Page 31 of Make Out With A Merman

We help Penny back to the lodge, stick close until Julie declares her officially fine, fussed over, and fed.

The rest of camp slowly slips back into routine, like the lake didn’t just try to eat someone an hour ago.

But Ryder lingers.

And so do I.

It’s not awkward.

Not really.

More like a tension stretched between us, taut and hot and humming just beneath the surface.

When he glances at me across the firewood pile, something shifts in his eyes. Softer than usual. Like he’s seeing me not just as the chaos-maker or the glitter delinquent, but as something steadier. Something real.

“Hey,” I say, voice a little lower than usual.

He looks up, brows drawn. “Yeah?”

I shrug. “Thanks. For… y’know. Jumping in with me.”

He nods, and something flickers across his face, complicated and unreadable andsohim.

We’re close again. Not touching, but I feel him. Every inch of tension between us.

And for one terrifying, delicious moment, I think he might kiss me.

I think I might let him.

His eyes drop to my mouth.

Mine do the same.

And then,BOOM.

A deafening crack explodes from the mess hall. A cloud of blue smoke billows out the window. A chorus of shrieks follows.

“What the”

Jason sprints past, cackling like a man possessed, wearing a snorkel, a tutu, and two pots strapped to his chest like armor.

“PRANK WAR IS LIVE, LOSERS!” he screams, launching a water balloon at a junior counselor. “LONG LIVE THE JELLYFISH KING!”

Ryder blinks.

I blink.

And the moment collapses into laughter.

I double over, wheezing. “I, he, was he wearingpasta strainerson his arms?”

“Affirmative,” Ryder deadpans, but his eyes are dancing now.

Jason zips by again. “NO ONE IS SAFE! I HAVE UNICORN GLITTER BOMBS!”

“I swear to the gods,” I gasp between giggles, “he’s why we can’t have nice things.”

Ryder chuckles, quiet and deep, and for just a second, he looks at me likewe’ll pick this up later.

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