by Zane Morrow
“What about printers and a fax machine?” Mother grabbed a sip of her water.
Grace nodded. “Both. Yes, we have both.”
“Cell service?”
Another nod. “We’re fully equipped.”
Mother turned to me. “There’s no reason why you can’t go. There’s about twenty reasons why you should, starting with the most important, which boils down to…I said so.”
“Mother, that kind of talk worked when I was a kid. Now, I’m an adult. What are you going to threaten me with now? What could you possibly take away to sway me?” I sighed. “Somehow it has escaped your notice how much time and attention my position requires.” I closed the folder in front of me, hoping I’d made my point.
“Somehow it has escaped your notice that the only reason you have this position is because I gave it to you.” Her brow rose in challenge.
I swallowed hard. While there was some truth to her statement, it was equally true that I’d earned it, I deserved it, and I was damn good at it. Surely this had to hold some weight in her decision making.
“You will spend opening week at Camp Hope,” she ordered. “You will do whatever Grace requires of you, and you’ll do it without even a hint of objection. Do I make myself clear?”
“It’s impossible.” I shook my head. “I have meetings…plural…all that week.”
“Make it two weeks.” She shrugged. I had barely opened my mouth when she lifted a finger to silence me. “Say one more word. Go ahead. I’ll make it three weeks.”
Silently, I stared at the floor and sulked. Scenes from summers past played out in my mind and I rubbed my chest as if it could soothe my aching heart. From the other end of the table, I could feel Grace staring at me. I knew she wanted to make me feel better, but nothing would right now.
Finally confident she’d had a breakthrough with me, my mother continued to address the rest of the board. “I’d love it if you’d all consider donating some time to Camp Hope. The place means a lot to me.” Then she flashed a smile, the first genuine one of the meeting.
I rubbed my hands together while I thought. This couldn’t be happening. I’d rather have my kidney stolen in a cockroach infested hotel room and have the surgery performed with a rusty spoon than go to Camp Hope. I’d rather spend a night in a pit filled with fire ants than spend an hour at Camp Hope. Hell, I’d rather donate all of my trust fund and ninety-nine percent of my future earnings to the camp than an hour of my time. Was there any way this could get worse?
“I’ll volunteer!”
I slowly raised my eyes off the floor to see who’d spoken. It was Trent. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t seem smug or scared. Instead, he seemed tense, nervous. I could practically see the vein in his forehead popping out.
“Thank you, Trent,” my mother cooed. “I’ll put you down for a day or two.”
“No.” He shook his head emphatically. “I’ll go for the first two weeks.”
My mother laughed and looked at me. “Of course. I’m sure Grace will be happy to have you.”
There it was: the nail in my coffin. The last thing I needed was to spend one more second of my life with Trent at Camp Hope.
7
The room cleared pretty quickly after Trent volunteered. There were many who muttered they’d have to check their schedules. Most couldn’t even make eye contact with me. Luckily, none of them were from Harper’s Island, even and especially Trent. A scowl had taken up residence on my face. Though only my mother remained, I lingered as I considered my options. Somehow I had to keep my mother happy or lose my position. I needed to date Grace and the camp wouldn’t exactly be conducive to this. Most of all, I needed to figure out how to handle Trent. Clearly, he now had his heart…make that his stone-cold heart…set on the woman I was falling for and expected to marry by none less than the Queen of Harper’s Island. All this while coping with a looming deadline that might as well be a ticking time bomb, since this was what had devolved into.
“Pack up.” Mother stood over me wearing a Cheshire cat grin.
“What was that?” I pretended to look bored, as if I hadn’t heard her. Then I casually leaned back in my seat.
Her brow arched. “You heard me. Go home and pack. You have a bit of a drive if you want to make it to Camp Hope tonight before the campers.”
I laughed and shrugged. “I don’t, really.”
Mother licked her lips and spoke carefully. “Well, maybe you at least want to make it there before Trent, hm?”
My eyes narrowed. “That was cold. Even for you.” I stood and grabbed the file from the table before briskly walking toward the door.
“Blake?” I heard my mother huff.
I paused in the doorway, but didn’t turn to face her. “What is it, mother?”
“Blake, I love you. This is for your own good.” She swallowed hard. “I’m trying to do my best here. I’ve been trying to take care of everything since your father died.” I heard her sink into her chair. “I take some small comfort in knowing he at least died at the camp, doing what he loved.”
I rubbed my eyes. She didn’t know the half of it. The truth was father had died at the camp and he had died doing what he loved. Unfortunately, what she didn’t understand was there was so much more to it than that, so much she could never know. The secret was meant to die with me, which shouldn’t take long now since it was absolutely eating me up from the inside out.
Sadly, I nodded in response and exited the conference room. Back in my office, I packed my briefcase as quickly and efficiently as I could. Whether I liked it or not, mother had made a valid point. The way Trent flew out of the office, I had no doubt he’d rushed back to gather what he needed and he’d speed to Camp Hope. The place was his second home, just as it had been mine during the summers. It wasn’t a bad place, at first, but once it was ruined for me, it was ruined forever.
I exited my office and left instructions with my assistant. Then I made my way down the elevator to the parking garage. This was one of the few times I wished I’d taken mother’s advice and hired a butler. He could’ve had me packed up already. Then I’d merely have to change and grab my bag. Instead, my need for independence, the desire to prove I was self-reliant would have me scrambling for a good hour.
This is why I didn’t arrive at the camp until nearly lunch time. I parked in the staff lot and walked over the wooden bridge to the main building. As I entered the office, I found a young woman seated at the front desk. Her eyes bugged out as I held out a hand to greet her. “HI, I’m Blake.”
“I know who you are, Mr. Morgan.” She nodded. “I’m Mandy, Grace’s assistant.”
I tilted my head to the side. She probably knew me as the bastard who wanted to close the camp. I sighed. “Nice to meet you. Is Grace around?”
Mandy bit her lower lip a split second then spoke. “She’s preparing your accommodations. It’s not what you’re used to and you’re going to have to share your cabin and and…” Before my eyes, the girl broke down and burst into tears.
“It’s okay. I went to college. I had a roommate. I’ll be fine.” I reached over and grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter and then passed it to her. “Wipe. Blow. Something.” All this emotion made me incredibly uncomfortable. Rage, I knew how to handle. There was a lot of anger around the house when I was growing up. Sadness, however, was the equivalent of yanking the rug out from under me. “Want to tell me what’s wrong?”
“You’re going to hate the place. And then you’re really gonna close us down and what will happen to all the kids?” She wailed and blew her nose.
I glanced about for support, but I truly seemed to be the only other body around the camp at the moment. “Hush. I already hated the place. Certainly, this won’t make me hate it more!” I chuckled, hoping she’d see the humor, but instead my remark was met with a new onslaught of tears. I blew out a breath. “Okay. Can you point me in the direction of my cabin?”
“Take a left. Fourth one down.” Then she pra
ctically shooed me out of the office with her wave.
Following her instructions, I turned left as I stepped off the porch. Then I walked down the worn path and counted the cabins. Like most camps, this one was on a lake. The counselors had the cabins closest to the lake, the campers had the ones farther away for practical reasons. Who knows? I might actually enjoy being on the water and enjoying the view. Harper’s Island was on the ocean, anything but rustic, and an entirely different experience.
When I reached the porch for the fourth cabin, I found the door wide open and heard rustling around inside. I thought this might mean I was meeting my roommate. Instead, I discovered Grace inside, struggling to move the mattresses into place. I dropped my duffle bag on the floor. “Here, let me help you with this.” Without waiting for her response, I grabbed one end as she moved to the other and we hefted the bulky material onto the bottom bunk.
“Thank you,” she murmured. She stared at me a moment and I could read the pain in her eyes. “I’m sorry you have to be here. I know you hate the place. I wish I understood why.” She shrugged and bit her cheek. “I wish you could see the place the way I see it. This place saved me.”
I shook my head. “I doubt that very much. I bet you saved yourself and simply happened to be here while you found your purpose.” I moved closer to her and lifted her chin with my finger. “You’re an amazing woman, Grace.”
She looked away. “You don’t even know me.”
“I do. I know a lot about you. I paid a lot more attention than I admitted.” I shrugged. Then I brushed my lips against hers. “Let’s make the most of this time together.” I wrapped her in my arms and hugged her to my chest. This closeness between us felt natural and I relished every moment of it.
“Yes. I’m looking forward to spending more time with you.” Grace sighed happily against my chest.
“I don’t suppose this means you’re my roommate?” I chuckled. I heard a few heavy steps behind me. Then a laugh. I turned to see Trent standing behind me. “You can leave now.” I dismissed him and turned away.
“Sure. I’ll go exploring as soon as I set down my stuff.” He passed me and threw his bag on the top bunk then looked at me innocently. “Oh, sorry. Did you want top?” Trent laughed at his cleverness and then murmured, “Hello, Grace. We’ll catch up later. I’m going to explore before the campers arrive.” Then he disappeared through the door.
For a few seconds, I didn’t say anything. I stuffed my hand in my right pocket and grasped the garter. Holding it helped soothe my nerves. Finally, I spoke. “Tell me you didn’t. Tell me we’re not sharing a cabin.” Then I met her eyes…her guilt-filled eyes.
“I’m out of cabins. Your mother sprang this on me last minute. The only empty cabins have problems.” She frowned.
“How bad?” I tilted my head, ready to problem solve. “Bigger than the problem you’ll have if I have to share the same space with Trent for fourteen long miserable days?”
Grace bit her lip while she considered. “A huge limb fell over the winter and went through the ceiling.”
“A skylight. That’s an enhancement, not a problem.” I tugged at my chin.
“It took out half a wall and one of the piers holding it on the edge of the hill.” She threw her hand up in the air.
“So we have Trent stay there.” I chuckled.
“Blake…” There was a note of warning in her voice.
“Fine. The other ones? You used the word ‘cabins,’ as in plural.” I stepped back and crossed my arms over my chest as I listened.
“One more. This one has been condemned until we can replace the subfloor. A kid almost went through it last summer.” She sank down on the bottom bunk. “So you can see there’s only one solution.”
“I move in with you. Brilliant!” I grabbed my bag from the floor and tugged on her hand.
Grace laughed and it warmed me. “Actually, no. We’re not married. Bad example. Impressionable kids.”
“No, good example. They should see loving relationships.” I nuzzled her neck. “But if it means that much to you, call a justice of the Peace. I’ll marry you.”
She pushed me back and stared at me seriously. “Don’t joke about marriage.”
“Who’s joking? I’d marry the shit out of you.” I leaned back in for a kiss, but Grace practically leapt from the bed.
“As usual, I have a better idea. How about you and Trent use this time to work through your differences?” She clapped me on the shoulder then rushed from the cabin.
8
The campers began pouring in late in the afternoon. “The sessions normally would begin on the previous Saturday, but this year we changed it because of the wedding,” Grace explained as we checked in throngs of kids.
“Makes sense.” I nodded, but didn’t engage in conversation. There was too much else requiring my attention. When I’d asked Grace earlier what I’d be doing, she was non-committal. My guess would be the way my mother sprung this on her, she didn’t have much of an opportunity to decide how to use my limited skill set. I’m a businessman. What the hell would I do with a bunch of campers?
Finally, once everyone was checked in, after dinner had been served, following the welcome ceremonies and just before curfew, Grace pulled me and Trent aside. “Listen, I’ve given this a lot of thought. I wasn’t expecting any other help. While it’s welcome, I’ve essentially passed out all the duties.” She blew out a breath. “During the day, I’ll have you guys float, fill in as needed. When we do water stuff, I can use more eyes in the water and on the dock. When we’re playing sports, I can use refs. These kids cheat like you can’t imagine during soccer and flag football.” She rolled her eyes. “And most importantly, I’ll need you two on duty at night. The first two hours after curfew are critical. This is when most campers try to sneak out, especially the teens.”
“Really? Because I used to sneak out around two in the morning. Never got caught.” I smirked.
“You want to stay up all night?” Her brows arched. “I’m sure there are those who do get away with it, but I would never ask you to do anything I wouldn’t do.” She shrugged.
I clasped my hands in front of my chest. “Ask me to spend the night. Ask me to spend the night.” I snickered.
“Behave.” Grace swatted at me playfully.
I could feel Trent seething, but he said nothing. “Want me to take first shift tonight or you want both of us on?”
“Both, please.” She grinned. Then Mandy called to her from the office.
“Hey, boss! I neeeeeed you!” She held up a clipboard, which meant nothing to me, but had Grace racing toward her assistant.
“Alrighty then.” I clapped my hands together. “So…I’ll see you.” Then I all but ran away. I knew where I was going. There was a spot I used to visit as a camper here. Sure, I hadn’t fit the criteria. Both my parents were alive. I’d lost no one…in the traditional sense. Oh, but since my father spent the bulk of his summers here ‘volunteering,’ and because my mother needed a break from her stressful life of fundraisers and galas, Brett and I spent our summers here since the camp opened.
Naturally, going from having my own room to sharing a room with as many as four other boys made me claustrophobic and longing for my own space. So I found a place to relax and unwind. I found my solace, my thinking spot. I paused for a moment, peeking over my shoulder to make sure no one had followed, especially Trent. This was mine and I didn’t need to be surprised by him when he was probably the guy I was trying to escape. I blew out a breath.
Then I dove off the path and trekked through the woods. The hill was a little steeper than I remembered. I wound down it, holding onto trees for support. Then I found it, right where I remembered it, my rock. Actually, the thing was more of a boulder, but with a flat top. With no moon in the sky to help me find my way, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to use the flashlight app. That’s when I discovered I wasn’t alone. Curled up on my boulder was a young boy. I jumped and nearly dropped my phone. “Hey, w
hat are you doing here?” I crouched lower so he could see me, worried he might be scared. Oh, but he didn’t seem frightened at all.
“Sitting. I’m not hurting anyone.” He scowled at me and turned back to stare out over the still lake.
“Okay. Well, mind if I sit here?” I grinned, rather enjoying his spirit.
The boy shook his head. “Go find your own rock. This one’s mine.”
Now this spirited kid was beginning to annoy me. “You know, angry isn’t a good look for you. Oh, and for the record, this was my rock long before you were ever born. So I’ll sit here if I want to sit here.” Without waiting for a reaction, I climbed down onto the rock and stretched out my legs.
“This was your rock first? I don’t believe you.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at me.
“Well, how else would you explain my ability to find it in the dark?” I threw my hands up in exasperation.
“You could’ve found it during the day and made your way here in the dark easily enough.” The boy huffed.
“I give up.” I chuckled. “What’s your name, kid?” He ignored me. “Okay, the way I see it, if I’m hanging out with a friend, just talking, this is one thing. If I’m out here collecting stray campers, that’s another. So are you a friend, or are you a stray?” My brow rose as I stared at him. I could feel him measuring me, trying to decide if I meant what I said. Instead, he was testing me. “Have it your way,” I grumbled as I stood and reached for his bicep.
“Wait,” he hissed as he moved out of my reach. “Just gimme a second.”
I watched him and realized his eyes had begun to water. “Hey. You won’t be in trouble. I’m sure Grace will just scold you a bit.” I reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. “It’s no big deal. She scolds me all the time.” I shrug.
“I just can’t sleep. I have trouble, even at home.” He blew out a breath and I recognized his tactic, the struggle to control his emotions.
“Tell me your name.” This time, I felt more in control, more collected. I sat patiently and waited.