seventeen
Autumn
Thehuntformeet-cuteswas on. Tradition called for the takedown of Leo at all costs. Too-big-for-his-britches Leo had been kicking our ass with the most successfully shipped couples this entire summer, and all of the staff had banded together to keep him from winning this last session. We were still competing against each other, but Leo couldn’t win.
Counselors were catching cute moments all over town in our group chat. I just received a message from Felicia with a photo of two of her campers in funky seventies-looking ties, none of them tied correctly, all of them sporting ridiculous smiles.
We were doing well in the standings, just barely trailing after Leo, and we thought we had the cutest moment in the bag when Diego and Breanna proved they were the real deal after sharing a s’more last night at the campfire. Leo made a compelling argument after he swore he saw Jeremy and Steven have a book-sharing moment at the Meditation Meadow so we considered it a tie… For now.
“Did you hear about Terry and Cheryl?” Jack asked me.
“Nat has been trying to convince me this whole time, but they’re never together. You’re not getting me with this again.”
“Get your hopes up, because one of us is taking Leo down, and it might not be you.”
I scoffed. We were each involved in our activities most of the day, so the opportunities to covertly set up meet-cutes were rare. Still, we’d intended to take full advantage on Town Day, playfully suggesting people hang out together. Fake love stories were sometimes created and exaggerated, but occasionally they were real. Leo’s impressive display of wedding invitations was proof of that.
“Parkour!” Jack shouted as he leaped over the blue antique-painted bike rack. It was bolted down and secured between the thrift shop and the general store.
I shook my head at the fool as he cleared an easy bike rack and threw his arms up, sticking the landing like an Olympic gymnast. I stepped back to get a running start and followed his jump over the bike rack, clearing the neighboring bench with much more finesse.
He shook his hair from his eyes, slinging his arm around my shoulder as we steered each other toward the general store.This is what I need more of,I thought, clutching my side as we laughed.Not distractions from ex-boyfriends.
“Don’t look now, but you’re about to be proven wrong.” I scooched forward to get a better look at the couple that Nat had favored, like a wildlife explorer on safari. “Shh, don’t spook them.”
“You’re kidding me,” Jack whisper-yelled.
Terry turned slightly, and we both ducked behind the bench, evading discovery.
“Nat called it.”
Cheryl’s hand rested on Terry’s hip as they took advantage of a mostly private wraparound balcony. I looked away once Terry’s hand pressed against the wall, and Cheryl leaned into him with enthusiasm, her fingers finding his hair as she pulled him into her.
Just like that, my almost-kiss played as if it were burned into my eyelids. I recounted the moment as if every other minute lying in bed attempting to sleep hadn’t been enough time already. His brown eyes focusing on me as if there was nothing else in this big, wild world. His gorgeous lips parting, our breaths braided with tension I didn’t need in my life.
This was Jamie. There was nothing fun or casual about the look he gave me. Nope, that look promised soul-altering destruction.
It didn’t matter how handsome he was, or how he charmed me every time he spoke. I’d learned my lesson. I was done thinking about him. Now all I had to do wasstopthinking about him.
“Still hung up on your high school heartbreaker?” His raised eyebrows said he already knew I was obsessing about the man. So much for not thinking about him. Thanks for that, Jack.
I held the door for Jack as we headed into the oldest building in town, remodeled into the general store, a wonder-filled emporium and grocery. The bell chimed, and Simon gave us a quick nod in greeting as his black lab, Ashland, welcomed us with tail wags.
“What’s Gia up to today?” I asked Jack, steering the conversation away from my tall, gorgeous high school sweetheart. He let me get away with the change. He knew better than to push when I had my hair pulled back.
“She had a migraine and a video call with a client. I tried taking care of her this morning, but she insisted that I go. I’m starting to think that maybe I should have stayed.”
I imagined what I would want in this exact scenario. “Bring her back those Pop Rocks she loves.”
Jack waved the packets he already held at me. He was such a good boyfriend.
“And…” I dragged out the word as I held up a miniature Nerf gun. “This. You two will love this.”
“Nerf guns are for ten-year-olds.”
“Exactly.” I tossed a gun at him with a grin, and his face lightened at the idea. I’d always liked Gia. In a way, this could be her giving us time before they’d inevitably have the talk and decide to move in together. Before Jack would be… Nope, not having any of that thought today. It got shoved away with all the other can’t-think-about-that-now thoughts.
But maybe there was a way. I weighed the pros and cons before deciding to go for it.
