Page 33 of Savage Spades

He played it cool, acting like it didn’t bother him. He couldn’t offer Cam anything to fix the mess she was in, but at least he could give her one night away from it all, even if he had to hold her truck hostage to do it. After setting up Zeke’s tent, Kit decided to set up their tent closer to the lake. By the time they finished, it was nearly dark outside. In an hour or so, it would be so dark he wouldn’t be able to see the hand in front of his face. He and Zeke were walking back to the bonfire when Jen approached them.

“Where’s Cam?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest, as if ready for an argument.

“In the truck, sleeping.”

“You left her in the truck?!”

“She was asleep. Let her sleep,” Kit said.

“She’s going to be mad when she wakes up and finds out she’s been sleeping in the truck while everyone else set up.”

Hugo came up behind Jen and wrapped an arm around her waist. It surprised Kit at how affectionate he was. Hugo wasn’t one to hook up with any of the club sluts, but Kit also hadn’t seen him take an interest in any other girl.

“Are you guys all set up?” Kit asked Hugo, ignoring Jen.

“Yep, we’re on the other side of the fire. Wanna get some beers?” he asked.

They all walked over to the center of the property, where plastic chairs were set up around the fire. Kit reached in the large cooler and pulled out a beer before getting comfortable in a chair. Hugo sat next to him with Jen happily perched on Hugo’s lap.

A crunchy sound made Kit turn his head. Cam rubbed her eyes as she walked across the field. She had thrown on his jacket. It hung over her body like a blanket. She’d also pulled her hair up in a ponytail. None of the club sluts, or short-term relationships he’d had, held a candle to Cam. She was beautiful without trying. She sat down in the plastic chair next to him, her eyes still glazed over from sleep.

“Hey, there,” he greeted.

“Hey, why didn’t you wake me?” she asked.

“I figured you needed the sleep.”

She looked around the field, as if taking in her surroundings. “Yeah, I did.”

“Is it time for Crazy Cam to come out?” Jen asked over his shoulder.

Cam laughed. “I guess so.”

Jen threw her a beer, and Cam caught it. Kit looked back and forth between the two of them.

“Crazy Cam?” he asked Cam as she carefully opened the beer so it wouldn’t bubble over.

Jen answered him instead. “She left bar owner/student Cam at home. This is Crazy Cam; you haven’t met her yet.”

He raised an eyebrow at Cam. “Is that so?”

She smiled. “Yep. I’ve pledged to have fun and enjoy this weekend.”

“Well, we’re going to need more alcohol,” he said. He stood up and wheeled the entire cooler over to the bonfire.

“Should we be worried?” Gunner yelled at Kit from the other side of the fire.

“Yes; yes, you should,” Hugo answered back.

Two hours later and he understood what Jen meant when she said he hadn’t met Crazy Cam yet. She was happy and carefree, and he didn’t think it had so much to do with the alcohol but more to do with permitting herself to have fun.

“Let’s swim,” Cam said over the loud country music that Hugo was playing through his battery-powered speaker.

Some people had already gone to their tents for the night. Others stood around talking with beers in their hands. He looked towards the lake. It was too dark to see anything, but he doubted anyone was down there. No one wanted to swim in pitch black…besides Cam.

“Why don’t we wait until the morning?” he suggested.

She stood up from the chair and started to jog towards the lake. “Are you scared?” she called out to him over her shoulder.

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