Page 42 of Lady and the Camp
“Well, look who it is,” a male voice boomed from behind me. “Our old friends at little Camp Junebug.”
Lucas’ jaw went to steel. His eyes hinted at a warning as he looked up and made contact. “Hello, Brycen.”
Chapter 13
Lucas
“Whythegrimface?”Brycen’s presence shadowed across our end of the table. “Enrollment should be up for Ole Junebug. We sent a few campers your way after our waiting list maxed out. You know, as a last resort.”
Brycen may have lacked a couple of inches in height to meet mine, but his ego sure made up the difference. “Must have been your cast-offs who left fuming after demanding report cards.” I couldn’t help shake my head again at the ridiculous request.
“We give the parents what they want.” Brycen shrugged. His sandy hair grazed his shoulders. He must let loose after five. Better than that goofy manbun thing he usually wore. He looked past me to others at the table. “I see you’re with your ragamuffin crew. Charming.”
“Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” Twila countered with a sharp tone. “Calling usragamuffins.” She turned up her nose, then shifted so her back turned toward Brycen.
“Always had a mouth on her,” Brycen grumbled.
“Watch it.” Me defending Twila. That was new.
Brycen ran a hand through his hair. Behind him I swore one of his coworkers swooned. A lot of new faces with him I didn’t recognize. Young and looking like models for an outdoor clothing catalog.
“Our table’s ready,” a tall blond woman cooed at him. Her hand trailed Brycen’s bicep.
He glanced at her. “Yeah, babe, give me a minute.”
Across from me, Hudson made a sound. A delicate growl.Hudson. Who knew what she thought right now. I could hardly put words together while this dude hovered over us like a menace.
“The Summer Trail Games,” Brycen said, as if that meant something to me. “Staff teams competing in games and activities. A little friendly fun and competition. How about your camp versus ours.”
Yeah right. Like I’d ever—
“We’ll do it.” Hudson tilted her head a mere fraction toward Brycen, her eyes shadowed beneath her cap.
“No,” I started, when Hudson reached a hand to mine and pressed firm.
“Yes. We’ll do it.” Her voice came solid and strong.
Brycen’s thin lips revealed a toothy smile. “I like her spirit.” He pressed his hands together in some kind of gentle prayer pose and bowed his head. “We’ll be in touch.”
And he was off.
I jerked my hand back. “Why did you agree to that?”
“What’d he say?” Maggie asked from several seats away. She scowled toward the departing group. One of her friends had crossed over to the Trail Blazers and she was still caught up about it.
“He challenged us to a competition,” Hudson answered. “Camp versus camp.”
Jasmine’s lip curled. “He’s so arrogant.”
“She told him yes,” I said to the others. A death sentence. Besides, if I had to see him do that stupid bow again, I’d blow all my gaskets. Every last one. I couldn’t believe I ever saw him as cool.
Maggie winced. “I don’t know about this.”
Jasmine folded her arms. Twila rolled her eyes. The cafeteria staff murmured to each other. Pocket Pete, nodded toward me. “When do we start training?”
After another round or two of beers, where the conversation turned to strategizing against the Trail Blazers, we decided to call it a night.
I was deemed too inebriated to drive.
