Page 34 of The Rebound Plan

Everyone shakes their heads, no.

“I went to Boy Scout camp a few times,” Kieran offers to a chorus ofof course you did. “But it wasn’t this bougie.”

Russ grins good-naturedly. “Maybe that’s why I bought this place, because I missed out on the coming-of-age camp experience.”

Emery points over at us. “Did you ever go to camp, Max? You seem like a preppy camp boy.”

“Hockey camp exclusively for me.” He clears his throat. “But lots of my classmates came up here to go to summer camp, though.”

They compare notes on which camps were more popular in their different decades of life, but from the same prep school circle, and I climb off of Max’s lap, because Ani has pulled out Smores supplies.

I’m carefully toasting the marshmallow when suddenly I hear my husband say, “We should play spin the bottle.”

I drop my marshmallow in the fire.

Fuck.

I twist around and give him a death glare. He did not just suggest that we kiss random people around the fire.

He grins at me, unrepentant. “Come on, hun. Just a fun game.”

“Try to kiss my wife and die,” Kieran growls.

Harper wraps her arms around him. “Yeah, sorry, we’re a closed kissing loop of two over here.”

There’s a murmur of agreement amongst all the couples, and then Hiro shrugs. “I’ll kiss you, Max.”

Russ shrugs. “If need be, I would too, Tiller.”

He says it dead seriously, which makes everyone crack up.

But then Emery thumps his shoulder, and he grins at her. “You’re not allowed to kiss Max,” he says.

“You’re not the boss of me. I’ll kiss who I want.”

He’s laughing at her now. “And who around this circle do you want to kiss, Buzz?”

She wrinkles her nose.

He pats her hip. “That’s what I thought.”

She jumps up. “I need a marshmallow.”

Kiley hands her the bag.

Behind Emery, Russ leans back in his chair. But his gaze doesn’t follow her as she puts her marshmallow on a stick and proceeds to scorch it in the flames. His brow deeply furrowed, he stares across the fire pit at Max, and a skitter of unease chases up my back.

I don’t want there to be tension between them.

I look up at Russ’s girlfriend, waving her burnt sugary treat in the air in delight. I have to do something here to shift the energy.

Just then, Harper slaps her thigh. “Might need to get the bug spray out.”

As good an excuse as any to leave the bonfire to the boys.

I jump to my feet and point at Emery. “You, come with us.”

“Us?” Kiley asks, immediately standing with me. I love her for that.

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