Page 76 of My Star-Crossed Summer

VICTORIA

When we all stand to leave, Roxy touches my arm. “Can we talk privately before I take off?” she says.

“Of course.” My anxious brain goes right to the catastrophic place, telling me that there’s more to the Priya incident than she let on during the meeting.

“Come take a walk with me,” Roxy says. “If I sit any longer I’m going to explode. I’ve got a four-hour car ride ahead of me and I’m full of sugar and hospital vending machine coffee.”

I follow her as she heads across the parking lot and starts down the walking trail that loops around the facility.

“I just wanted to check in and make sure you’re okay,” she says. “I know last night must have been scary.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “But I’m good. And I’m so glad that Priya’s okay.”

Roxy nods. “Summer camp’s always full of surprises. We hope for the pleasant kind, but now and then something like this happens. I’m really glad you were here and did what you did.”

“Thanks,” I tell her. “You’re right about having a great team, by the way.”

She snorts. “Obviously. I only hire the best.”

I cringe at that because today I do not feel likethe best.

“I also wanted to give you an update on this job,” she says, picking up her pace. “The college would like to officially extend your position into one that’s year-round.”

“What?” I ask, because those words are the opposite of what I expected. “Are you serious?”

“You’re a great fit,” she says. “I told the director he’d be making a huge mistake by letting you slip away, and for once, the big doofus listened to me.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I tell her.

“Say you’ll stay on with us. A simpleyes, Roxywill suffice.” She smiles. “We can celebrate properly when we’re off this mountain.”

My heart pounds in my ears, filling me with guilt because I can’t say yes. Not like this.

“I have to tell you something,” I blurt. “I haven’t been completely honest with you.” When I slow my pace, she gives my arm a nudge.

“Okay,” she says. “But walk and talk.” She walks faster, swinging her arms. “Managing parents sends my cortisol off the charts.”

“You asked me about Noah, and I left out some details.”

She glances at me, her brow lifted.

“We’re old friends. That was true.”

“Okay,” she says, dragging out the syllables.

“We were close, and I had some complicated feelings about him.” My heart’s in my throat, but I try to concentrate on the sound of my boots smacking the concrete. “And being here with him has brought some of that back to the surface.”

“You still have feelings for him,” she says.

“Yes,” I admit. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this for anyone before.”

She nods, her expression hard to read. Is it anger? Disappointment? Hurt?

“I think he feels something too,” I go on. “But we agreed that we couldn’t pursue this here. And we haven’t.” That job offer is going up in flames, but I don’t want it if it means I have to keep lying to Roxy.

She studies me for a long moment and then says, “Oh, he definitely feels something. I see the way he looks at you. Like you hung the moon and every star in the sky.”

My heart squeezes at the thought.

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