27. Nat
TWENTY-SEVEN
Nat
It had been a week since our date under the stars, and the magic still lingered between us. Not enough to impede our competitive spirits, but enough that it was starting to feel… fun.
Jack and I made our way up the trail with childlike squeals as we raced to the archery range.
Jack barely beat me there. Stupid longer legs.
Not that it meant anything when we were both doubled over trying to catch our breath as we listened to the end of Sawyer’s explanation on how points worked in the counselor-only archery event before they caught us barging in.
“You’re both late.” They looked between us, along with all the rest of the staff, and I felt my face go even hotter. I was never late. Damn this man, upending my sense of time.
“And out of breath,” Emerson unhelpfully pointed out.
“We’re just getting warmed up. We take the Camp Wars very seriously,” Jack wheezed, and I held back my laughter. I tied a bandana on and noticed Jack did the same, securing his to his bicep just as he had in flag football. All that was missing was the eyeblack.
“Oh. We know.” Hazel’s tone was teasing.
I glanced around at all the cocked eyebrows that told me we had not been good at hiding our rivalry. It was weird being the center of counselors’ attention like this. Why were they so invested? I guessed there had been undeniable tension between Jack and me.
In a way, the fact that they cared felt good. When I was growing up, my family had barely paid attention to me, and I’d tried hard not to care too much about their lack of attention or the fact that I’d never earn their approval.
Apparently, we didn’t give the group what they wanted.
Everyone dispersed and headed to their targets.
I was one of the first to go, having a stare-down with the bull’s-eye fifty feet away from me.
I nocked the arrow and aimed with precision.
It had been years since I’d partaken in this activity, but boarding school meant I’d been exposed to rowing, show jumping, fencing, polo, and, as luck would have it, my favorite, archery.
With a steady breath and determination, I pulled back and let loose.
Bull's-eye. Well, that would shut him up. Only, when I turned to Jack, he didn’t have any cutting remarks.
Instead, he was laughing and clapping like he was rooting for me.
I couldn’t let that thought distract me as I drew back the bow for my second and third targets, getting close to perfect with each of them.
My third shot was so close, Autumn went up to confirm if it was in the bull’s-eye.
It wasn’t, but for not having shot since last summer, not too shabby.
With my turn done, I glanced back at Jack. He gave me a lopsided smile that stunned the butterflies in my stomach. I grinned back and stood in line to watch the others take their shots.
“How many bull’s-eyes can one person get?” Chase practically groaned, but his face said he was proud of me.
“You looked like Katniss out there. Sans braid,” Hazel added.
Felicia mimicked my stance. “Damn, Nat, who knew you were an archery prodigy?”
I rolled my eyes. All of this praise made me blush.
Lamar, Chase, and Emerson took their turns, but no one came close to my score.
Then the real challenge stepped up. Well, maybe he was just a challenge for me.
Jack held everyone’s attention as he aimed.
He looked like he was concentrating too hard, and the shot was nice but not a bull’s-eye.
Two more hits came close but not close enough, proving me to be the victor.
Autumn’s teasing voice came up from behind us. “Didn’t I teach you better than that, Hawthorne?”
Jack threw up his hands in happy defeat. “You can’t expect me to beat perfection.”
Autumn turned away from him, rolling her eyes as if he’d been sarcastic toward me, but I knew Jack’s sarcastic tone, and that wasn’t it.
“Looks like Nat’s the winner,” Autumn proclaimed, and suddenly, Jack’s arms went around me. He picked me up in front of everyone, as if he couldn’t wait to celebrate with me. As if he hadn’t been there competing for himself.
This was all so new, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. I hugged him and then slapped his shoulder. “Put me down, Mr. Lumberjack.”
He complied immediately, still grinning. I had the sudden urge to kiss him, but I remembered our surroundings—and the witnesses. Not to mention, we’d already talked about how that wouldn’t be happening again. So, instead, I raised my hand for a high five.
If he noticed my awkwardness, he didn’t show it. “Nice job, princess.”
His tone was caring and sweet, and the nickname felt fond and not at all mocking like it had the first time Jack had used it. Even in this case, where my spoiled rich girl really was showing, but Jack looked at me with pride for it this time.
And it felt good. I’d done it. Not for my family or the boarding schools where I’d never truly belonged. But for myself. Everything was different at camp. Here, I fit in, and nothing could take that away from me.
“Thanks,” I gushed.
Autumn pulled out a spiral notebook and added a tally to my name.
“All right, people. This isn’t over,” she announced.
“Standings are neck and neck. After this event, Nat is in the lead. But Sawyer, Chase, Jack, and Lamar are all still in it. Which means this could lead to a tiebreaker, so make the talent show count. We’ll have campers vote on who they think the winners are for the talent show on Wednesday. ”
Jack had been secretive about what his talent would be for the next show, though so had I.
I was excited to be performing a song. While I wasn’t as good a singer as Hazel and Leo by any means, I could carry a tune, and I knew how to pick a crowd-pleaser.
So suck it, Jack. This competition, at least the one between the two of us, was in the bag.
I smiled to myself, feeling confident.
Autumn came by my side, breaking my delusional fantasy of winning the competition, shitty little trophy in hand. “Can we talk?”
I stiffened. What could this possibly be about?
“Look, I heard about the whole Gia thing. I’m sorry about the misunderstanding.” Autumn’s face turned serious. She’d never hated me, I knew that, but she’d probably thought the worst of me. Just like Jack. “Jamie saw what happened that night and had to tell Jack.”
I nodded. The truth was that I liked how Jack had people looking out for him. “Don’t worry, Jamie and I can still be friends.”
She hugged me, something we hadn’t done once since camp ended last summer.
I couldn’t fault Jamie for protecting Jack’s heart from a person who didn’t appreciate him.
How could anyone be mad at that? And better yet, how could anyone not appreciate him?
Sure, Jack was a cocky, imposing man, with a love of monster trucks and terrible taste in music, but despite the man’s many, many flaws, he was also becoming important to me.
Maybe being with him was a bad idea, but regardless of what Jack may or may not ever feel, I’d protect his heart, too.
I was meticulously folding clothing while listening to Noah Kahan, which balanced my thoughts that had been oscillating between the high of winning our archery competition and the gentle space of clearing the air with Autumn, when Mandy called.
“Mandy, what’s up?” We didn’t usually speak before her workday was complete.
Her words tumbled out of her. “Just on a break, but I have news. It couldn’t wait.”
“News?” Well, that was vague and disconcerting. Only she sounded happy. I grinned at my phone and put aside the stack of T-shirts. “What sort of news? Spill right now.”
“I’m getting married,” she screamed into the line.
I jumped for joy, not caring if anyone saw me. “Sho proposed? Or did you propose? Back it up right now. Details.”
My sister’s voice trilled upward as she poured out the story in a quick staccato.
“It happened this afternoon. Sho was bummed. I mean, rightfully so. I’m working on our anniversary.
I’d promised to take her out for dinner, but she said she couldn’t wait that long, so we went for lunch instead.
I wasn’t sure what she was up to, but then there was this gorgeous emerald on my appetizer plate and an eager-looking Shoshanna on one knee.
Oh my god, Nat, you should have seen it. I completely forgot how to speak.”
“Congratulations.” I laughed with her, and when she texted me photos of the ring and the two of them together at the restaurant, looking elated, I couldn’t help but be excited. “I’m so happy for you both.”
“I know it’s last minute, but, Natty—”
“Just say when and I’ll be there.”
“Can you come out on Saturday? Please? I need you there,” she squeaked, realizing this was a big ask.
That filled me with shock. “Wait, are you eloping?”
She barked out a laugh. “God, no. Can you imagine? Mom would kill me. But we wanted to do the engagement party this weekend. Cherry Hill had an opening.” Ah, that made more sense.
Cherry Hill Country Club was the Breckenridge family’s preferred venue.
I’d practically grown up there. “Mom’s already setting everything up. You know how she can be.”
Didn’t I know it. “Saturday is fast, but I’ll try. We’ll talk soon, okay?”
“I know you’ll find a way,” she said happily.
I set my suitcase down and packed up my toiletries from Jack’s shower.
I looked longingly at the turquoise decorative tiles and flicked the light off just as quickly.
I was excited to finally have my own space again.
Jack had been putting in extra hours, and it had been an excruciatingly long week of not jumping him every chance I got.