Page 13 of The Summer Intern

With that, I dropped my head to the table with a dull thunk, letting out a long, pained groan.Maybe if I stayed like this long enough, they'd forget I existed and move on to torturing someone else.

"Poor Matty," Sutton cooed, patting my head."It's okay to admit you have a little crush.Everyone gets them, even burly outdoorsmen like yourself have feelings.”

I lifted my head just enough to glare at him."The only feeling I have right now is the overwhelming urge to strangle my stepbrother and his boyfriend and throw their bodies into Eagle Lake."

As they burst into fresh peals of laughter, I dropped my head back down, desperately trying to tune them out.This was going to be a long lunch.

six

Matt

May15

I closed the door to my office, then second-guessed that decision as Casey made himself comfortable.He was small, but he took up a lot of space.His energy shifted the air in the room in a way I couldn’t quite explain.I watched him for a minute as he sat cross-legged in the chair that faced my desk, and pulling out a notebook, with rainbow puppies on the cover.Casey had written ‘CAMP’ in huge letters with a marker.He set the notebook on his desk, flipping through pages of notes and photos.He pretended to be interested, but the notebook made it look like he was pretty invested.

“So, I think the biggest thing will be to accept that not all campers will be into all the hardcore outdoor stuff.Sure, they should all go out and sail on the lake, or whatever.”

“Kayak,” I corrected, wondering for the seventh time since he’d arrived why I’d called Casey and convinced him to come up here one last time to consider the job.

Because you like his ideas, a voice in my head that sounded remarkably like Sylvie's said.

“Oh my god, you and the kayaking,” Casey said, rolling his eyes.

“Maybe I’ll put you in a kayak so you can find out the difference.”

“Fuck no.That lake has fish in it!And who knows what else.Snakes?”

I bit my lip to hold back a laugh.“You remind me of someone, someone who was very afraid of lakes.But he came around.Mostly.”

“Right, well, my point is, not everyone has to be a gung-ho lumberjack guy like you, Matt.Some people enjoy quieter activities, like forming a rock band.”He blinked, perhaps realizing what he’d just said, then cleared his throat.“Or painting a scenic landscape.”

“Okay… but most of the kids who sign up enjoy the outdoors.And I really do want every camper to have some experience with the things this region has to offer.Part of our mission is to introduce kids to the outdoors and form a stewardship with the natural environment.”

“Doesn’t painting a landscape do that?”

“Being out in it does more.Surely you get it.Isn’t your brother interviewing to work with the Eagle Creek Conservation Project?”

Casey frowned.“How do you know that?Are you a stalker?”He stood up and leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.

“I know Aiden, the guy who’s interviewing your brother.”And, okay, maybe I’d gotten Oliver the interview to make sure Casey had a ride.

He leaned in even closer, and I had the strangest urge to reach up and brush aside his bangs, which were a pale shade of lavender this month, and always in his eyes.“And you said…”

“That Oliver seemed much more sensible and reliable than his firecracker of an older brother.And I offered to donate housing for Oliver.”

“Why?”Casey asked.

“Well, presumably, you’re planning on taking the only cabin that has a shower, so I had a bed free.”

“What about that older couple?”

“They retired to Eagle Ridge, so they no longer need lodging.They have a home a few miles up the road.”

“Very well, then,” he said, standing back up, and returning to his presentation.“Back to the plan to never make any kid hike.”

I thought about that for a moment.“No.”

“But…”

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