Taming Chloe Summers (Grover Beach Team #7) (25 page)

“Do you mind if I take a shower before I go back?”

“Not at all. The blue towels are mine. You can use them. I’m going to wait outside.” I kiss her on the forehead, then stand up and walk out onto the porch.

The air is still a little chilly at this time of the day, and everything’s dipped in grayish morning light. Clouds are shrouding the sun, giving a lame promise of rain before noon. No sounds drift from the boys’ cabins yet. The porch swing creaks when I sit down, and a deep breath fills my lungs, expanding my chest. I haven’t felt this happy in…well, in a very long time.

On graduation day one year ago, I was sure I’d never see this girl again. And frankly, throughout senior year, I’d been waiting for that moment to come. My attraction to Chloe had never completely ceased over the years after she dumped me. Even though we never spoke to each other, she still haunted my dreams. It had gotten easier, once everyone went to college and Chloe was entirely wiped from my everyday life.

But now she’s here. At camp. Once again being the girl I’d fallen in love with at sixteen years old. Strange, how two weeks of summer can change everything.

In a few weeks, she’s heading off to Europe. Shame, when we’re only now getting a chance to really get to know each other. I don’t want her to slip out of my life as suddenly as she skittered back in.

According to her words last night, emotional ties don’t work with her term abroad. I can see that, especially with a few thousand miles of water between us. It sure doesn’t sound nice. But she’ll be gone for a year, not forever. Many people have long-distance relationships. It seems to work for them, so why not us, too?

My head dips back onto the wooden backrest, my gaze leisurely sweeping the area. A tiny smile stretches my lips. The way I see it, I’ve got three weeks to pitch the idea of a boyfriend to her.

“Justin?” Chloe’s voice drifts from the inside shortly before she appears in the doorway. Dressed in yesterday’s clothes, her cheeks are rosy and her forehead creases with worry lines. “I can’t find my panties.”

Of course she can’t. They’re in a safe place. Curling my finger, I beckon her closer. Although she tilts her head skeptically, she comes over anyway. My palm slides up the backside of her thigh. “If you couldn’t find them, I wonder what you’re wearing under your skirt right now.”

“Knock it off!” Giggling like a little girl, she smacks my hand away before it can disappear beneath her skirt. “Do you know where they are or not?”

With a wicked smirk, I reach into my pocket and pull out the black lace, dangling it from my finger.

“You—” She charges forward to catch her panties, scolding me with a devilish look. “Why?” But then she lifts her hands, one of them wrapped around her underwear, stopping me before I can form a word. “No, wait! I don’t think I even want to know.”

She spins back for the door, but I catch her hand and pull her into my lap. A gentle nuzzle of her neck makes her hair tickle my nose. “You don’t just drop pretty things, you keep them. That’s why,” I drawl into her ear.

A dimple appears in her cheek. Wiggling a little, she pulls her panties on and then slides off my lap to sit in the empty space next to me on the swing. My arm stays wrapped around her shoulders. Her legs tucked under her butt, the skirt is just long enough to cover her knees. She leans against my chest and nestles her head under my chin, while I get us moving at a gentle rock.

“There’s something you should know,” I say after some silent minutes of deliberating. Last night, when Chloe told me about Lesley’s dare, it would probably have been the right time to mention this, but I had to stomach a lot myself and just didn’t want to bring it up. “I don’t think Lesley picked me for your initiation rite because you didn’t tell her about us.”

“No?” Her cheek rubs against my chest as she curiously tilts her head up to look at my face. “Then why?”

A little uncomfortable now, I clear my throat. “Did you know she was crushing on me in ninth grade?”

Instantly, Chloe stiffens with shock, then she straightens and frowns at me, kneeling on the swing. “Are you serious?”

My arm drops from her shoulders to the bench. “Yeah.” With compressed lips, I draw in a breath through my nose. “I wasn’t interested, though, and I told her so when her continuous sneaking around started to get on my nerves.”

“Oh my God.” Her chin smacks her chest. “Les never said a word about it.”

“She didn’t take being rejected very well. Unfortunately, I also chose the worst possible moment to do it—with too many witnesses around.” The memory of her flaming-red face and the lethal scowl she speared me with is still vivid in my mind. “It grated quite a bit on her ego.”

Chloe’s eyes grow wide with unadulterated fascination. “No doubt.” A moment later, however, she shakes her head as if she can’t believe what I just told her. “Did she still chase you afterward?”

A laugh escapes me. “No. She called me batshit crazy in front of everyone, for assuming she’d be interested in a loser like me. And to prove her point, she changed from clingy to arrogant within the hour.” With a remorseful sigh, I stroke Chloe’s back up and down. “That’s also when she started hassling me and playing her occasional, not-so-funny pranks.” My hand shapes against her cheek. “You were part of one, I guess.”

For a quiet moment, she closes her eyes and just leans into my palm. Her cheek feels so tender and soft, and I’d really like to kiss her now. The next thing I know, her head jerks up, and her eyes snap open again. “Wait!” An angry sharpness creeps into her voice. “Are you suggesting she didn’t even know that we’d been seeing each other that summer, and the prank was all because of something that happened between the two of you?”

“That’s my guess,” I admit sadly. “It was also the reason I wanted our thing to be secret after I found out you were hanging out with Lesley and Kirsten.”

“You didn’t trust me?”

“I didn’t know you.”

“Maybe not at the beginning, but you knew me pretty well after a while. Why didn’t you say something then?”

A shrug rolls off my shoulders, followed by a sigh. “I was afraid that Lesley would make you choose a side.”

“Which she did, in the end,” Chloe snarls. “But had she known I really liked you, she might not have.”

Keeping my head facing straight ahead, I move only my eyes to watch her. “Do you really think she would have let it go?”

“Yes. I can understand how you’re seeing her through different eyes, but Lesley is, after all, a really good friend.”

“Is that so?” I can’t help the sulking edge in my voice now. “Then why didn’t
you
tell her about us when she came up with that stupid dare?”

“Because…”

When she breaks off and looks at me with suddenly sad eyes, I finish the sentence for her in a softer voice, “Because you were afraid she’d make you choose sides.”

An angry muscle ticks in her jaw. Slipping her legs out from underneath her, she hugs her knees to her chest, rests her chin on them, and starts biting the nail of her thumb. I draw her fingers away from her mouth and cover them with both my hands. “Are we really fighting over something so far in the past?”

Fixing me with a stare from under her lashes, it takes an endless amount of time until the corners of her mouth twitch up into a tiny smile. “Yeah, it’s rather stupid. Nothing about it can be changed, anyway.”

“Right.” Gently, I start to skim my thumb over the inside of her wrist. “But we can make the best of what we have now.” I lean forward, touching my brow to hers. “Three more weeks at camp. No friends to ruin anything.” With the tip of my nose, I brush over her cheekbone in a soft caress, whispering, “I’d really like to get you back in the cabin now and find out if the bed’s still warm.”

“I’d like that, too.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

She squeezes her eyes shut and presses her lips together. There’s suddenly a slight tremble to them. Not quite the reaction I was hoping for. Unsettled, I inch back and lift her chin with my finger. “What’s wrong, tiger?”

Chloe expels a long breath. Then her brown eyes open slowly and find mine. “Justin… There’s something I need to tell you.”

Oh, shit. What the hell is coming now?

Chloe

What Justin told me a few minutes ago about one of my best friends is a tough bite to swallow. Lesley can be sure that we’re going to have a serious conversation about it when we meet later. But right now she’s not my biggest problem.

I get up from the swing and shuffle barefoot to the banister. Hands braced on it, my gaze wanders out across the space between the cabins. I draw in a deep breath. Not even two weeks ago, Justin carried me here and tied me up to the pole on this very porch. The determined look on all the girls’ faces as they demanded I become their drama teacher is still pasted in my memory like it happened only yesterday. It was a night and a decision that changed so much for me.

It was also here that Justin dressed me up for paintball. And where all the girls shot him later that day. How come I remember all of this with such a painful sting in my heart?

The swing creaks behind me, followed by Justin’s footsteps sounding on the floorboards as he walks forward, joining me by the banister. “For heaven’s sake, what is it, Chloe? You’re starting to scare me.”

Turning my head, I meet his alarmed gaze. But what are the right words to say now? After making love to this man, running away seems like such a cowardly move.

I step back, leaning against the pole next to the stairs, and reach behind me for support. “Last night with you was amazing.” My voice shakes at every syllable. “So please don’t think that what I’m about to tell you now has anything to do with it.” I sniff and swallow. “Or with you and me. I made this decision long before I came here, and everything’s arranged.”

“You’re leaving for London this fall. I already know that. It’s okay.”

“That’s not exactly the truth,” I whisper.

Eyes narrowed to slits, Justin cocks his head. “You’re not going to Europe?”

God, I wish I could brush the confusion out of his face with a gentle caress. But the pole is the only thing keeping me from turning around and running without giving him an explanation at all. So I can’t let go. Instead, my nails dig even deeper into the wood. “I am. Just not in fall.”

“Then when?” The mystified
V
between his brows grows even deeper.

I inhale a breath for courage before answering, “Tuesday.”

Completely not understanding, Justin shakes his head. A small, bewildered laugh escapes him. “What Tuesday?”

My heart pounds fast. One, two, three beats… “This Tuesday.”

The information takes a moment to sink in. Then his brows shoot up in shock, his face paling and his knuckles turning white as he grips the banister hard. “Tuesday, as in, the day after tomorrow?”

I nod.

“But you can’t! The counselor job is for the entire summer. You agreed to that.”

“I agreed to get my situation sorted out. It’s all over now. I’m free.” My gaze lowers to my toes. “You said so yourself.”

A moment of stunned silence beats away. All of a sudden, his voice booms across the porch. “Does Julie know that? Or-or Greyson? And the theater group?” Raking his fingers through his hair and pulling at the strands, he spins on the spot, looking elsewhere for comfort before he pivots back to me. “Or anyone else in this goddamn camp?”

Hoarsely, I say, “No.”

His pale cheeks take on a furious red color. “And when the hell did you intend to tell me?” he yells.

When I only blink, it’s answer enough for him. His voice calms to a lethal level. “You weren’t going to tell me at all. That’s why you secretly packed and tried to sneak off last night. It had nothing to do with what happened between us at the bonfire.” He blows out an incredulous breath through his nose. “I’m such an idiot. Of course! You clocked your hours, so why would you want to stay any longer than necessary?” He rubs his hands over his face then nails me with a menacing stare. “I should have known better—because I know
you
.”

My chest constricts. “Please, don’t be mad—”

“Don’t be mad? Are you freaking kidding me?” When he rushes forward, I lower my head, but he stops inches before me, his breath an angry stroke on my face. “After what happened down by the lake last night, or in there”—with an outstretched arm, he points toward the door—“I thought you’d at least give us a chance. I thought you’d stay and continue your amazing work with the kids. I thought I had a few weeks in which I could show you that, no matter what comes, plans can be amended and you and I could function together!” His eyes start to gleam with furious desperation. “I actually thought last night meant
something
to you!”

Like a lump of barbwire is lodged in my throat, it hurts terribly as I wrench words out of it. “It did.” How can he doubt that? Tears cloud my vision. I lift my hands to him, but he lances me with yet another lethal glare and steps back, out of my reach.

“You wouldn’t leave now if it really did.”

For the second time within a day, my heart breaks. “Can’t you try to understand? The flight is booked. Everything is set. My friends are counting on me.” I dab at my tears. “I have no other choice.”

“You always have choices in life, tiger. That’s exactly what we just talked about! Only, you choose to be selfish. Because two people are counting on you, you’re going to let thirty others down.”

“That’s not it!” I sob, my toes digging into the wooden floor, though the hypocrisy isn’t lost on me. From his point of view, it probably looks like I’m abandoning ship to just go and have fun elsewhere, with the one person who drove a wedge between us four years ago. But that’s only a fraction of the truth.

“Then what is it?” he blurts. “What’s your damn reason for running away?”

“Because I don’t want to fall in love with you when I do have to go in the end.” The words tear from my throat with a pain that is nigh impossible to cope with. Not to speak of the pain in my heart. “What if I stay and things between us get serious?” Because, darn it, it already feels like he’s moving to the top of my list. “What if I can’t handle saying goodbye then? What if you start to mean more to me than my plans? My career?”
My future.
Burning tears are trailing down my cheeks. “What if I can’t go anymore, after an entire summer with you?”

“I know how important your year abroad is. And also what a huge chance this acting school is for you.” He hesitates then continues in a much softer tone, “I wouldn’t hold you back.”

He might not. But I would. If Justin became the most important thing in my life, I would do everything to be with him. Right ahead is the point of no return. One tiny step toward him, and my dream of Guildhall would go down the drain.

“I can’t stay,” I whisper. Not a single day longer. “I’m sorry, Justin. Please try to understand.”

A fathomless moment passes between us. His cold stare hurts like ice pricks all over my body. I shiver. A couple of seconds later, he clenches his teeth and hisses, “Like fuck I understand.” Then he turns on his heel, walks into the cabin, and slams the door shut in my face.

Staring at the closed door, I wrap my arms around myself and rub the icy chill from my forearms. My lips tremble, but I refuse to let more tears spill over. Eventually, I pull myself together, slip on my shoes, and dash down the stairs. It’s only a few minutes until breakfast, and noise from the other two cabins announces that the place will soon be filled with boys heading to the dining hall. They can’t catch me here, with red-rimmed eyes and a blotchy nose.

At the side of the clearing, where the fire burned so brightly last night, I find my forgotten wedges still under the round, high table. Clutching them to my chest, I run.

A detour through the woods takes me back without bumping into any kids on their way to breakfast. Julie is exiting the Squirrel cabin and starting off with the last group of girls by the time I reach the bushes behind the campsite. Only when she’s far out of sight do I leave my hiding place and hurry inside.

She brought my suitcase in last night. It stands next to my bed, waiting for me to grab it and decamp. But as much as I wanted to do that last night, I can’t today. I owe Julie and Greyson, and also the kids, an explanation. And an apology.

It’s a damn mistake to open the suitcase, because things explode out of it as soon as the lid lifts. But with the changing weather, my summer clothes aren’t the right choice for the homeward journey. After I find a pair of dark-blue jeans and a plain gray sweatshirt, I settle down on my bed with my phone, knees pulled to my chest, and dial. Brinna answers immediately.

“Hey, girlfriend! Your rescue call sure is early.” She laughs. “I didn’t expect to hear from you before midnight.”

“Change of plans,” I tell her, struggling to keep my voice even and clear. “Can you pick me up sooner?”

A long pause fills the line before she says in a stern tone, “What happened?”

“Long story. I’ll tell you everything later.” Sniffing, I rub the back of my hand over my nose. “You aren’t still in San Francisco, are you?”

“Don’t worry, I came back yesterday. Do you want me to get you right now? It’ll only take an hour.”

“No. I have some things to sort out first.” The drama group needs a new teacher, and I’m pretty sure, after our most recent conversation, Justin won’t cover for me. “Can you be here around two?”

“Sure.” I’m waiting for her goodbye, but it doesn’t come. Instead, her deep, compassionate breath whizzes out. “Troubles in Justin-land? Lesley said she ran into the two of you this week.”

I only nod at first, pressing my lips and eyes closed. Then I croak, “Kind of.”

“Hang in there, sweetie. I’ll see you after lunch. Call if you need me to get you sooner.”

“’Kay.” As she hangs up, the phone slips out of my hand and drops to the mattress. Arms folded over my knees, I bury my face in them. The morning started so beautifully. Now, all I want to do is cry.

*

I must have been sitting on my bed way too long, because when the door bursts open, it startles me. My head snaps up as Julie enters, her face bright and happy, like every morning. “Hey, you’re back,” she says cheerfully while shutting the door. “I thought you were still at Justin’s when you two didn’t show up for breakfast. I brought you a blueberry muffin. No time for food when you’re in love, huh?” Giggling, she turns around, but the sound dies in her throat the moment she looks at me. “Goodness!”

Julie sets the muffin on a napkin on the table and rushes to my side, curling up against the wall next to me on my bed. One arm gently wrapped around my shoulders, she leans forward to look me in the eyes. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I’d rather not, but I owe her an explanation before I disappear, and there isn’t an endless amount of time left for that. Drawing in a deep breath, I begin to tell her everything, starting at the very beginning, twenty months ago.

“…and now I have to leave, repack my suitcase tomorrow, and fly to London on Tuesday. It’s all set. Everything’s booked.”

Julie’s face is pale, like someone dunked her in a bowl of flour. Her arm slipped away from my shoulders a few minutes ago. “Whoa. That’s tough.” Twiddling one corner of the pillow, she fixes me with a wide-eyed stare. “Why didn’t you tell us at the beginning?”

“Because I didn’t think I would ever care about anyone at camp or what would happen after I left.”

“But now you do.” Her gaze turns half reproachful, half amused. On Brinna’s face, this would be the typical
told you so
look.

Sighing, I lean my forehead on my folded arms once more and whine, “Obviously.” But who could have guessed that two weeks ago? “I’m so sorry to disappoint everybody. The kids. You and Greyson.”

Justin…

“I can’t stand everyone hating me for running off like this.”

The sheets rustle next to me and the mattress moves as Julie climbs off the bed. “It’s a tricky situation for sure.”

Lifting my head, I watch her walk to the window, sit down on the desk, and plant her feet on the chair in front of her.

“But no one hates you.”

“Because no one knows the truth yet.”

“I do.” She casts me a tiny smile. “And I don’t hate you.”

“You don’t?”

“Of course not.” She shakes her head, her shaggy hair flapping around her face. “It certainly would’ve been nice to know a little sooner, but your passion for acting is amazing. If I had the chance to get such a big wish come true, I’d do everything to make it happen.”

“You would run away from camp and leave thirty kids in the lurch?” I probe, arching my eyebrows.

Elbows resting on her knees, she leans forward, a shrug rolling off her shoulders. “If I could do a year of development aid in Tanzania or help out at an elephant shelter in India for a while? Yep, I’d totally abandon camp.”

Her understanding creates a warm spot in my heart, but it’s only a teensy chip off the rock weighing down my chest. I blink. “Justin knows the truth. And he
does
hate me.”

Julie purses her heart-shaped lips. “You know he couldn’t hate you if he wasn’t totally in love with you. Give him a couple days to get over it. He’s a smart guy. He’ll understand.”