eyes between Spencer and me as Spencer inches even closer. “Okay, I get it now,” Frank says, his voice trailing off in a snicker.
“Get what?” I ask, feeling like I’m missing the joke. Or that I mightbethe joke, which is even worse.
Frank smirks and scoffs at the same time. Let’s call what he does a smirk-off. “Spence told you.”
“Told me what?”
Frank ignores my question and frowns at Spencer. “Sorry, but not telling anyone was part of the deal, man.”
I glance at Spencer, and his jaw goes stiff. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“What deal?” I widen my eyes, and my throat compresses. I hate being out of the loop. So I turn to Frank. “What’s going on?”
“Hmm.” Frank studies my face for an uncomfortable moment, then nods. “All right, Tess. I don’t trust my brother as far as I can throw him, but youdolook pretty clueless.”
“Watch it,” Spencer growls.
“I have plenty of clues,” I say.
“I’m sure you do.” Frank smirks. “I guess I’m just surprised you’d want to be here, spending time with my brother voluntarily.”
This is the last straw for me.
Spencer might drive me crazy, with his neatness and rules and attention to detail, but he’s also saving my butt with this camp thing. And I need to keep him on my side. I can’t have him embarrassed or reluctant to be around me, knowing Frank will probably keep teasing us. So I’ve got to do something about that. I’m just sticking up for my new partner. And I start by staring Frank down.
“For your information, Ilovespending time with Spencer.” I put a hefty emphasis on love to leave a little suggestion hanging in the air.
“Ha!” Frank squawks. “Come on. You two?”
“Of course.” I glance up at Spencer, who’s gritting his teeth. Then I cut my focus back to Frank. “Why not?”
