Kai playfully hip checks me. “Looks like we’re going to be roomies again, babydoll.” Then he turns and regards Evan. Kai’s eyebrows zip together appreciatively, and he flips his aviators up, resting them in his hair. “And who mightyoube, hot stuff? Suddenly, spending a summer in the boonies isn’t looking so damn bad…”
Evan shifts uncomfortably on his heels, and I see his hands balling inside his pockets. He pulls one out and hikes a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going to go to NAPA. Be back in a bit,” he restates, in lieu of an introduction.
Kai’s brows furrow when Evan stalks off to his truck and pulls out without saying another word. “Something I said?” he asks me.
I scoff. “Calling mebabydolland then hitting on the father of one of my new workers would do it.”
Yeah, I know—glass houses and stones.
“One ofournew workers, I think you mean. This is a partnership, Brooks. I’m taking a more active role, just like you asked,” he corrects me. “Kind of bummed Daddy isn’t sticking around for the summer, though, not going to lie. Eye candy like that, yeesh. He’s got that rugged, bad-boy vibe. Bet he’s a boss in the sack, too.”
I grimace. “The only vibes I’m getting are hetero vibes, hate to break it to you.”
Kai smirks and gives me a knowing look. “Don’t even lie to me and say you weren’t window shopping him too, babydoll. Besides, I’ve been known to get a player to bat for the other team before, even if only for a night or two.”
“Yeah, well,Daddyappears to be married,” I point out.
He shrugs. “What happens in Alder Notch stays in Alder Notch, am I right?” He cackles.
“He’snot staying in Alder Notch!” Ibalk.
“Bummer. Guess you and I will just have to make due then…” I roll my eyes at that, but he’s already walking away.
His suitcases thump heavily over each stair. When he gets to the top of the landing with one of them, he turns to wait for me to catch up. His eyes flit back and forth between my room and Morgan’s—a silent question. I shoulder past him and into Morgan’s room, dropping his suitcase with athud.
“No invite to be your snuggle buddy, huh?” he snarks.
“What the heck did you pack, your entire loft?” I grunt, ignoring his question.
He chuckles. “Nah, just the essentials.”
I snort. At least thirteen types of hair gels and a pair of designer shoes for every occasion it is, then.
“Something tells meDaddywould have been able to haul those both up over the stairs, no problem. Maybe even with me thrown over his shoulder, if I were being especially bratty,” he taunts. I don’t miss the way he twists to check out his own booty in Morgan’s full-length mirror she has propped in the corner, right before he looks around her room. “Looks like I’ll be reliving my teenage years,” he notes. “Back to jerking off to hot guys on posters tacked onto walls all over again.Ooh-la-la! Mowgli’s got good taste!”
“Uncle Kai, you made it!” In the mirror, I see Morgan has made her way up after us, and is scrunching her nose in mock disgust. She adds, “And I heard that. If I’m letting you stay in my room, don’t do anything in here that you wouldn’t want to catch me doing.”
Kai cackles. “Oh, Mowgli, I won’t. I’m just messin’ with ya.” He holds up three fingers. “Scouts honor. These strapping young lads don’t even look legal, you can keep ‘em.”
She gives him a droll look, and then she turns to me. “The guys are still setting up. They seem nice. Colton’s a little shy, but we’ll get him out of his shell. Petro, he’s not shy; he’ll be good with the kids, especially the littles. They were having an arm wrestling match to see who gets the top bunk when Aspyn and I left them to their battle. We’re gonna hang out and wait for the others. Need us to do anything else, first?”
“You’ve done so much already, thank you,” I tell her, wrapping her in a hug.
She giggles. “No offense, Dad, but you need to hop in the shower. Do that, and we’ll hold down the fort.”
“Where would I be without you, kid?” I ask her, giving her an appreciative grin.
“Up dung creek without a paddle,” she snarks, before smirking and padding out of her room and back down the stairs.
Chapter Five
Ihad to get the hell out of there, but still felt like I couldn’t leave Brooks in a lurch, and so that’s how I find myself driving out to Bethel, even after I woke up at the ass crack of dawn, with a slight hangover, and spent all morning on the road carting Colt and Petro out to Camp Healing Waters. I suppose I could have taken Petro up on his offer to drive both of them out here, but I kind of wanted to see the place for myself.
Well, maybe not the place. I wanted to meet Brooks in person. The guy who’s been emailing me pretty consistently since that first night I asked about hiring Colt. The guy whose picture on Camp Healing Waters’ website struck me at first glance, and who I’ve been having easy conversations with since—mostly about the state of the camp.
The chats I’ve had with Brooks over email have me intrigued about the place, since the concept of a grief camp is so unique. I went to summer camp a few times myself, but it was always at the local, boy’s only Explorer Camp. While I was there to learn about things likebushcraft, wilderness first aid, and how to build survival shelters—I distinctly recall learning more about myself, instead.
I also recall the last time I ever went. I was fourteen at the time, and it was the first instance of my feud with Gordy Masterson brewing. I worry about Colton’s volatility, should he encounter his own Gordy at camp, not that I think Colt will run into the same catalyst that sparked our feud in the first place…
