Then there were photos she’d send me at night. Full of beautiful smiles and local food she discovered. And the best part? She looked happy. We’d talk a few minutes here and there, but I didn’t place any expectations on her when it came to calls and texts, apart from proof of life. She always surprised me, though, finding the time to spend at least an hour a day talking.
Sometimes I went with her, like the trip to Puerto Rico for a week in October, and to Ireland last month. Traveling with Nat had been the experience of a lifetime, but I also enjoyed standing on the sidelines when she had an impromptu trip. All I wanted was for her to keep doing what she was passionate about.
Summers would be a little different going forward, since Nat wasn’t a counselor anymore, but I knew every trip she had planned. There was a lot of time for just us. Nat had been busy. She was primarily running Starlight’s and Sunlight’s socialmedia accounts with the help of a new assistant, MacKenzie, who was based at Camp Sunlight.
Nat was able to set her schedule, which worked perfectly, so she could balance between both camps and her travel blog. Her role could be done anywhere, so she could travel as much or as little as she wanted. And I was more than happy to celebrate with her when she returned. Knowing she would always come back to me was the sweetest reward I could ever ask for.
After zoning out for a while, I looked up to find Nat’s purple rolling suitcase at my feet. She had a backpack slung over her shoulder, and her cheeks were sun-kissed, pink and full of joy. I kissed her, and we hugged before we said a word.
When we did talk, I’d always start with my initial question. “What trouble did Bernice get you out of on this trip?”
She laughed. “That’s just between me and her.” She kissed the tip of my nose. “I’m glad to be back. I’m all yours for the next four weeks.”
“You’ll be all mine longer than four weeks if I have my way.”
She kissed my lips. I’d take all the time I could get with her.
We got back to camp, and when we made it to the front steps of my cabin, I pulled a blindfold out of my pocket.
“Jeez, Jack, let a girl unpack before you get all frisky.”
I laughed and shoved that thought down for later. “Will you put this on? I have a surprise.”
She nodded with a grin, and I tied the material over her eyes. She didn’t even question me. Was she just going along with this? I thought for sure we’d argue outside of the cabin for at least five minutes before I’d get my way.
Was I disappointed about that? I shook my head as she lifted her chin, granting me easy access to place the blindfold on her.
“We’re not getting frisky.” I held her hands to my face, then kissed them.
She laughed and smirked. “Not with that attitude.” Then her face went soft. “Leo may have already spilled the beans.” She winced under the blindfold, as if she didn’t know if she should tattle on our friend or not.
I heaved out a long sigh. Trusting Leo with secrets was my own damn fault. “Well, can you just pretend you don’t know?”
Nat nodded and smiled under her blindfold again, and my heart melted. I carefully led her inside our cabin, fingers crossed. I walked us to the middle of the room and put her luggage down.
“Hold on one sec.” I didn’t care that she already knew. I still wanted this moment for us.
I hit play, and the music to our song, “Home,” filled the air. Nat stood patiently, smiling so beautifully.
“Okay, you can take it off now.”
Nat slid the blindfold down, and she took in the new couch, then slumped onto it before proceeding to bounce her butt up and down on it. To be fair, it was a perfect couch for bouncing.
I joined her on the other side of it. “What do you think?”
“I love it. And maybe now I’ll stay over for a movie night once in a while.”
I grinned. “I hope so. There are USB outlets.”
She grinned like I was talking dirty to her.
“Now for the rest. I won’t make you wear the blindfold, though,” I said, pulling her up from the cushions.
“The rest?”
Nat held my hand and followed me, and even though I knew she was playing into the whole act-like-you-don’t-know-anything thing, her sweet question made my heart flutter. Our song followed us down the hall, albeit softer, as I opened thedoor to the once junk room, now turned into what I was hoping was a Natalie-approved office.
Nat’s eyes went comically big. So maybe Leo hadn’t revealed everything.
