Page 68 of Hate You, Maybe
My chest goes tight, and I slow to a stop, pretending like I need to stretch and catch my breath, but that’s just an excuse. The truth is, I can’t think of how to respond. If I tell Sayla I went through way worse as a kid, she’ll ask for details. And I’m not willing to go there. So I take a few deep breaths, willing my chest to stop constricting.
Sayla waits with me.
“I wish I’d grown up in Harvest Hollow like you did,” she says. At this point, Hogan’s fallen even farther behind on the trail, walking with Tori and Caroline. The pharmaceutical guys are just after them. The nurses bring up the rear.
“We moved to Harvest Hollow when I was twelve, actually,” I say.
“Ah, well, that changes everything,” she snarks. “I guess you never can tell the silent struggles other people are going through.”
I know she’s only kidding, but I can’t meet her gaze. I’m worried she’ll see right through me. So I push off again, starting back up the mountain.
Sayla scrambles up beside me, glancing over her shoulder. “Tori’s watching us.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
“Huh.” Either way, I’m just grateful for the change in subject.
“Maybe we should do something about that,” she says. “Just to be sure she believes we’re a couple.”
My pulse picks up, wondering what she’s thinking. “What did you have in mind?”
“I don’t know. Maybe something like this …” Her hand brushes mine, just a fleeting touch, and that’s when I realize Hogan’s probably watching us too. But I’m not going to point that out to Sayla. If she hasn’t noticed his attraction on her own, I don’t have to make it obvious.
Not that I have a right to be jealous or possessive of her. But okay, yeah. I am a little possessive and jealous. What can I say? I’m a human man who finally got my coworker tonothate me. Maybe.
So I reach out and hook my pinkie around hers. And when the rest of our fingers entwine, heat jettisons up my armlike a rocket ship launching to the moon. To calm myself, I rub slow circles around the base of her palm with my thumb.
Full disclosure: I am not calm.
She inches closer to me, pressing the side of her body against mine, so I let go of her hand and wrap my arm around her. Just for a moment. I’ve barely gathered her in when she spins toward me, gives me a flirty little head tilt and a smile. “Good job,” she whispers, and my heart starts pinging around behind my ribs.
Man.
If this is how it feels when Sayla Kroftpretendsto aim her sunshine at you, actually being the object of her affection must be jet fuel.
“Hey! Slow down, you two,” Tori squeals.
Yep. She’s definitely clocking this.
“It’s not a race,” Hogan calls out.
“We’ll meet you at the top,” Sayla chirps. “We’re almost there.”
And in this moment, I feel like I’d go anywhere with her.
Back at camp, we’re supposed to gather in the main lodge again for another mystery activity. The other half of the group is already there, just finishing a facilitating session with Fern. Bob and Hildy direct everyone to break up into pairs, with or without any of our coworkers who may be here at Camp Reboot.
Hogan immediately swoops in and asks Sayla if she’d like to partner up. She glances at me, like she’s waiting to see what I’ll say. But what am I supposed to do? I’m not her keeper. If she doesn’t want to turn him down herself, I can’t exactly step in and claim her.
“You’re just going to let them pair up like that?” Tori saysunder her breath, moving up from behind me. “Doesn’t that bother you?”
Yes. I grit my teeth.
“Nah,” I lie. “I’m confident in our relationship.”
Even I can’t believe how easily that statement slips out of me. And I’m not proud of it. I’m not proud of anything going on in my head right now.
