Chapter 8
“Be careful!” Beth tugged at the hem of Archie’s T-shirt. “One of the counselors will spot you.”
“I am being careful!” Archie shook her off, peering round the corner of the cabin they were all hiding behind. “Quit worrying, Beth. No one’s looking our way.”
This was true. Across the field, Leonie was leading a group of new counselors on a tour of the camp’s sport facilities. Currently, she was showing them round the outdoor climbing walls, pointing out the different routes designed to challenge campers in either human or animal form.
Not all of the new counselors were paying attention, however. The eyes of a sizeable proportion—mainly the younger women—kept drifting sideways to one particular member of the group. There was rather a lot of hair-twirling going on.
The object of their attention, for his part, didn’t seem aware of the inviting looks being cast his way. He stood stoically among the younger counselors like a bull in a flock of geese, gloved hands folded behind his back. At all times, his sunglasses stayed fixed in one direction.
“That settles it,” Estelle declared. “They’re definitely mates. Look, he can’t take his eyes off her.”
Finley watched the distant group, a worried pinch between his brows. “Yes, but he’s also staying as far away from her as physically possible.”
Estelle dismissed this with an airy wave of one hand. “Yeah, well. That’s because he’s still being a giant dumbass. Obviously. But now that we’ve forced him into staying, they’re bound to get together. It’s fate.”
Over at the climbing wall, Leonie was now dividing the counselors into pairs so they could practice using the safety equipment. She handed a climbing harness to Shan, then stretched her arms away from her body, waiting for him to fit it to her.
Archie squinted thoughtfully at Shan. “I reckon he knows he’s doomed. That’s why he looks like he wants to puke.”
Finley shook his head. “I’m still amazed he believed our story. I didn’t think there was any chance we’d get away with that.”
Behind his friends’ backs, Rufus flinched.
“Of course we got away with it,” Estelle said confidently. “We were super convincing.”
“Especially with all the details I added,” Archie agreed. “Did you see his face when I told him about the stink? I was so convincing, it was like he could smell it himself.”
“He must have believed us,” Beth said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself. “Why else would he still be here?”
Rufus stared at the distant form of Shan.
“What do you mean, good question?” Finley asked his friend.
Rufus twitched. He shook his head, dropping his gaze.
“Well, he is here,” Estelle said. “For now, anyway. But we don’t know how long.”
“Yeah, we can’t assume he’ll stick around all summer,” said Archie. “I mean, it’s not like there’s actually anything for him to find in the woods.”
“Right.” Estelle clapped her hands together. “Which means it’s time for phase two.”