For Fox Sake

Chapter 18

Ryan

It takes five days, three dinners with Jake, endless begging from Ari, and two conversations with Bernie before I finally make a decision.

Since Jake’s rental agreement expired and we had another tenant moving in, he decamped to a motel in the center of town.

He wasn’t staying to pressure me, but because he was training his replacement at the hospital. He planned on heading back to Whitby by the weekend, whether I had made my decision or not.

“You can change your mind at any time,” he insisted. “A month from now, two months from now, or tomorrow.”

The three times he came over for dinner throughout the week, we didn’t talk about his Whitby offer at all. Instead, we finished watching The10th Kingdom, then discussed our favorite fairy-tale stories, which segued into favorite superheroes and superhero powers and what powers were the best and why.

“I want to fly. Like Superman and Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel,” Ari told us, her tone very serious for a six-year-old who also had chocolate frosting smeared across her face, since Jake brought over cupcakes for dessert.

“I want to be able to control the elements like Storm and Magneto,” Jake said.

They both looked over at me. “I think teleportation. I could blink and be anywhere in the world.”

He left shortly after dinner each night, with a smile and a wave and no pressure.

I wanted him to pressure.

If we don’t go, I will regret it.

Which is why we’re now at the Portland International Airport, staring up at a private jet.

“I know you said Oliver was a billionaire and we would be going on his private jet, and I understood all that in theory, but I don’t think I truly grasped it until this moment.” Not to mention all the preceding moments. Like when we drove to a secluded area of the airport, parked in a side lot, and were escorted in a black sedan straight onto the tarmac.

Who needs to be felt up by TSA? Not us, apparently.

I glance down at Ari.

She gapes at the steps leading up to the sleek white plane. She hasn’t talked much this morning. Maybe she’s tired, since I woke her up at six to get here by nine, and we were up late last night packing because she wanted to bring her entire closet for a three-day trip and I had to convince her to narrow it down a bit.

Jake has been a lifesaver, distracting Ari during the drive when she was cranky, bringing extra snacks and drinks, factoring in time for bathroom breaks and buying more snacks along the way when Ari said she needed something sugary to help her wake up.

“You ready, superhero?”

“We’re going up there?” She points at the plane.

“Yep. Do you want to meet the pilot?”

She nods slowly.

“Most planes are bigger than this, but they also fly a lot more people,” Jake explains as we climb up the steps. “Like two hundred people. We get this whole plane to ourselves.”

Ari’s first flight and it’s a private jet. Who would have thought?

It will be a quick trip. We’re spending three nights and two days in New York, spending one day in Whitby and at least part of one in Ithaca, so Ari can see where both her moms lived for a time.

The pilot greets us at the door, standing near the open cockpit. She has sleek blond hair pulled back into a bob and she’s wearing a black suit. “Welcome aboard,” she says, shaking our hands as we enter the plane.

“Thank you,” Ari says politely, shaking her hand and then moving farther inside. She looks around, her eyes wide, and I’m sure I have an even more awestruck expression on my face.

The sun is shining through the windows, intensifying the brightness of the gold and white interior. A long sofa lines one side across from a row of sleek cream leather seats and shiny wood desks. In the back, steps lead up to a closed door. Another room?

“Where do I sit?” Ari asks.

“Wherever you want.” Jake gestures broadly. “You can pick first.”

She purses her lips and then walks over and sets her backpack in the middle of the couch, her eyes as wide as saucers. “Will you sit with me?”

“Absolutely.” Jake grins at me over her head, clearly enjoying her awestruck, wide-eyed gaze.

I’m melting inside. I don’t want to. I want to hold on to the wariness so that I don’t fall for Jake more than I already have.

I’m still so attracted to him, I ache with it.

At the last minute, before we left the house, I stuffed a box of condoms in my luggage.

It might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever considered. It can only be temporary. We live on opposite sides of the country. I might never see him again. And yes, he lied, by omission, but in spite of that, I trust him. At least, enough to bring me to orgasm.

Because I’m an idiot? Maybe. What am I thinking? I’m thinking I haven’t been laid in years, I haven’t been attracted to a man in years, and this might be my only chance before I die alone.

The door in the back of the plane slides open.

“Jakey!” A woman rushes out, running into Jake and hugging him hard.

He opens his arms and holds her tight. “Hey, Piper, I didn’t know you would be here.”

Piper Fox. The artist. She and Jake have the same dark hair and the same dark honey eyes.

She pulls back and then smacks him in the arm. “If you ever leave again like that I will... I don’t know, something bad.”

“I’m terrified,” Jake says, his voice dry.

“You should be.” A man appears in the doorway.

He’s shorter than Jake, sleek and trim, in a three-piece, navy-blue suit, but he’s got this palpable energy waving off him like he owns not only the plane but the whole planet. This must be Oliver.

Jake groans.

Oliver stalks toward him. “Did you really think I wouldn’t be here?”

“A man can hope.”

Oliver glares at him, crossing his arms over his chest. “We need to talk.”

Ari tugs on my hand. “Momma, I have to go potty.”

All three gazes whip our direction.

Piper is the first to move. “You must be Ryan.” We shake hands. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. And Ari?” She crouches down at eye level and waves. “I’m Piper.”

Ari leans into my legs. “Hi. This is Shirley.” She holds up her Velveteen Rabbit.

Piper grins, shaking the little rabbit’s fingerless hand. “Nice to meet you both.” She shoots a glance at Jake. “My little sister had a rabbit just like that.” She smiles down at Ari. “I think we’re taking off in about ten minutes, so you have some time. The bathroom is right through that door and to the left.”

Ari looks up at me. “Will you come too?”

“Of course. It’s nice to meet you all.” I give an awkward half wave to Piper and Oliver, whose boiling glower has mellowed to a simmering scowl.

Probably best to let them talk without an audience. Thank god for little bladders.

The other room is a bedroom. A very plush, luxurious bedroom, with a queen-size bed covered in a dark-red comforter.

I glance through the door that leads into the bathroom and my eyebrows hit my hairline.

“Holy... this is huge.”

Ari peers around, her brow furrowed. “It’s not that big.”

I press my lips together to hold back the laughter. “Most planes have bathrooms barely large enough to sit in.”

“Hmm.” She remains unconvinced. Wait till she has to fly coach.

It’s almost as big as our master bath at home. There’s a full-size shower and tub, all sparkling clean and gleaming white.

“Don’t touch anything.” I frown at the countertop. Is that marble?

“Momma, I have to touch things to go potty and wash my hands.”

“Just be careful. I’ll be right outside the door.”

She takes her sweet time. The hum of the engine drowns most of the conversation happening in the other room. Only the tones are audible: Jake’s baritone, Piper’s higher pitch, and Oliver’s occasional bark.

By the time we join the others, everyone has settled in their seats. We prepared Ari for what to expect with takeoff and whatnot, and she sits on the couch between Jake and me, her eyes wide as the plane lifts into the sky.

Oliver sits at one of the window seats across the plane from us, clicking away on a laptop.

Piper occupies the chair across from the couch. She points over to the front of the plane. “We have drinks and snacks in the fridge up there. If you want anything, please help yourself. There are also some premade sandwiches, apple slices, all kinds of stuff.”

Jake gets up and grabs a few waters, along with animal crackers and apples for Ari.

We make small talk with Piper, and after a few minutes, Ari gets bored and takes her snacks over to a window seat behind Oliver to gaze out at the world below.

Jake nudges me with his shoulder, nodding toward Ari. “I’m surprised she hasn’t wanted a nap.”

“Does she normally nap?” Piper asks.

“Not usually, but she was up late because she was too excited to sleep.”

Jake nods. “And then we had to wake up her early today to get to the airport.”

Our gazes connect, and one corner of his mouth ticks up. Warmth spreads through my belly.

I snap my attention back to Piper.

Her eyes flick between the two of us.

Is it that obvious I want to bone her brother?

I clear my throat. “She’s really excited the camp is named after her. We explained it was named for your sister, and she knows she was named after the same person, so we let her believe it.”

Piper laughs. “I mean, she’s not wrong.”

Ari moves from her chair over to the one next to Oliver.

He scowls at her.

I wince. “I hope she isn’t bothering him.”

Piper twists around to check them out, and when she turns back, she’s smiling. “He loves kids and for some reason, even though he can be a little prickly, they love him too.”

Across the plane, Oliver has moved the desk forward so Ari can climb into his chair with him. She points at something on his computer screen.

I am sure she’s asking something like, Why?

Piper asks more questions about Ari and Mia, and then the conversation turns to caring for a newborn.

Jake gets up to raid more food from the fridge.

“Honestly, I got pretty lucky,” I tell Piper. “Ari woke up a couple times a night for the first nine months, but it was consistent, you know? I got used to it. I’ve heard horror stories about colic and newborns who were basically allergic to more than an hour of sleep at a time.”

“It must be terrifying. Caring for a newborn.”

“I guess, but you know, you just do it.”

Piper rests her hand on her stomach.

Huh. Kind of like Sam when she— “Oh. You’re...”

She glances over at Jake and then leans in toward me and lowers her voice. “We haven’t told anyone yet. We’re waiting until I’m a little farther along.”

“I promise not to say a word.”

“Thank you. Oliver is a little freaked. He lost his parents fairly young and had a hard time in foster families. He’s scared of being a bad father.”

We both glance over at him. Ari is asleep, leaning into Oliver, her face squished into his suit coat. His head is leaning back against the seat, his eyes closed.

“I am so sorry. She never does this, and to a complete stranger no less.”

Piper’s face softens, watching them.

“Something tells me he’s going to do just fine.”

* * *

By the time the plane lands, it’s nearly six because of the five-hour flight plus the three-hour time difference. But we are able to land right on camp property because Oliver had a private airstrip built for his personal use, complete with hangar and fueling station.

We disembark and head toward a black Cadillac SUV parked about a hundred yards away. Standing outside the vehicle is an extremely broad, dark-haired man in a Camp Aria T-shirt and jeans, a wicked-looking scar bisecting his brow.

“That’s Archer,” Jake tells me as we approach.

He greets everyone with a hug, and an extra smack on the back for Jake.

“Damn, bro, easy on the violent affection.”

Archer points at him. “You ever leave like that without word to Finley and I want you to remember, we have a lot of property and I learned how to operate some serious digging equipment when we were renovating the camp.”

Jake sighs. “I know, man, I know. This is Ryan and Ari.” He gestures to us.

“Hey.” Archer smiles. “It’s really nice to meet you both. Let me help you with your bags.”

The back of the SUV is quickly loaded up with luggage and then we pile in, Oliver in the front seat, Piper, Jake, Ari, and me in the back.

We drive off the runway and onto a dirt road.

“There is pizza up at the main house if anyone’s hungry,” Archer says.

“I’m hungry,” Ari pipes up.

“Great,” Archer says. “I know Finley put some snacks and breakfast items in your cabin, but I’m not sure if there’s enough in there to prepare a full meal or anything.”

Piper chuckles. “That’s probably part of her plan to get you all up to the main house for meals as frequently as possible.”

“She loves to feed people, that’s for sure,” Archer adds.

“Is that a lake?” Ari points out the window.

“More of a pond,” Jake says. “We can go fishing there though.”

“I’ve never been fishing.”

“I’ll teach you.”

Ari glances toward the front of the car. “Is Oliver going to come?”

Jake waves a hand. “We don’t want him to be there.”

Ari frowns. “Why not?”

“He’s too good at everything.”

“Then he should teach me.”

Oliver turns around, a smile lighting his normally stern expression. “Kid’s a genius.”

Ari beams at him.

Jake rolls his eyes dramatically.

We travel up and over a hill, then the camp comes into view.

Brightly painted, stout wood cabins are scattered beneath looming pines. The dirt road transitions to cobblestone, rumbling underneath us and winding between the bungalows.

Ari is silent, staring out the window.

Archer turns the car uphill, and a few seconds later we park in front of a house next to a Jeep with the camp logo painted on the side.

“Wait. Are Taylor and Atticus here too?”

Archer shrugs. “Of course.”

“Is that Luke’s car? Is everyone here?” Jake asks. “Don’t they have work or lives or something?”

“Guess not.” Piper shrugs.

Ari stares up at the house looming outside the car window. “What is this place?”

Everyone chuckles. Even Oliver.

Oliver pushes open his door. “It’s a monstrosity, I know, but they’ve done a lot of work on the interior so it’s not terrible.”

We all exit the car and I look up at the house, shading my eyes from the sun. Jake’s childhood home. It’s not a monstrosity by any means, but the large, two-story structure is an odd mixture of materials, dark wood, red brick, and a splash of stucco. It reminds me of when Ari built a house using a combination of Legos, popsicle sticks, and Play-Doh, but sturdier.

A woman stands on the porch, greeting us as we approach, hugging everyone as they pass, including me.

Jake introduces us.

“Ryan, it’s so nice to meet you finally.” Finley pulls me into a hug. She has the same dark hair as Jake and Piper, her nose is slightly smaller, her lips fuller, but the family resemblance is uncanny.

“Thank you for having us.”

“Are you kidding? I’m ecstatic.” She loops her arm in mine, leading me inside. “Leave the bags in the car and then after dinner, Jake can take you to your cabin.”

I glance behind us to check on Ari, but she’s walking in with Jake, completely distracted by our surroundings.

Finley leads me through the front door, which opens into an office. I get a quick glimpse of two cluttered desks, walls of beige and pale blue, and then we’re going through a connecting door.

“We’ve put you in one of our best cabins,” Finley tells me. “Two bedrooms, a full-size kitchen already set up with the basics, and two full baths—the master suite has an attached bath. I also put one of our white noise machines in the second bedroom for Ari, just in case. Some kids have a hard time sleeping because it’s so quiet. Ari’s room has a bunk bed too. Jake mentioned she was excited about the prospect of sleeping in one.”

The door from the office takes us into an open-concept living and dining space. A massive oak table takes up the bulk of the dining area, pizza boxes stacked on one side next to a salad bowl, along with some plates and utensils.

Four people are in the living room, sitting on the plush sofa and recliner. Their chatting comes to a halt as we enter.

I’m about to thank Finley for everything, but I don’t get a chance. The next few minutes are a rush of introductions: Taylor and her boyfriend Atticus, and Mindy and Luke Fletcher—I know who he is, of course, I’ve listened to his music plenty of times.

When he shakes my hand, I can’t even speak, I just nod and flush. I’ve never met a famous musician. Or a famous anything. Now I’ve met three moderately famous people all in the same day.

After introductions, the commotion continues as everyone gets a plate of food and finds a place to sit, some around the dining table and a few in the living room.

I end up at the table with Jake’s sisters and Luke, and Ari ends up in the living room with Jake, Atticus, and Archer.

“She’s six, right?” Mindy asks, her eyes trained on where Ari is sitting on the couch next to Jake.

Archer is in the recliner next to them. He throws back his head and laughs, and Jake shakes his head, smiling down at Ari and then leaning closer to her to tell her something.

My bones ache with how sweet he is with her. She’s so comfortable with him. Maybe I should be worried about her getting too attached, but I’m right there with her.

Finley picks at her salad with a fork. “Six is a great age. Young enough that they’re still affectionate and old enough to wipe their own butts.”

I laugh. “Do you have kids?”

“No. I work with campers of all ages who come here though. We have counselors and scientists and whatnot that do all the instructing and most of the monitoring and interacting, but I like to be involved.”

“She’s amazing with kids,” Piper interjects.

Finley shrugs her off. “Taylor, how’s the plans for the next festival coming along?”

Taylor and Mindy chat about their Outfoxed Festival, a yearly event they put on every summer.

They give me the lowdown, expanding on the music, the art, the lights and campgrounds they set up for the event. I wish I could see it, but Ari and I will be long gone by then.

I keep half of my awareness on Ari, a habit that’s impossible to break when you have a small child. When she finishes eating, Jake takes her to the kitchen to wash off her hands and face.

“Did you get pie?” he calls out from the other room.

“There’s no pie in there,” Finley yells back.

He appears in the doorway, clutching his chest. “Why hast thou forsaken me?”

Atticus grabs a slice of pizza from one of the boxes at the end of the table, setting it on his plate. “After all the times you tricked me into bringing you pie, I think you owe it to us to bring one over.”

“Fine. I can get one tomorrow, but that doesn’t help us now.”

Archer rolls his eyes. “There’s pie in the fridge out in the garage, you...” His eyes drop to Ari. “Meanie head.”

“Slick burn. C’mon, superhero, let’s go get dessert.”

They disappear back into the kitchen. Distantly, a door opens and shuts.

Finley reaches over and puts her hand on my arm. “I know this might be a bizarre situation we’re in, but I am truly happy you decided to come stay for a few days. If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask. Honestly, it’s like we’re family.”

“Thank you. It is weird, but it’s also kind of not, if that makes sense?”

She leans back with a chuckle. “It does make sense, in a strange way.”

It’s like when I met Jake. What’s weird is that it’s not uncomfortable or awkward. Maybe it’s because of Aria and that connection between our families. Maybe it’s because they are such a welcoming group. I only had Mia and Mom for most of my life, so I’m not used to a large, rowdy family.

“It’s pie time, the most wonderful time of the year.” Jake appears in the doorway, a pie box in his hands while Ari is on his back, laughing and having a grand time.

“Pie for dinner and pie for dessert,” Archer says.

Jake groans, setting the pie on the table. “For the last time, pizza is not a pie, just like a hot dog is not a sandwich.”

“Not this again,” Finley says under her breath, right as the whole table explodes into loud and rambunctious debate.