Archie set his feet, bracing himself. Then he thrust his hand in Conleth’s general direction. “So if she can put up with you, I guess I can as well.”
With the gravity of a CEO closing a billion-dollar deal, Conleth shook Archie’s hand. “Thank you. I think.”
Archie narrowed his eyes at him. “If you ever make her cry, I’ll turn into a bear and pull your insides to your outsides.”
“Noted.”
“Yay!” Nancy bounced with excitement—only about six inches, but Conleth dropped Archie’s hand in a hurry, his whole body tensing. “Now you guys can mate!”
Oh, God.Heat rushed to Paige’s face. She didn’t dare look at Conleth.
“Ah.” Conleth cleared his throat. “Much as I appreciate the enthusiasm, that’s a little premature. These things take time, you know.”
“No, they don’t,” Estelle informed him brightly. “You can do it really quickly, if you want. You just have to?—”
“GOSH, LOOK AT THE TIME,” Beth announced. “The camp bell will be ringing any minute. We’d better go get our stuff.”
“Stuff?” Conleth said warily. “What stuff?”
Finley exchanged secretive grins with Rufus. “Our backpacks.”
Paige was beginning to understand Conleth’s earlier apprehension. “Why would you need backpacks?”
“All right, you motherlovers,” growled a familiar gruff voice. Buck joined them, a backpack slung across one shoulder. “Less yapping, more hustling. Don’t want to keep Honey waiting.”
Paige looked between Buck and the kids, baffled. “What’s going on?”
“Kids said you two might be in need of a babysitter.” Buck shrugged, hitching his pack a little higher. “Thought I’d take them out camping tonight.”
“We’re not goingtoofar, right?” Hetta said anxiously. “I heard some of the older campers say the woods aren’t safe after dark.”
Finley patted her arm. “There’s nothing to worry about, Hetta. The ghost is just a silly story some of the counselors made up to scare their campers, that’s all.”
Estelle adopted a low, spooky voice. “Or is it.”
“Estelle!” Beth hissed. “Not helping!”
“Oh, right.” Estelle gave Hetta a hugely unreassuring smile. “We’ll be totally safe in the woods, Hetta. The ghost is only a camp rumor. Just like the blood-sucking moth monster and the escaped murderer with hooks for hands.”
“Estelle!”
“What? I said they weren’t real. Probably.”
“Unlike the very real and increasingly cranky expedition leader standing around waiting for you all to get your motherloving butts in gear,” Buck growled. “Are we camping or not?”
“We’re camping!” Beth yelped. She seized Hetta’s hand. “You’ll be fine, Hetta. And you didagree to the plan.”
“Well… all right,” Hetta said reluctantly. “Just remember you promised to use your power if I got scared, Estelle.”
“Bring them back by midmorning break tomorrow,” Conleth said to Buck. After a slight pause, he added, somewhat awkwardly, “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it,” Buck said gruffly. He rounded on the kids, lifting his voice. “All right, you motherlovers! Everyone who’s coming had better fall into line! Don’t think I won’t leave you here!”
Most of the campers hurried to obey, abandoning the last of their hot chocolate and scrambling to form up around Buck. Archie, however, lingered behind.
Paige caught Conleth’s eye. He nodded, unobtrusively drifting away to help Buck organize the other campers.
She drew her brother to one side, lowering her voice. “That was a big thing you did just now.”
