“I…” Buck stopped, brows drawing together. He sniffed the air, then scowled at the car as if it had personally insulted his virility. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Keep your big, wet nose to yourself, you damn mutt.”
“Excuseme?”
“Not you.” Buck popped the trunk, revealing her suitcase. “Cats on a cracker, woman, what are you trying to smuggle into camp? Six crates of Bud and a Sumatran rhino?”
“I may have gone a bit overboard,” Honey confessed. “I’ve never been to a summer camp before, not even as a kid. I didn’t really know what to pack.”
“Well, you didn’t have to bring your entire house.” Buck hauled the case out of the trunk. It landed on the gravel with a resounding thud. “Dismantled and transported brick by brick, apparently. Sweet baby cheeses. How did you even get this in here?”
“My neighbors helped me. Did you just say sweet babycheeses?”
“What, you never hear a man swear before?” Buck retrieved her remaining bags, dumping them next to her suitcase. He shook his head. “We’re going to need a motherloving pack camel to get this lot all the way to your cabin.”
“It’s not so bad. The big one’s got wheels, see?” She tried to push the suitcase in demonstration, only for said wheels to jam in the uneven gravel. “Though, uh, they’re not exactly built for rugged terrain. I guess we’ll just have to carry it. I’ll take this end.”
Buck interposed himself between her and the suitcase as she tried to reach for the handle. “Oh no you don’t. This thing is a major incident report waiting to happen.”
She returned his exasperated look with one of her own. “This isn’t going to work if you insist on treating me like some delicate flower. I’m stronger than I look, I’ll have you know.”
“I don’t doubt it, but I’m not going to let you risk injuring yourself just to prove a point. Last thing Zeph needs is to have one of his counselors flat on her back with a slipped disk.” Buck rubbed the back of his neck, walking around her luggage as though it might get lighter from another angle. “I’ll go find Leonie. The kids arrive with whole piles of junk in tow, after all. She must have a luggage cart or a damn pallet lifter somewhere around—”
Buck stopped mid-sentence. He stared at her luggage, then up at the sky. An expression of deep, weary resignation settled across his features.
“Um,” Honey ventured, when he didn’t continue. “Should I go see about that cart?”
“No,” Buck said, in tones of sepulchral gloom. “No need. I forgot.”
Before she could protest, he picked up the suitcase.
One-handed.
Honey’s jaw dropped. With only the slightest grunt of effort, Buck flipped the enormous case onto his shoulder. Scooping up her rucksack and duffle bag in the other hand, he straightened.
“I hate this,” he announced to the world in general. “You got your cabin assignment?”
There were a lot of things Honey wanted to say at that moment. LikeHow on earth are you doing that?andForgot what?andNo, seriously, sweet babycheeses?
What came out of her mouth was: “Guh.”
Buck shot her an exasperated look around the suitcase. “Come on, woman. I can’t stand around like this all day. At least, I damn well hope I can’t. Where are we taking this stuff?”
Mouth dry, Honey wrenched her eyes away from Buck’s biceps. She fumbled for the orientation pack Leonie had given her.
“I, uh.” She scanned the papers, finding it hard to focus on the words. “Maple Cabin?”
Buck heaved a sigh that seemed to start all the way down at his toes. For the first time, she noticed he was barefoot. “Of course it is. Come on, then.”
He set off back for the camp, crunching across the gravel with no hint of discomfort. Still open-mouthed, Honey followed helplessly in his wake.
Okay. Right.She stared at Buck’s taut back.There’s a rational explanation for this.
“Um.” She moistened her lips, trying to work out a polite way of askingIs it just me, or are you freakishly strong?“So, you… work out a lot?”
Buck made a disgruntled sound, never breaking stride. “Not anymore.”
“Huh?”
“Retired,” he said curtly. “Briefly.”
