Samson slides into a seat next to Kyle, yawning while he ties his dark brown hair in a messy knot on the top of his head. He’s been a counselor for Camp Bender a little longer than I have, starting a few years before me when he was right out of high school. I’ve never seen him any other way than he is right now, always rolling in at the last possible second and yawning his way through the day.
“Thanks,” Samson mumbles as I pass his book over to him. He crosses his ankle over his knee and leans his head back against the chair, using the notebook to cover his face.
Circling around to Sami and Chase, I drop a notebook and pen next to my purse before turning to them.
“Oh no, were you sitting here?” Sami gasps.
“Nope, you’re just fine right there.” I smile big, encouraging her to settle into the chair separating me from Mr. Charm. While handing over her writing supplies, I notice Chase nodding his head from the corner of my eye. When I look up to give him his notebook, he’s already looking back at me. Hispointer finger rests over his upper lip, nodding still, like he’s impressed with my ability to curve him. I’ve won this round, and we both know it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHASE
Ipull into the youth center, parking next to the large white eight-passenger van waiting out front. We’re headed to the museum today for ideas on incorporating the history of Fort Bender into our arts and crafts at camp. I’m early, as usual, but since the hazy sun is making a rare appearance in the morning sky, I wait outside on the hood of my car.
Kayla usually shows up early, too, and what I wouldn’t give to have a couple of minutes alone with her, just to try and chip away at some of those walls she has up. She’s stunning, sure, and that’s what first caught my eye at the diner, but something else keeps me drawn to her. With her gentle confidence and the unbothered way she navigates the space around her, I’m not even sure she knows how captivating she is. I’ve spent all week frequenting the diner and trying small talk during training, and all I’ve managed to get is a few fleeting moments and seeing how she interacts with everyone else. It’s just enough information to keep me wanting more.
“Hey, Chase.” Claire waves, grasping a clipboard to her small frame as she walks toward the van. I turn a smile her way, walking the short distance from the hood of my crossover to meet her near the van’s sliding door.
“Hey! Do you need help loading anything?” I ask, looking into the van to see if she’s already loaded it. “You mentioned sack lunches yesterday.”
“Nope, we’re just waiting for everyone else. Kayla offered to make the sack lunches at Patti’s, so she’ll meet us at the museum and bring those over at lunchtime.”
Damn. Another lost opportunity.Since she won’t be meeting us here, I go for the easy alternative—asking her boss about her. “You’ve known Kayla for a while, right?”
“Oh, yeah. I was one of her camp counselors when she attended Camp Bender. She’s so funny! And a patient teacher. When I became director, I knew she’d make an awesome counselor herself. Kayla’s great!”
“Yeah, she seems like it…” I nod casually, even though I’m busting to ask more. Sami and Kyle pull up, silencing any other questions I could have asked. I climb into the back of the van and wait for the rest to file in.
Sami slides in next to me, ready with an entertaining story about how the rental she and Kyle are staying in lost power last night. She’s talking fast, and I nod, trying to keep up. She’s nice and all, and I don’t want to make her feel bad. But, man, can she talk.
Samson finally clambers into the van, yawning like he just woke up. He says hello, tips his head back on his seat, and laces his hands over his lap. I’m pretty sure he’s out by the time we reach the end of the parking lot.
The museum looks like a two-story lodge, with a dark green roof framing the honey-colored wood siding. The entire front of the building is made of glass windows, tinted dark to keep the sun from shining in too brightly. It’s like we’re about to go inside some kind of rustic bed-and-breakfast. Walking around to the front, a large wooden sign welcomes us to Fort Bender Visitor’s Center and Museum. Sami has turned her motormouth to Samson, and I take the opportunity to walk ahead and hold the door open for everyone. Claire is the last one through, and when Istep in behind her, my eyes take a few seconds to adjust from the brightness outside.
Looking around the main floor from the entryway, I wonder if they really did make this place out of a lodge. The split-level interior includes a wide-open main floor with a long hallway of rooms upstairs. Folded maps you’d expect to see in a visitor’s center line the wall immediately to my left with display cases against the surrounding walls. Behind the information desk, the main floor opens to a large exhibit showcasing the wonder of redwood trees.
My eyes finish their sweep of the room and land at the front desk where everyone is gathering. Kayla leans against it, hand under her chin, talking and laughing with Ashlie. She’s wearing her standard Patti’s Place uniform, minus the apron, and it’s the first I’ve seen her look so relaxed. Her genuine smile—not the polite grin she gives to me,butthat one—nearly knocks the wind out of me. It’s not even directed my way, and I’m hooked. I’m making it my new mission this summer to get her to smile at me that way.
“Alright, everyone,” Claire calls. “Sign the visitor’s log, and then you’re free to explore the museum. We’ll meet for lunch on the patio at noon.”
I step in line behind everyone, waiting for my turn to write in the log. When I get up to the desk, a large group of retirees enter through the door behind me.
“Hey, Chase!” Ashlie greets me with a smile, her curls dancing in the ponytail piled on the top of her head. Kayla looks at me, flashes the polite smile, and heads across the room to the stairs.
“Hey!” I respond. “So tell me about this place. Where should I start first?”
“Sure thing. Do you want the whole spiel or the abbreviated version?”
“Whatever you have time for.” I shrug. She goes into the history of the building, confirming my suspicions about it being a former lodge. They gutted and remodeled the inside ten years ago,but the town voted to keep the exterior the same to match the historical accuracy of the other buildings downtown.
“The main floor is all about the history of Fort Bender, and everything upstairs is local art.” She leans in close with a knowing smirk on her face. “I’m pretty sure Kayla went upstairs…”
I smile back and glance toward the staircase. A touch on my arm brings me back. “Hey, Chase…” she says quietly.
“Yeah?” My eyes snap back to hers, wondering about the sudden change in her tone.
“Just…keep trying,” Ashlie says. I tilt my head, trying to decipher what she means. She continues, “I’ve seen the way you look at her. My best friend doesn’t open up easily, but she’s worth it. Just keep trying.”
