“Who said you can take my picture?” she’d snapped at him when she saw his camera aimed at her. Even when she glared, there was an unmistakable sweetness to her face. He’d seen her earlier that day, but she seemed sad and withdrawn, as if she didn’t want to be at the camp. For that matter, he hadn’t wanted to go either, but it had been a graduation gift from his grandmother. She’d sent Leroy’s dad there years ago—for his own graduation. And the camp was actually pretty cool. Situated by a coastal lake,the camp offered boating and fishing. And there were surfboards available for those who wanted to take on the ocean, plus a nine-hole golf course, and a number of other activities. But it was the petite brunette girl who’d really captured his attention.
Leroy smiled, feeling sheepish as he approached her, first apologizing, then quickly explaining how he’d gotten the 35-millimeter Canon for graduation and that he really liked photography. “You looked so photogenic sitting there on the bench with the old building behind you. But my apologies. I should’ve asked first. Forgive me?”
She had softened and, setting her journal down on her lap, smiled up at him. And that was it—he’d been smitten. That sparkling smile and those incredibly blue eyes—and he was a goner.
He picked up the next photo. It had been taken just moments later. This time with her permission. Fully cooperating, she’d posed next to a tall carved bear statue on the porch of the mess hall—making a face like she was terrified. By then they’d exchanged names and she’d teased him about his name, saying it sounded like an old man. Then he’d told her about his maternal grandfather and how his name was Leroy Boucher, but feeling silly, he’d pronounced it like his mom often did, with an affected French accent.Lah-royBooshay. Of course, Brynna thought that was hilarious and started calling himLah-roy—with an accent too.
He studied the photos of Brynna on the beach. What a day that’d been. He’d lured her out with the excuse of needing a subject for some seaside pictures, taking her ankle-deep in the surf and posing her on a huge piece of driftwood. He remembered dragging a slimy piece of seaweed toward her with a menacing expression. There was a photo of her back, sitting in the front of the canoe he’d been paddling—and another one, probably moments later, when she’d turned around and stuck out her tongue.
He looked at photos of her eating ice cream and one where she’d posed like Robin Hood, complete with the hat, at the archery range. There were several shots of her in a swimsuit with asurfboard, and even one of him that she’d taken. They were both dry and smiling. Then the picture of them together after a day of surfing lessons, where they looked wet, cold, and bedraggled. There were several good shots of Brynna by a big bonfire on the beach. And then there was one that someone had taken of the two of them dressed up for the last-night-of-camp dance. She had on a pretty sundress the same color as her eyes. She was tanned and smiling and beautiful. With her hair pinned up, she looked older. That was the night when he’d kissed her ... and not just once.
“Dad?” It sounded like Gina. By the way she was pounding on the master bedroom door, it had to be urgent. “Dad! Are you in there?”
“Coming!” He grabbed the photos and the envelope, shoving them beneath a pillow before he hurried to open the door.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded. “Is the place on fire?”
“No.” She held up his phone. “But Luna’s been trying to reach you all morning. She finally texted me and said you weren’t answering your phone, which I found on the counter in the bottling room.” She thrust it at him. “Please, call her ASAP.” Her eyes seemed to light up to something on the floor. “Oh?” She zipped past him and snatched up a photo that must’ve slipped out in his rush. “Aha—taking a sentimental journey, are we?”
He scowled then, focused on his phone, and called his middle daughter. Hopefully Gina would take the hint and make herself scarce. But as he talked to Luna, relieved to hear there was no real emergency, Gina remained fixed in his room. Still holding the picture, she went over to the easy chair by his big window and made herself at home, humming quietly like she was in no hurry.
“Well, that’s fine,” he finally told Luna. “Thanks for letting me know.” He told her goodbye, hung up, then turned to Gina with narrowed eyes.
“Is everything okay?” she asked in a playful tone. She’d obviously heard the conversation.
“Luna just wanted me to know she won’t be here tomorrow likeshe’d planned.” He folded his arms across his chest, studying his daughter and wondering if she already knew all about her sister’s plans. “In fact, she won’t be home all summer. She’s been offered a job in a law office in San Francisco and—”
“I know, Dad.” Gina grinned. “Just messing with you.” She held up the photo of him and Brynna, dressed for the dance. She waved it in the air like a victory flag. “She really was pretty. So, tell me, were you in love?”
He gave her his sternest warning look. “I thought I taught my girls to respect their parents and—”
“I do respect you.”
“Then respect my privacy.”
“I do. I’m just curious. And FYI, I didn’t even tell Sophie or Luna about your mysterious romantic past.”
“Thanks, but there’s nothing mysterious about it.” He went over and plucked the photo from her hand. “Don’t you have work to do? What am I paying you for, anyway?”
“Yeah, right.” She stood. “But when the boss runs off without his phone, I get distracted from my work. And I have to run over here to—”
“Fine, fine, little Miss Nosy Pants.” He tweaked one of her pigtails. “Then why don’t you get back to it before your boss gives you your walking papers.”
“You can’t fire me. I’m family.” She smirked as she left. Yes, Gina could be irritating and nosy and a little too mouthy, but she was his baby girl. And at least she hadn’t mentioned anything about the envelope’s contents to her sisters. That was worth something. Some stories were meant to be kept private.
He retrieved the rumpled envelope from beneath the pillow, carefully sliding the pictures back into the Kodak folder, but as he put them away, he thought about those letters from Brynna ... Did he really want to read them again or would that just stir up old hurt? And what was the point of that? Except that it aggravated him that Gina had read one. He wanted to read them again justto know what was going through her overly active imagination. He started to pull one out, but hearing Sophie yelling up the stairs for him—wanting to know what was going on with Luna—he knew this wasn’t the time to continue this “sentimental journey,” as Gina had put it. Daughters! Can’t live with them—wouldn’t live without them.
“Coming, Sophie,” he called back. And since his bed had already been neatly made, he slid his “mystery” packet under the mattress, reminding himself he’d need to find a better hiding place soon ... maybe the fireplace later this evening. But only after he knew that Gina was safely to bed.
Chapter 10
As Jan slowly drove through Surfside Shores Campgrounds, Brynna experienced an increasing sense of déjà vu. And then she saw it—the same old dining hall with the tall carved bear on the porch. Except now the sign hanging above the front door said CAMPSTOREANDRESTAURANT. But everything else looked exactly the same.
“This is it!” she shrieked—and Jan hit the brakes.
“What?” Jan looked around in alarm. “This can’t be it. We’re not even to the campsite section yet. What’re you talking about?”
“I’m sorry, Jan. I mean,this is the camp. This is the same camp! The one I told you about, where I came in high school. This is it!”
