Page 53 of Lady and the Camp
“You didn’t need to come to the office to text your friends.”
He looked up. “I know. But the camp schedule is here.”
“You don’t have that downloaded to your phone? Or in cloud storage? Do you know what cloud storage—”
“Yes, I know what cloud storage is.” He stood and pocketed the phone. “I’ve got…other work to do.” He walked past me into his office. He closed the door.
A moment later the door opened and he came out. “Are you staying here all weekend?”
“Where else would I be?” I laughed.
“You’re allowed to leave.”
Tread carefully.He didn’t know my full reason for being here. I’d for sure end up on his grumpy side if he did.
“I know.” I folded my hands in front of me on the desk. “I also have work to do.” Which I’d done already.
He stepped right in front of the desk, bringing me into his aura of Lucas scents: a coffee base layered with a woodsy musk. Perhaps an aftershave or cologne and not simply the woods. Though if anyone could absorb the true essence of trees and leaves, it was him. “If you need to run into town for anything, let me know. Heck, you’ve driven my truck, so you can take the keys if you want.”
This was an interesting development. “Why are you being nice to me?”
His usual scowl twitched. “I’m hard on you sometimes. I’m sorry.”
“But I’m responsible for getting us into several messes with the camp.”
He shrugged. “It was also kind of a wake-up call. If we don’t stand up for ourselves, what does that say about us?”
It probably said we were a children’s camp for gentle exploration, but I liked this intentional, adventurous vibe Lucas was riding. “We’re not quitters.”
He pointed at me. “That’s right.” He looked at his finger, then lowered it. “I should stop doing that so much. The pointing. Anyway. How about we get some food at the Mess?”
“It’s open today?”
He pulled out a keyring from his cargo pants side pocket. “It is if you’re the camp director.”
Chapter 17
Lucas
Hudsonswungherlegsfrom her position on the kitchen counter in the Mess. We’d cracked open a can of sticky sweet peaches and cut off portions from a leftover sub sandwich I found in the camp kitchen fridge.
I could have been grilling steaks at my apartment instead of eating camp food, but the thought of Hudson alone here for the weekend didn’t sit well with me. Not after what I’d read online about her situation.
As long as I kept things professional, I’d be here as support. A friend. So far, she hadn’t told me to leave, so I took it as a good sign. She could have taken her food and returned to her empty cabin for some peace and quiet.
The kind of peace and quiet I usually liked, but instead found myself here, in the camp kitchen, with Hudson chattering away.
“I’d like to explore the grounds more,” she was saying.
The word explore hit a switch in me. “Yeah?”
“I’d like to see what’s the opposite direction from the other camp. Is that the direction we went for the leaf walk?”
“Yeah. There are trails that extend about a half mile to our property line. More trails wind up toward the main road. We should do that.”
“You’d go with me on a hike?”
I’d go with her to a mall right now if she asked. Thankfully, she didn’t. “It’s part of my job to inspect the trails for fallen tree limbs and other hazards.”
