Page 66 of Lady and the Camp
“Hey, Mr. Director.” She lifted her chin and kissed the corner of my mouth.
Who knew that spot was so sensitive? I slid my hand to her waist and bent to kiss her fully. “This still okay?” We hadn’t had much, if any, time alone since our night out on the water. Only moments.
“Yes. I’m not a TikTok algorithm.”
“I could have told you that. Because I don’t know what one is.”
“Ever changing,” she quipped. She took a breath before smiling up at me. “So. We have a weekend.”
“Tonight, Saturday, and Sunday morning.” I wasn’t sure why I stated the obvious. Maybe nerves. This was all new. What did a weekend alone with Hudson mean now that we’d kissed? We had so much to learn about each other.
She ran her hands across my chest. I loved it. “I was thinking—”
The front office door banged open. “Knock-knock. Hell-ooo?”
Hudson’s eyes widened. “Marcy?”
She whipped around and marched toward the door. My cousin stood live and in person with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She wore a dorky visor and a Hawaiian print shirt over her T-shirt and shorts. “Hey, girl. Look who’s here!”
“Wow—Marcy and—”
Behind her, two more women appeared. A blond and a brunette carrying bags and big stuffed purses.
“Surprise!” the blond one drew Hudson into her arms. Marcy and the other joined for a group hug. “Sleepaway camp sleepover!”
Hudson peeked her head up and craned it my direction. She mouthed words at me.I didn’t know, I swear.
But I had. Marcy told me on the phone she wanted to visit. She’d even suggestedthis weekend. I’d entirely forgotten. With Hudson having nowhere to go, given she was hiding out and all, Marcy didn’t have any reason to suspect Hudson would have plans. The perfect opportunity to launch a surprise.
I shrugged in response, tossing her a helpless look. So, no date. No weekend alone with Hudson. What a bummer. On the upside, Hudson needed to see her friends. And I could finally get around to organizing my hiking gear.
Yeah, my life was that pitiful.
Marcy set down her bag and directed her enthusiasm my way. “Hey, cuz.” She hugged me, then examined me in far too similar a way as our mothers did. “You’re looking sharp, Lucas. I know you don’t dress like this every day. You have a date or something?”
My cheeks lit hot. Why did Marcy have to go for the jugular every time?
She pressed her lips together, but it didn’t squelch the high-pitched sound she was making in her mouth. “Lucas. You have somebody?” She gripped my arm, shifting her voice quieter, which still sounded many decibels higher than a whisper. “Tell me. You’ve got a townie stashed somewhere?”
I shook my head. “Stop. Now.”
She threw her hands up in surrender. “Okay, I’ll back off. But you know I’ll get details before I leave.”
I was afraid of that. Very afraid.
She turned to her friends. “Lucas, these are the girls: Jillian and Noah. These are my college roommates I’m forever talking about. In the flesh. I can’t believe you’ve never met them. Y’all haven’t met Lucas before, right?”
“Nope, just heard stories,” the brunette, Noah, said. “Lots of stories.”
I cringed. “My cousins embellish. Heavily.” I caught Hudson’s eye. She shot me another apologetic look, but she also wore a big smile. Her friends were here, and she practically glowed with excitement. I didn’t want her to feel torn about it.
I clapped once, gripping my hands together. “Well. Sounds like we need a couple air mattresses for the cabin. I assume you’ll all want to bunk with Hudson. We’ve got clean sheets for Maggie’s bed while she’s out. Unless you all want to stay in one of the campers’ cabins?”
Hudson appeared to refocus. “My cabin’s good. It’s a cozy fit,” she said to the others. “But it should be fun for a night.”
“Or two,” Marcy said. “If Lucas doesn’t kick us out.”
As if I’d dare. “No issues here.”
