Dead of Summer

Kayde is obviously just as surprised, but he recovers quickly, accepting the flowers with a fancy little bow, then strides toward me purposefully.

Don’t make a big deal out of it, I beg silently, never looking away from him. But his smirk grows, eyes darkening just a touch, and I know for a fact he’s going to make a big deal out of this.

“For you, my lady,” he announces in a voice that’s way too similar to Melody’s confident drawl to be anything but intentional. He drops to one knee and holds the flowers out to me, bowing his head so his curls fall over his shoulders, free from his usual ponytail or bun tonight.

“T-thanks.” I know my face is red. I know I’m squirming as I reach out and take the flowers from him before sitting back, and I’m fully aware Kinsley and Liza are both staring at me. As is Melody, with a wolfish, self-satisfied grin that makes me want to bury my face in my hands and go straight to my cabin.

Kayde murmurs something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like, “Of course, baby girl,” But I refuse to even look at him as he steps past me to go back to his log. But I clutch the flowers in my hand, a little bit touched that my cabin of girls had obviously picked these for me.

I just wish they’d chosen not to embarrass me with them in front of the rest of camp. And God do I wish Kayde hadn’t been so keen to play along.

“That was adorable,” Kins hisses in my ear, causing me to groan as I trail my fingers over the flowers. “Seriously, that was so cute?—”

“That was humiliating.” I sigh, my face in my hand. But I can’t help the small smile curling at my lips, even as I want to stomp on the part of myself that agrees. It was cute. From both my campers and Kayde, even though I know he was just playing along.

A few minutes later, after Coyote Cabin has crashed and burned—almost literally, when one of them tripped dangerously close to the fire—Liza pushes to her feet and heads to the fire, grinning at all of us in the warm way she’s so good at.

“That was amazing, you guys,” she tells the campers, looking around at them. “Seriously, this was probably my favorite talent show all year.” Pretty sure she says that every time, but the kids believe it, anyway. “But as you guys know, we can only have one winner. So I’m going to ask the counselors to line up for their cabins and we’ll pick a winner from there.”

This isn’t new, either. I push to my feet and stride up to stand beside Liza, and quickly realize I’m one of the few counselors with more than the one obligatory glow necklace. Somehow over the past few hours, I’ve acquired two more necklaces, putting my total up to four with the one I’d given Kayde, and three glow sticks tied to the loop of my denim shorts. Combined with the glitter on my face, arms, and hair, I’m sure I really do look like a damn disco ball up here.

And it can’t be that attractive of a look. But when Kayde settles into the space beside me, I can feel his eyes on mine, though I don’t turn to meet his gaze. After all, one of us has to be a little less obvious about…whatever this is.

Nothing, I remind myself, stomping down the other part of myself that wishes it was something. There is nothing real going on between Kayde and me. Nor should I want there to be. Any part of me that wants something to happen with Kayde is clearly ill, beyond medication, and should be abandoned at the first possible opportunity.

But that doesn’t make it any easier to let go of some of the thoughts I let play through my head after Kayde does something sweet, romantic, or so fucking hot I feel like I need to excuse myself for a freezing cold shower.

Kayde nudges my arm and I realize it’s my turn to raise my hand for Redtail Cabin to get their cheers. I jerk my hand up, glow sticks in my palm, and the roar of applause from the other campers is enough to tell me we’ve most likely won. Poor Kayde gets only a smattering of polite applause, but after what Coyote had put forward as their ‘talent,’ I’m not exactly surprised.

Sure enough, we win. Liza calls up my campers as the other counselors head back to their seats, and Melody knocks into me hard, a grin on her face as she reaches out to accept the trophy that’s hers as the leader of our little group. Liza gives medals to the others, and I wrap an arm around Melody’s shoulders, proud of her as she congratulates the others.

She really is the best and worst camper I could ever ask for.

The celebration continues for a few more minutes, before Kins and Daniel arrive with marshmallows and s’mores kits. It’s enough to change the focus, and even enough to pull Melody away from me where she preens and thanks people who compliment her on her act.

But she should be proud. In my humble opinion, my kids had put much more into this than most of the other cabins. They deserve to win.

“You’re smiling like an idiot.” Kayde stands beside me as I watch our cabins line up for their s’mores kits, and I don’t move as he shifts to stand close enough to me that our arms are pressed together, his skin warm against mine.

“I’m proud of them,” I reply, sliding my eyes up to the part of his face I can see. It isn’t enough to see his full expression. Especially in the growing darkness now that the sun is below the horizon. But even if I could, I doubt I could figure out what he’s thinking.

His face is unreadable, for one.

“They’re not your kids,” he points out, then adds. “Do you even want kids? You don’t strike me as the type.”

I snort at that, smile turning rueful. “Fuck no. Me, have kids? No, never. I certainly am not getting pregnant. And I don’t want to raise kids. This is enough for me. Besides, I’m pretty sure Melody has scared me out of ever wanting kids.”

“Because she’s a sociopath?” Kayde’s voice is soft; inaudible to the others at the campfire. But I don’t reply. I can’t reply, when he’s put to words my fears about the girl who seems too mature, too worldly, and a little…off sometimes.

“Why do you say that?” I ask at last, studying the flowers in my hand. Kayde reaches out to slide one free, his fingers trailing over the small, delicate blossoms.

He takes his time, and I watch him as he strokes the flower thoughtfully. “Because, sweetheart.” Carefully he hands the flower back to me, then ducks in close to whisper against my ear, “It takes a sociopath to spot a sociopath.”

I’m too stunned to answer. I’m too stunned to react when he kisses my cheek and walks away toward his boys, whistling under his breath like he hadn’t just dropped that on me like it means nothing at all.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Iswear it’s a coincidence.