Page 200 of Shy Girls Can't Fake Date

“No, I want to,” I mumble and fidget in my stance. “I just, umm. No, nevermind. We’re good. Right?”

Parker’s eyebrows raise. “Yeah, we’re good. I think.”

I swallow hard and nod, turning away from him. I listen to his footsteps moving over to the boys’ area. Oh boy. Or, should I say, oh boys.

On the girls side of the camping spot, Tabitha and Jamie get to work, setting up their tent. Jamie is such a pro. She basically does the whole setup herself, only asking Milo for help when she can’t reach the top of the tent to secure the last clips.

Parker and Lewis help with my tent. With Tabitha and Jamie sharing, I guess I’m officially bunking with Yvette. Geez, I really hope she doesn’t turn up. Not that I love the idea of sleeping in a tent, by myself, in the wilderness, but it has to be better than being in close proximity to Yvette’s complaints.

I follow Parker’s lead, clipping together pieces of a plastic pole that curves over the tent to create the structure. When we’re about to put the pole into place, a black sedan nears our camping site.

“Yvie,” Lewis breathes. “Thank goodness.”

I suck in my bottom lip, glancing at Parker. He moves away, letting the pole tilt idly in my grip.

Yvette gets out of the car and I glimpse her brother’s sour disposition. From what I’ve heard, he’s not thrilled about his sister camping with her boyfriend.

Lewis moves in to hug Yvette, but she turns her body away. Her brother asks if she’s okay, and when she waves him off, his black sedan drives away.

“What are we all doing?” Yvette asks, slinging her dusty pink backpack over her shoulder and walking toward our side of the campsite.

“Setting up the tents,” Lewis says, following closely behind her. “You don’t have to worry about doing anything. We got this.”

With their tent already set up, and Yvette moving closer, Jamie and Tabitha leave for the boys’ side of the campsite.

“Why don’t you leave this to Kylie and me?” Yvette says, standing at the opposite side of the tent from me.

“Have you ever set up a tent before?” Lewis asks.

“It can’t be that hard,” she replies, tossing her bag to the ground and gripping the other end of the flexible pole.

“I think it can be,” I pipe up. “I’ve got no idea what to do next.”

“Just let me help you,” Lewis says to Yvette.

She groans. “You don’t need to hover over me.”

“What if I help you,” Parker offers. “It’s better than struggling with the setup. And it means we all get to chill out sooner.”

Yvette shrugs, nudging Lewis away from her. It’s tough work, keeping my mouth from falling open. She’s actually pushing Lewis away. A guy she should be on her knees, praying with thanks for getting him in the first place.

Parker steps in close to help Yvette, and my grip on the pole intensifies. Why does seeing them so close cause such stress to my muscles?

“You want to do it like this,” Parker says, taking the pole from Yvette. “You bend it toward you and then pull it down so it connects with the fastener at the bottom.”

Yvette giggles, leaning into Parker. “I’m so bad at this. You totally gotta do it for me.”

“Don’t you want me to teach you?” Parker asks, struggling to hold onto the pole as she leans her weight against him.

When Yvette’s index finger grazes Parker’s chin, my hands drench with sweat.

Yvette giggles. “No, I’d much rather watch you do it.”

Parker clears his throat and asks Lewis, “Can you get on the other end and help Kylie?”

Lewis moves over to me. When he grabs the pole, his hands brush over mine. Normally, something like that would send a thrill of tingles down my spine. But it’s like I’m numb to his touch.

Yvette moves away from Parker, crossing her arms as she stares us down. “He didn’t say to hold her hands.”

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