Page 54 of My Star-Crossed Summer

No, no.No.

“I need to go,” she whisper-yells, throwing on her rain jacket. She’s a tiny tornado, half-crawling and stumbling around the tent as she tries to gather her things and not step all over me in the process. She’s doing all she can to avoid touching me completely. When I reach out to steady her, she pulls away and topples onto her backside, landing right by my shoulder with an exasperated, “Ooof!” She rolls away as if touching me would actually set her on fire and then lets out an adorable, frustrated little huff as she rights herself again.

She looks frazzled, avoiding my gaze. This would be funny if it wasn’t making me feel like I did something wrong.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Of course,” she says, thrusting my boot onto her foot. Her cheeks turn pink.

“I don’t believe you. Come here.” When I move closer and lean in to kiss her, she shoves her finger against my lips to hold me at bay.

“Freeze, mister,” she says, her voice low. “Bad idea.”

“Whoa,” I say, reaching for her hand. “Slow down and talk to me.”

“We have to get it together,” she says, eyes narrowing. “This never happened.”

My chest tightens. That sounds like regret.

She sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “I meant what I said, Valentine. We definitely have unfinished business, and I’m all for unpacking it when we’re off this mountain. But for the next week, we have to be on our best behavior. No touching. No moony eyes. Act like colleagues and nothing more.” She points her finger at me in that bossy way that makes me want to tackle her and bite it. “Better yet, act like you can barely tolerate me.”

I snort. “I do not make moony eyes.”

She gives me an epic eye roll. “Yeah, okay.”

I grin. Maybe I moon a little.

Vic is still on a tear. “Sophie’s going to know something’s up if you don’t dial it back a notch. Or five.”

“And you think you don’t make eyes at me?” I say, edging toward her. “You look at me like I’m a double scoop of ice cream on a blistering summer day.” Not that I mind one bit.

She frowns and chucks my boot at me. “I’m serious, Valentine.”

I stifle a laugh because she’s so dang cute when she’s all riled up. “Okay,” I tell her, holding my hands up. “Whatever you say.”

She huffs like she doesn’t believe me and unzips a corner of the tent flap.

It’s still dark out, but just barely. I find her other boot, which was somehow under my side of the sleeping bag, and hand it to her. While she struggles to get it on, I peek outside. All the kids must be still asleep—there’s no movement at their tents. I can’t quite see all the way to Sophie’s tent, but I don’t see any lights or hear any sound besides the chirping of the morning birds and Vic’s heavy breathing. But there’s the barest bit of orange touching the sky, like tiny tongues of flame.

That means we don’t have much time.

“I’ll go out first, just in case,” I whisper, because someone might be lurking outside my range of sight.

She nods, and I slip out of the tent and do a quick survey of the campground. I’ve just decided it’s clear when I spot movement in the trees, a flash of bright blue twenty yards away.

Sophie. She sees me and waves, and then heads toward me.

I duck my head inside the tent, holding my finger to my lips. Victoria’s eyes go wide.

“Sophie’s coming over,” I whisper. “I’ll distract her so you can get out.”

Victoria bites her lip and nods.

I slip out of the tent, zipping the flap behind me, and stride towards Sophie. “Morning,” I say, heading her off. “Sleep okay?”

“Yeah,” Sophie says. “The rain put me right out. You?” Her eyes are bright, her smile wide.

“Fine,” I tell her. “I was just about to make some coffee but must have left my mug in the car. Take a walk with me?”

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