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“Like… a date?” I attempted to clarify.

His eyebrows lifted. “That was the idea.”

I glanced towards the doors. I could see Dee inside talking with one of the older campers. Except his eyes weren’t on the kid. They were on me. And on Omar.

My heartbeat kicked up. The jealousy was rearing its ugly head again. Clear as fucking daylight. And suddenly I wanted something stupid. I wanted Dee to walk back outside. I wanted him to interrupt. I wanted him to say my name in that irritated way he always did and tell Omar we had somewhere to be. Anything.

Omar waited. I tried my best to give him my attention.

This was what I should have wanted. Omar was nice. He was handsome. He liked me. He wasn’t pretending he didn’t. He wasn’t ashamed. He hadn’t spent half his life pulling me close and then punishing both of us for it. Still…

I swallowed. “Can you give me a minute?”

Omar barely said yes before I bolted inside.

The chapel was packed. Campers took up most of the pews, counselors scattered among them to prevent mutiny. My father sat near the front so everyone could see him.

I chose a pew near the back. Dee sat beside me. Because there was nowhere else left. God worked in mysterious ways. Sometimes petty ones.

His thigh brushed mine and he immediately shifted.

I looked down. Then at him. “Seriously?”

“What?” he grunted. I shook my head, and he added, “Then stop looking at me.”

“I wasn’t.”

“You are right now,” he insisted.

“You’re very sensitive this morning. Ya know that, twat-waffle?”

His jaw flexed. “You can’t curse in church, Alvin.”

I leaned closer. “I didn’t. Twat is a vagina—which you’re familiar with—and a waffle is a delicious breakfast treat.”

He ignored me.

“Still thinking about yesterday?” I asked, and Dee’s entire body stiffened. Perfect. I smirked to myself. “About hide-and-seek?”

“Alvin…”

I shrugged a shoulder. “I thought you enjoyed the game.”

He turned his head. His face slightly pink now. “You’re lucky we’re in church, Alvy...”

“Why?”

His eyes dropped to my mouth. Then panned back up. My smirk faded. Fucking hell, that tiny fucking glance did more to me than it should have.

“Omar asked me out, Darius,” I blurted.

He didn’t look at me. “I figured it was a matter of time.”

I waited. “On a date,” I said, after a long pause. “Romantically declaring his like for me...”

Dee picked at a scab on his leg. “Okay.”

I stared at him. Okay? That was all I got? Okay. “You don’t have anything else to say?”