6. Miller
Holy shit.
I know I’m not supposed to swear on camp property, but that was in my head, okay?
And it deserves a holy shit.
Because I’ve barely made it onto camp, just parking my Jeep next to the cabin I’ll be staying in so I can unpack before I move my car to the staff parking lot, and I’m already in love.
Seriously.
The most drop-dead gorgeous girl is sitting on the steps of the cabin across the way, her brown hair, so dark it’s almost black, shining in the late afternoon sun as it falls around her shoulders. Her skin is tanned, a shade darker than I’d expect from the sun this early in the season.
Her features are defined, almost sharp, but from what I can see, her body is the perfect set of curves and softness.
Exactly my type.
And while a lot of the counselors that are milling around look like they could be campers—okay, I get it, I’m old—she’s not as young as they are. Maybe mid-twenties or so.
She doesn’t look my way as I head into my designated cabin. I’m told these will be the girls’ cabins once the campers get here, but we all get to stay together this week to get to know one another or something. I drop my sleeping bag, backpack and duffel bag on one of the bottom bunks.
“Hey. I’m Dave.”
I look across the cabin to see a guy with short dark hair lounging on one of the other beds. “Hey. Miller. You working as a counselor this summer, too?” I ask.
He nods and gets to his feet. “Yeah. Third year here. This your first time?”
I chuckle. “That obvious, huh? I have no fu—no stinking clue what I’m doing.”
Dave tosses his head back in a laugh, and I like him already. “You got the memo on swearing, huh?”
I nod sheepishly. “It’s going to take some getting used to. I tend to drop f-bombs like they’re candy. It’s my mom’s fault.”
“Well, when it’s just staff in the cabins, you can say whatever you want. Most of us try to get into camp mode so we don’t swear when the campers get here, but no one cares if you swear this week. Maybe Brett, but don’t piss him off.” Dave grips the back of his neck with his hand. “I made that mistake last year. He’s scary as shit when he’s mad.”
I can’t exactly picture Brett as scary. “Well, I went to high school with Brett, so he doesn’t scare me. I’ll try to play by the rules, though.” I unzip my duffel and dig through it, realizing as I do that I never picked up that bug spray. Darn it. “Speaking of rules, what are the guidelines for hooking up with other staff members? Someone may have caught my eye on the way in.”
“Just make sure the campers don’t know. That’s the big thing here. Campers are here for fun and to make friends and learn new things and all that shit. They’re not here to hang on counselor gossip and see who is hooking up with who. But after lights out and on your days off, you’re free to do whatever. Or whoever.”
I definitely like this guy. “Nice. Want to show me around this place?”
* * *
The girl is gone when we head out of our cabin, but I make a mental note to point her out to Dave the next time I see her. He seems to know the ropes around here, no pun intended, but he did walk me by the ropes course and tell me all about that. So I’m sure he can give me the dirt on any of the other staff members.
This place really is gorgeous. It’s a huge change from Philadelphia, in a good way. The air smells like pine and something sweet, and there’s all this nature everywhere—trees and a lake and squirrels and stuff. It’s gorgeous.
The lake and trees, that is. Not the squirrels.
I’ll be honest here: I’m not exactly an animal person. I mean, I like pets. But not weird little rats with fluffy tails. Like, what are those tails for? They seem like they’re just for looks, and I for one think it’s a bit extravagant. That’s all.
I look over the playing field appreciatively as we walk by the Sports department. The grass is cut short and even, and a large, green-painted shed sits to one side, where I imagine all the equipment is stored. There’s a baseball diamond in one corner, tennis courts off to the side.
I take a deep breath through my nose, smelling the fresh-cut grass, and it’s almost like I’m back in high school getting ready for lacrosse practice.
“This looks awesome,” I say, motioning to the field with one hand.
Dave nods. “The Sports department is amazing. It’s my favorite, but I’m biased. I’ve worked in this department the last few summers.” He glances over at me. “What department are you going to be in?”
Huh. I didn’t think to ask. “I don’t know, actually. Brett offered me the job last-minute, so I guess it’s wherever he needs me. Hoping for Sports, though.”
Dave gives me a fist bump, and we continue on our tour, meandering past the field to find a large red building with some fenced areas around it. I take a step back when a goat comes trotting right up to the fence.
“Don’t like goats?” Dave asks as he looks at my face.
“What’s to like? They seem evil. Look at those horns. Why are there goats, anyway?”
Dave laughs. “This is the nature barn. It changes every year but this year I think they have a goat and maybe a sheep or two. There are usually some rabbits. I heard something about an alpaca this year and maybe a pony. So, not a nature lover?”
I make a face. “Let’s just say I’d rather do Arts and Crafts than Nature.”
* * *
A few hours after I arrive, we assemble in M-Hall, which apparently stands for something, but I’ve already forgotten what.
I peruse the other staff members as we grab our seats. They all look way, way younger than I am. But they’re mostly welcoming, and all of them so far have laughed at my jokes, so I’ve got that going for me.
Brett goes through some introductions after a camp cheer that was frankly disturbing. Something about a hoo-ha. And it was yelled at a volume that I’m sure people across Lake Winnipesaukee could hear. My ears are still ringing when we split into groups to play something called Two Truths and a Lie.
I look around for the girl from earlier, hoping to finagle my way into her group, but she’s been dragged into a group of people by another counselor.
I wind up sitting in a circle on the floor, criss-cross-applesauce like we’re in preschool. Besides me, my group consists of Dave, who in the past few hours has solidified his position as a new best friend; two other guys that are sharing our cabin; and two girls, both of whom look at least a decade younger than me.
We go around the circle, sharing our two true facts and one lie about ourselves, and I do my best to remember names. There’s Dave, Jackson… and others. I’ll remember them eventually. Probably.
I end up going last, which means I had more than enough time to plan my facts.
“I’m Miller, first timer here at Camp Winnie. Three things about me… well, I play poker professionally. I’ve gone sky diving twice. And I have pictures of Brett from when he was in high school. And stories.” I end with a smirk.
The group appears intrigued but skeptical.
“No way does he have pictures of Brett.”
“He looks like he’s Brett’s age. Sorry, man. But it might be true.”
I shrug off the reference to my age. I don’t really care how old they think I am, honestly. But I’m loving the debate that’s going on, with me firmly at the center of it.
“Two minutes,” Brett announces from the stage.
“Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen,” I say, waggling my eyebrows suggestively.
There are two votes for poker, one for skydiving, and two for Brett. The nice thing about a poker face is that you can lie your ass off and no one can tell.
“It’s skydiving, actually,” I confess. “I’ve gone three times, not twice. And ask me later about those pictures of Brett.”
When we head back to our seats—yes, I groaned a little trying to get up off the floor—the rest of the group follows me and sits close by. I grin to myself.
First friends made. Check.
This time when I look around for the hot girl, I catch her eye. I give her a wink, and she blushes slightly and looks away.
Game on.
* * *
I’m seated near the back of the room, so when we’re excused to head to dinner, I’m the first to the door. I wait patiently for the girl to walk by me and fall into step beside her.
“Hey,” I say.
She offers a polite smile. “Hi.”
“I’m Miller.”
Her expression hardens, completely confusing me. How the fuck did I manage to piss her off with just my name?
Her lips are set in a thin line. “Becca.”
Ah. She’s Becca. The one who hates me already. And while I was already planning to get to know her just based on my physical attraction to her, the fact that she hates me has my competitive spirit firing.
I can get anyone to like me. Just watch.
“Nice to meet you, Becca. This is my first year on staff. Trying to get to know some people, although I think I’ve corresponded with you before.” I grin, hoping to soften her up.
“Nice to meet you.” She does not soften.
If anything, she looks like she hates me even more, which is not something I’m accustomed to.
“What do you do the rest of the year? Are you in school?” I go for small talk, which seems safe. The school thing seems like a safe assumption. Most people who are out of school don’t get their summers free to do things like work at camp.
But instead of answering what seems like an easy question, she somehow seems to get even stiffer, if that’s possible. “I need to catch up to Vivien. It was nice meeting you.”
I don’t even have time to respond before she quickens her steps to join the dark-haired girl she was sitting with earlier. Vivien, apparently.
I shake off the clear rejection as Jackson falls into step next to me.
A challenge. This is going to be fun. And the thrill of the chase makes me want to win her over even more.
“You know Becca?” Jackson says, raising a brow.
“Getting to know her,” I answer honestly. Maybe Jackson has some information on the new object of my affection. “Was she on staff last year?”
He shakes his head. “I remember her from a few years ago when I was a CIT. Counselor-in-training,” he clarifies at my confused expression. “But she hasn’t been here for a few years. I’m glad she’s back.”
Me, too.
I follow the crowd to the dining hall, which is set back a little ways from the beach. From the windows, you can see the lake. I wonder if you get a sunset from this direction, or if it’s sunrise. Maybe I’ll get up early and find out tomorrow.
The tables quickly fill up, and I spot Becca sitting with a table of girls. There’s one chair left. I practically push a guy out of the way to get there before anyone else can claim it.
“This seat taken?” I ask, sliding into it before they answer.
Becca’s lips purse slightly, but she doesn’t say anything as I settle in. She’s the one to fetch the tray of food from the kitchen, and we all share family-style as I learn the other girls’ names.
“So are meals like this when the campers are here, too?” I ask Vivien, reaching for a dinner roll.
She nods. “Lunch and dinner, anyway. Breakfast is a buffet. But the unit heads will assign counselors to tables to make sure there’s always at least one of us at the table, and we’re the ones who get the food. Campers can go up for refills but not the first big trip.” She frowns slightly. “Actually, what unit are you going to be in? It’s really only the Bumblebees and Dragonflies who are allowed to get food from the kitchen. The younger kids aren’t allowed.”
Something else I hadn’t thought to ask. “Not sure. Wherever Brett needs me. How about you?”
Vivien smiles. “Oh, I’m with the Ladybugs. Best unit at camp, if you ask me.”
“Those are the younger kids?”
She nods. “The younger girls. The younger boys are the Fireflies.”
This sparks a little recognition. Dave and I walked past a set of cabins that had a Fireflies sign, not too far from where we’re staying in the Ladybugs cabins.
Seriously, who named these units? An entomologist?
“Well, I’m not sure yet where I’ll be. I was kind of a last-minute addition to the staff, so I’ll be filling in wherever Brett needs me.”
Vivien forks a bite of breaded chicken into her mouth and chews thoughtfully. “Nice. Well, maybe I’ll see you over by the Arts department. That’s where I am this summer. Becca, what about you?”
Becca takes a sip of water and swallows before answering. “I’m also last-minute but I was always a Boating counselor. Up to Brett, though.”
“What’s up to me?” a deep voice says.
I look over my shoulder to see Brett standing beside the table. “Hey! How are you, man?” I stand from my chair and offer my hand.
“Good to see you, Miller.” He clasps it, giving it a shake.
Vivien clears her throat. “Miller and Becca are wondering what units and departments you put them in. The rest of us already know our assignments, other than cabins.”
Brett points to Becca. “Ladybugs and Boating, your usual.”
A smile immediately spreads across her face. Fuck, she really is gorgeous. I cross my fingers that I get an assignment that puts me somewhere I can spend time with her.
I’d do almost anything to get her to smile like that at me.
“And Miller, Fireflies.”
The younger kids? Huh. I hope they don’t wet the bed.
“And I need you in the Nature department,” Brett finishes.
“The goats?” The words pop out before I can come up with a more coherent response. Fuck, I hate those things.
Vivien snickers at the expression on my face. “You don’t like goats?”
Brett folds his arms over his chest. Yeah, I can see how he’d come across as terrifying to a kid. Or to anyone who didn’t know him back when he was struggling to grow a mustache in junior high.
I don’t want to get a reputation as someone who isn’t a team player. I’m here to help Brett out, so I swallow a sip of water while I pull myself together. “Uh, goats are cool. Just surprised.”
Goats are not cool. Goats shit on things and eat things and, I believe, head-butt things.
I am not looking forward to this. Paddling a fucking canoe around the lake would be better than this.
“Good. Have a good night, you guys. See you bright and early for first aid training.” Brett moves on to the next table.
And my mind is hard at work figuring out how I can spend more time with Becca.
Because if she gets to know me, she’ll love me. Everyone does.
But seriously, goats?