17. Nat
SEVENTEEN
Nat
I’d been keeping my eyes open for Jamie all night. The tall lawyer shouldn’t have been this elusive. He had to be off work by now, which meant he should be at the campfire with his goofy, soon-to-be fiancée, but I’d checked the campfire three times already, and nothing.
The guilt I was lugging around felt heavier with each passing moment.
Jack and I both agreed to find Jamie and apologize for the insane way we’d behaved earlier today.
I had been right about the cabin needing to be cleaned and about how frustrating he was as a person, but even I could recognize when I was being childish and letting my nemesis get under my skin.
And speaking of my nemesis… Jack seemed equally antsy to get our apology over with. I’d heard regret in his voice as we both recognized that we’d messed up royally this afternoon. Tonight, we’d make it right.
I lapped the main parts of camp again. I found Autumn near the campfire, so I avoided her seeing me. Perhaps I’d catch him coming back from the mess hall with snacks. Or from the restrooms? Okay, maybe I was being a little obsessive, but I needed to get to Jamie before Jack threw me under the bus.
I’d already called Jamie twice, but his phone had gone straight to voicemail. For some reason, it felt like even apologizing to Jamie was a competition now. Jack seemed to have the same mindset, since we’d passed each other twice tonight, and both times, we’d eyed each other and kept walking.
On the third inconvenient run-in, however, Jack turned on his heel and walked in my direction outside the main office. “Nat,” he acknowledged, slowing his stride.
I pushed my headphones off my ears. I’d been driving Jack up the wall with an old indie band I’d rediscovered recently. It was probably about time to change it up.
I matched his pace and, expertly, his glare. “Jack.”
He quirked a grin, no doubt about to say something that I’d make him regret, when voices caught us off guard. Our heads whipped in unison toward the front office door.
Leo’s voice was easy to pick out, but hearing Jamie’s voice had Jack and me both start for the door. Annoyingly, the competition between us to apologize first would have to end in another tie. Great. Maybe I’d just make sure mine was better. Yeah.
We both stepped inside, hoping we weren’t interrupting. Jamie greeted us kindly, which neither of us deserved.
Jack took another step inside and looked Jamie in the eyes. “I’m really sorry, man.”
I nodded along, equally dejected. “Me too,” I chimed in. So much for an award-winning apology.
“You didn’t get it?” Jamie’s eyes filled with worry as he stared at our guilty faces, and it made me feel ten times worse.
“I just missed it. I chased the driver for five miles. Right, Nat?”
“Right.”
“Okay. I’ll get this figured out.” He started pacing. “Her birthday is tomorrow, and our parents are coming, but it’s going to be fine.” He repeated the phrase while wringing his hands.
We both cringed at his nervous words. We’d only succeeded in giving him more stress.
“Jack and I called the delivery company close to thirty times by now, but we keep getting told it’s in transit.” I was tired of doing it, but I would all night if that was what it took. I wanted Jamie to know we were doing everything we could to make this right.
When he didn’t say anything, I kept talking. “Maybe you could propose on a different day?” I pondered, even though I hated the suggestion.
Jamie shook his head, firm this time. “No, it has to happen tomorrow.” He didn’t elaborate. Guess it needed to happen tomorrow. Then something like determination crossed Jamie’s face, and he walked past us. “I have an idea,” he muttered to himself, lost in thought.
“Let us know if you need anything,” I offered, and Jack echoed the same behind me. Jamie smiled and took off with a little more confidence.
“I wish I could say I’m surprised.” Leo’s voice was calm and took on a serious tone I’d never heard him use.
Jack and I both turned to face him. He rose from his desk, arms crossed, with an air of you know what you did.
Camp dad didn’t usually get mad, but here he was, looking at us with narrowed eyes and a disappointment that felt so much worse than being yelled at ever could.
“After the trip Hazel and I just had, I really didn’t want to deal with something like this, but I guess here we are. ”
I wanted to ask him how things went in the couple of weeks since they’d been gone.
They’d promoted the former assistant director since she’d been their second choice during the initial hiring for the camp.
They must have found a new replacement assistant director, but I could only imagine the lengths they’d had to go to when it came to hiring in the short window of time they had.
“It won’t happen again,” I started.
Jack joined me. “We just got a little carried away.”
Leo stepped out from his desk and ran a hand through his hair. “Carried away? Like you did with the camp prank wars?” He looked between us. His raised eyebrow looked surprisingly intimidating. “I know it was you two who started it.”
“That’s not even going on anymore,” I insisted, at the same time Jack said, “There’s no proof of that.”
Leo let out an exasperated sigh. “You’ve been going at each other for weeks. You’re constantly fighting during the competitions. And now, whatever is going on between you two is affecting other people.”
Jack and I held our heads low and nodded. Our arguing had affected Jamie, and that was too far. I thought of Chase and our horrendous date. Instead of trying to get to know the new counselor, even as a friend, I’d complained about someone I shouldn’t have been thinking about.
Leo turned to me, his bright green eyes looking concerned. “Why don’t you stay with Hazel?”
I thought about the offer for a second, but she only had a loveseat that my legs didn’t fit comfortably on, and our habits contradicted each other. Sure, I’d considered it early on, but now I shook my head.
I recalled my recent conversation with Hazel, how she was barely keeping it together, and while she did well processing emotional things on her own or with Leo, I didn’t want to strain her further.
My turmoil with Jack would only be a burden, and I didn’t want to bring that into her already tense life.
She didn’t handle changes to her routine well, so I’d already made up my mind that I was better off handling this on my own.
Despite our drama, I’d gotten comfortable in Jack’s cabin, even if he was there.
“My stuff is already at Jack’s, and I know Hazel’s been under a lot of stress. I don’t want to add to it.”
Leo looked forlorn at the mention of Hazel’s stress.
I felt the need to reassure him. “And we’re doing great. I mean, good. Better?” Wow, I was not convincing.
Jack smiled at my tailspin, and he almost seemed curious that I hadn’t taken the offer to sleep elsewhere. He met my eyes again, searching them, then he backed my decision up without arguing.
“It’s not as bad as it seems. We’re doing okay now,” I promised.
Leo considered my words.
“Yeah, she’s even getting me to clean up a bit more,” Jack added, and he said it like it was a good thing. Was he actually grateful?
This admission caused Leo to break his serious face as he laughed. “You got Jack to clean?”
“Yeah…” Jack looked chagrined. Hearing it out of Leo’s mouth must have made him realize I wasn’t wrong. “Once I remove all the work stuff, I won’t have as hard a time keeping up with it.”
“I’ve stayed in worse places in my travels, but it’s nice to be able to breathe in there finally.”
Jack took in my words. “I’ll try to be more considerate.”
I smiled softly. Maybe he was beginning to understand how I felt about being displaced. The truth was, I needed a little bit of control, even if that came in the form of cleaning up his cabin in a desperate attempt at normalcy again. I’d been upset yesterday, but all that anger had dissipated.
“We won’t cause any more trouble,” Jack promised. “And Andromeda’s cabin will be remodeled and repaired soon anyway.”
Leo seemed appeased when he looked between us. “Okay then, no more petty arguments?”
“It wasn’t petty.” I couldn’t help myself, but Jack elbowed me in the side. I reflexively smiled at Leo and backtracked. “That’s right, no more arguments,” I promised, even if it was a lie.
Maybe Jack and I finally had a better understanding of each other, but that didn’t mean we’d be able to change overnight. Our strained relationship was built on this feud, and I enjoyed our rivalry, even if no one else understood it. Jack was sort of growing on me.
I resolved to do better. We could make sure we only argued in private and save our best trash talk for the competitions, where it belonged.
Times like these, I was grateful for our staff’s ability to band together to bring something to fruition under the guise of a lie.
Yes, it was Autumn’s birthday, but if she saw the congratulations sign we’d hung in the mess hall and the champagne chilling in the fridge, she’d have questions.
So we waited until she ran errands to set everything up.
Bobby and Chase made the prettiest engagement cake, while Azalea crafted a birthday dinner with Leo’s help.
Hazel, Lamar, and I hung streamers and balloons.
The other counselors entertained Autumn’s and Jamie’s parents, who’d told her they wanted to visit to celebrate the birthday girl.
Jamie had secretly filled us in on his plans this morning, and we all got to work doing our part to make sure Autumn was none the wiser.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to get the ring’s precise location after our mishap, but he’d come up with a backup plan.
He didn’t elaborate, and it had my stomach roiling in worry. I guess I had that coming.