Beyond the Summer (Camp Eagle Ridge #3)

Ben

"T he counselors are arriving soon. I'm glad you're back at camp for another summer." My stepbrother, Matt, walked in front of me, juggling my suitcase as he unlocked a familiar cabin door with a flourish. He hauled the bag inside, waving me in after him. The musty, familiar smell of camp rushed at me as I dumped a box of my books on the top bunk of one of the two bunk beds in the counselors' cabin, staking my claim.

"This is my last summer, I swear. And this time, I mean it."

Matt set my duffel bag by the bed, then grabbed a rag from the cleaning supplies and wiped the dust off the dresser that sat along one wall. "That's what you said last summer."

"Matt, I'm 21. Next year, I'll need to get a job in the real world."

Matt clutched his chest, pretending to be wounded. "! I can't believe you would say camp isn't the real world! It's the most real thing there is."

"For you, maybe."

As far as I knew, Matt had dreamed of being the camp director at Camp Eagle Ridge since he was a toddler, and he looked the part. He was precisely the kind of granola-crunchy, bearded mountain man you'd expect to find in a backwoods Washington summer camp. And his personality was an even better fit.

People loved him, kids loved him. Hell, even I loved him, and he irritated the hell out of me. But it was impossible not to love my stepbrother; he was just so… Matt. Matt was as perfect for this summer camp as I was wrong for it. He was outdoorsy; I loved to read and draw. He was friendly and outgoing, and wise beyond his 28 years; I was painfully shy and perpetually anxious.

"You could tell Dad you're done working at camp, you know," Matt said, eyes sparkling. "He's not forcing you to work here. He thinks you love it!"

I gave him a friendly shove. "You want to be the favorite."

Matt snorted. "You're the goddamn favorite. You and your good grades, college boy."

"You, too, could have a college degree. In fact, I think you're only a few credits away from having several of them." I regretted the words the moment they slipped out of my mouth. "Sorry, man, I shouldn't tease you about your ADHD stuff."

"Hey, we all have our challenges. I have ADHD, and you…" He held up one of my fantasy romance books. "Are sexually attracted to ogres."

"Fuck off," I said, snatching my book with a laugh. Matt always knew how to calm me down before I spiraled into guilt and anxiety. My mom had married Walt when I was a baby, so Walt was the only dad I'd ever known, and from the start, Walt had treated me like I was his own. Matt had been seven at the time, and had adopted me just as easily.

Hell, I couldn't remember a time when Matt wasn't right there beside me, trying to get me to do horrifying stuff like socializing and talking to strangers.

He blew out a breath, then reached for the bedding we washed and stored in the closet during the off-season, tossing me a set of sheets. He grinned at me as he started making up one of the bottom bunks. "This is going to be a good year, I can feel it."

"I hope so, since Dad talked me into one more year at camp," I said as I helped him spread out a fitted sheet.

"Oh no. You tried to tell him no and he gave you his puppy dog eyes."

"He gave me his puppy dog eyes. Why can't I say no to him?" I grumped, moving to the other bottom bunk and spreading out another sheet, while he worked on the top.

"Last year wasn't so bad, though, right? You made a friend!"

"Two friends," I corrected, laughing. "Maybe three, if Parker counts."

"Parker Layton? Why wouldn't he count?"

"He's intimidating!"

Matt snorted. "Are we talking about the same Parker? The one who was your co-counselor last year? He's a golden retriever in a human boy's body."

I laughed. "A golden retriever who is much cooler and much more popular than me."

"Have you ever considered that people like Parker are popular because they're nice and enjoy having lots of friends? Including you. It's not an exclusive club."

I thought about that for a moment, then shook my head. "You must be too old to remember high school."

"I'm only 28!" Matt teased. "I don't have dementia yet. And I'm sure Parker likes you fine. He requested to be in your cabin again."

"He did?" I couldn't keep the hope out of my voice. "He didn't mention that in the group text."

"You have a group text and you're still not sure he's your friend?"

"Aiden and Jay added me," I grumped. "Too bad they had to do internships this year. Is Parker my co-counselor again?"

"No. We have two new counselors in your cabin with Parker: Ravi Shah and Sutton Holm. They're both Stanford students, so I suppose word's getting out on campus that this is a fun summer job. I paired you with Sutton because he's outgoing and friendly. You won't have to talk to the kids."

I flipped my stepbrother off, and he grinned.

"Kidding. I know you bond with the kids, even though you're surly about it. And I'm counting on you and Parker to show the new guys the ropes, mentor them. I think they both have something fantastic to offer the camp, if you can bring it out of them."

As Matt told me more about my new co-counselors, my mind wandered to the thing I'd been most worried about this summer: enduring camp without Aiden and Jay. They'd been the first good friends I'd ever made at camp, and I'd been going to Eagle Ridge since I was old enough to attend. I'd never quite fit in, never found a place for myself, or made lasting friendships.

"You'll do fine," Matt said, rubbing my shoulder. "I know you have it in you to lead. You know the sports and activities we do inside and out. Get out of your head and stop over-analyzing everything everyone says."

"How could you possibly be so sure I have it in me to lead?"

Matt laughed. "You were bossy as hell when you were younger. Don't you remember that? Harness some of that weirdly controlling energy."

"That was when you were screwing up my Legos. It's different!" I protested.

"Whatever. Pretend this guy is rearranging your perfectly organized Lego drawers, then. Or your bookshelves! Imagine he's put a fantasy book in the paranormal romance section. Give him the stern lecture you gave me when I asked if Mages of Aleron was like Lord of the Rings." Matt slapped his hands to his cheeks in a mockery of a shocked expression.

"How come everyone else gets wisdom from you, and all I get is this?"

Matt beamed. "So you think I'm wise? Noted."

"That was your takeaway?" I grumped, grabbing my crate of books. "Go, do other things. I'm going to settle in." Still laughing, he walked out to the porch and grabbed my second duffel, grunting at the weight of it. He leaned over and unzipped it, frowning at the contents.

"Shit, more books! Why did you pack so many books? Your cabin is a short walk down the lake path."

"I'm having my roof redone while camp is in session. I couldn't risk any of my favorites," I said. "Now, let me get organized. Go do your camp director bullshit. What's under here? Your entire collection of markers?"

"Hands off my stuff!"

Matt was still laughing when he turned and walked out the door, telling me I'd better get my impressive collection of sketchbooks organized and out of the way before my co-counselors showed up.

I opened a few windows, trying to get the musty odor of the cabin out, and began to set up my space. One perk of living down the path was that I got to arrive first and claim the best bunk. Of course, it would have been much better to go home at night, but my stepfather insisted that I stay on camp property while working as a counselor. I needed to be nearby in case there was an emergency with the campers I was responsible for. Or so they said—I half suspected that they just wanted me to socialize.

The campers' cabins sat in a half-circle around a big green where the kids played and did activities, and the counselors' cabins were tucked into the trees across the path, a short distance from the campers. Each housed four counselors who were assigned to two cabins worth of campers. The cabins were modest in size, with rustic accommodation—each had two bunk beds, a small sitting area, and a tiny bathroom with no shower. We had to walk to the communal bathrooms for a shower or hot water.

I picked a top bunk, the same one I'd had last year. I preferred that bed because it was tucked partway into a small nook beside the bathroom, so it felt a bit more private, even if there was only 8 inches of wall making it feel that way. There was a little niche in the wall next to the top bunk where I could stash my books and drawing supplies. As I worked to arrange my books and sketchbooks, I wondered about my new co-counselor. His name sounded familiar somehow, but I couldn't place it. Sutton Holm.

I put a memory foam mattress pad over the crappy camp mattress and tucked my sheets in, then added some pillows and three super warm comforters, because it got cold at night and the camp didn't have heaters. Satisfied, I hopped down and unpacked my clothes, claiming my share of the drawers in the dresser between the two beds. By the time I finished unpacking, the camp was stirring to life, with signs of staff arriving everywhere, but my co-counselors had yet to show, so I headed down to Eagle Lake. The pristine beauty of the lake, surrounded by thick forests and towering mountains, always calmed my nerves. And right now, I desperately needed to calm my anxiety over the start of camp.

The start of things was the worst. Too many unknowns.

The scent of pine and damp earth filled my nostrils as I strolled alone through the quiet camp, waving to the few people I passed on my way to the lake. The memory of last summer's chaotic days at Camp Eagle Ridge still lingered in my mind, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of uncertainty about what lay ahead this time around.

I loved nature and being outdoors, but the social aspect of summer camp had always been challenging for me. Last year had been different, and it had all been because of Jay, who'd quickly become one of my closest friends. Through Jay, I'd finally gotten to know Aiden and Parker, and that had been a shift for me. After years of assuming the popular kids didn't even notice me, I'd made friends with two of the most popular at camp. Sort of.

Continuing down the path, I found myself drawn to Eagle Lake, its calm waters glistening beneath the warm sunlight. Solitude beckoned me, and reading was always a respite from the anxiety that seemed to cling to me.

I was supposed to be attending the welcome events for the camp counselors, but I knew Matt wouldn't expect me to show up—he was well aware of my penchant for getting lost in books. As I settled at the end of the dock, legs dangling above the water, I pulled out my latest fantasy book and flipped open to my bookmark.

But no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept circling back to the changes this new summer would bring. Aiden and Jay were gone. What if I didn't like their replacements as much? What if Parker didn't want to hang out with me without Aiden's and Jay's influence? As much as I tried to will myself back into the world of sexy elves and mages, the uncertainty of what lay ahead gnawed at me, making it impossible to escape into my book.

I gave up, snapping the book shut and tucking it under my arm. It was time to rip off the Band-Aid, to stop panicking, and meet the people who would share a cabin with me all summer. As I approached our assigned cabin, the knot of anxiety tightened in my chest. My hand trembled slightly as I reached out to grip the door handle, taking a deep breath before pulling it open.

There was only one person inside—a man I didn't recognize. He had the build of an athlete. He wasn't that much taller than my 5'11", but he was all muscle, big and bulky, and more than a little intimidating. His sweatshirt said Stanford Rugby on it, so I supposed he was an athlete.

When he glanced up, I realized that his face was unexpected. Instead of matching his chiseled body, his face was...… pretty. He had brown, curly hair that fell in a mess across his forehead and huge, bright green eyes, framed by lashes thick enough to look like he was wearing eye makeup. He had lush, full lips, and a cute smattering of freckles across his nose.

How could someone who looked like they could smash me with a single fist be cute? He met my eyes, and I realized I'd been staring.

"Hey," I said, shoving my hands in my pockets because I didn't want to give the impression that I might be into a handshake. "I'm . One of your co-counselors."

His eyes dropped to my hands and he ignored the greeting. "Is Parker here?"

"This is the part where you introduce yourself," I prompted. "Because we'll be working and living together all summer."

He didn't answer. I frowned, glancing around the cabin, which obviously did not contain Parker Layton, then shrugged and climbed up into my bunk and settled down with my book, trying to focus on that. Socially, this was about par for the course for me. I could have confronted him, or forced an introduction, but it was easier to pretend I wasn't bothered.

A moment later, the door clattered open, and there he was. Parker was a force of nature, gorgeous and fun and always energetic.

"!" His face broke out into a wide smile when he spotted me, but then he looked at the rude guy near the bed and froze. The guy behind Parker crashed into his back, but all Parker could do was stare at the jackass rugby jock like he'd seen a ghost.

And that was when I remembered where I'd heard the name Sutton Holm before: the ex Parker had mentioned in group texts.