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Okay, maybe a minor problem.
“Perhapsyouhave all night,” Clive says, “but I’ll be leaving soon. Unlike you and Tess, I’m not cleared to remain on the premises overnight.”
“You aren’t?” This is good news. The best news I’ve heard all day. “Huh. That’s too bad.” Hopefully Clive can’t tell that I’m grinning on the inside.
“Yes. Quite.” I wait for him to elaborate while he opens another box of graham crackers and a package of chocolate bars. When he doesn’t, I have to ask.
“Why aren’t you cleared to stay over?”
Please say you turn into a werewolf at midnight, and are incapable of a relationship with a human woman.
“Ah. That.” Clive sighs so long and loud, I almost feel sorry for the werewolf. “Since I’m not a citizen, I don’t have access to the same background checks as you and Tess. Fix and Jonah vouched for me, so apparently I’m to be trusted in the kitchen. But that’s all the grace town council would extend. I suppose you can’t be too safe around children now, can you?”
Great. The guy’s good with kids and also understanding. Hating him is going to be harder than I thought. But I’m up to the challenge.
“Luckily, the good mayor was determined to hire the best chef possible for the camp. And as it turns out, I’m the best chef.”
“Clearly.”
“I only stayed on this late tonight because Tess wanted to serve s’mores at the first camp bonfire. Naturally I offered to help her, as a sort of grand kickoff.”
“Naturally.” We both glance over at her at the same time. She’s still chatting and laughing and glowing. “Well, I’ll be here to help her from now on,” I say. Man. I’m peeing on territory that isn’t even mine. What on earth is happening? Next thing you know, I’ll be a werewolf too. Which wouldn’t be all bad. The ladies at the library sure like shape-shifter books.
“S’mores are hardly a challenge,” Clive says.
“So you mentioned.”
“I doubt Tess will need much help.” He flashes me another smile, like a toothpaste-commercial. The after shot. “Anyway, I suppose that on most evenings, I’ll be clearing out as soon as I’ve got dinner cleaned up. The mayor arranged a long term room for me over at The Granny Smith. But I’ll be back again, bright and early, every morning for breakfast.”
“Excellent.” I snatch another marshmallow from the fresh bag and shove it on the end of my stick, so I’ve got two marshmallows.Perfect. Clive glances at Tess across the fire again.
Not perfect.
“For the record,” I say, hoping to get his attention back on me, “I’m not picky about breakfast. Or lunch. Whatever food you serve will be great.”
Clive drags his focus back my way. “I thought Tess told me you’ve only been hired to stay here overnight. Was she wrong about that?”
“No. But as it turns out, I’m able to stick around for the first half of each day too.”
“Smashing.” Another toothpaste grin. “However did you manage that?”
“I’m not sure if Tess told you. But I’m a librarian.”
“She hadn’t. No. In fact we barely discussed you at all.”
Heh. Good one, Clive. “Well my shifts don’t start until 1:00, so I should be able to stick around until lunchtime. Don’t worry, though. I love macaroni and fish sticks. And I very rarely vomit.”
“Brilliant.” Clive tosses another couple of logs on the fire, and my marshmallows burst into flames. “I believe you’re overcooking those,” he says.
“I like my s’mores charred.” To prove the point, I leave the stick in the fire until my marshmallows turn to charcoal.
One of the counselors starts strumming a guitar and leading the group in a song. The tune is soothing, even though my guts are rolling. Clive’s got my insides twisted. Things only get worse when Tess hops up from her pack of campers and heads back toward us. She’s wearing a pair of cut-off jeans, and her bare skin looks soft and golden in the firelight. “What are you two talking about?” she chirps.
I answer first. “Clive was just telling me he has to leave because he’s not cleared to stay here overnight.” Hey. What can I say? All’s fair in love and camp. “They couldn’t do a background check on him since he’s not a citizen.” I shrug. “So, he’s gotta go.”
“Ahhh. Isthatwhy?” Tess seems surprised. “I assumed it was because…” She cuts herself off.
“Because why?” I ask. There’s a beat of silence. “Don’t tell me,” I say. “He doesn’t know how to hold chopsticks either?”
