15. Jamie
fifteen
Jamie
“She remembered!” Excitement danced in Ren’s eyes as we eagerly rifled through the care package Lamar had dropped off for us from the Monday mail haul.
My mom had truly thought of everything. The box overflowed with an abundance of our favorite candies: Swedish Fish for her surrogate son, sour Warheads for me.
“I can’t believe you got my mom to do this.”
“Patricia’s her own person.”
I caught a whiff of chai as Ren opened a box of assorted tea bags, then something chocolatey.
He waved a bag of salted caramel hot chocolate at me with a grin.
Alongside the treats were some practical items. Bug spray, sunblock, lip balm, citronella candles that promised relief from pesky mosquitoes, and the newest mystery novel she’d recently finished that would provide hours of thrilling entertainment.
Completing the box of thoughtful gifts were walkie-talkies.
I imagined him using them to communicate in the office if I took too long to respond to his emails once we got back to work and considered hiding them before he saw them.
I snatched a homemade oatmeal raisin cookie from his hand. “That doesn’t negate the fact that she knew about this trip before I did.”
“Snail mail takes time.”
Ren zeroed in on the walkies while I carefully unfolded her handwritten letter.
Mom’s words held the sort of love you could feel, tight as a hug.
A pang of guilt shot through me, reminding me of all the time that had slipped away since I’d last been home.
Living three and a half hours away wasn’t much of an excuse, even though my family supported my career aspirations.
I enjoyed working for Clint and Margaret.
I’d learned a lot over the past five years about case management and reading between the lines.
How to seek out clients and create contracts that served their best interest. A surge of excitement went through me as I recalled our discussion about my accomplishments and why I’d be a good fit for senior associate last week.
It went well, but I knew better than to get my hopes up.
My fellow colleagues each had proven themselves in various degrees as well.
The firm’s promise of better work life balance after I hit this milestone seemed like a pipe dream.
If it was real, I wondered if I’d actually follow through and spend time with my family like I’d promised for years, or if I would continue working this much.
Maybe I did need to rethink how I prioritized my life. Not that they’d ever asked me to.
We didn’t have enough time for me to write a return letter.
I’m sure she wasn’t expecting one, but I resolved to write back before leaving camp.
Ren and I left Mom’s box at my cabin and gathered with the other pods, ready to board the yellow school bus to take us into Wildwood proper.
Leo had on some sort of tour guide getup with a floppy hat that paired perfectly with the ever-present goofy smile that was just part of him.
Hazel sported overall shorts with a bright white tee, and her standard aviators sat on top of her head.
Her outfit was more subtle than Leo’s, and yet the red bandana she tied her hair off with clearly matched his.
A quick buzz against my leg stunned me. Ren pulled out his phone, looked at it, and shoved it back into his pocket as if it had burned him.
“Zachary?” I asked.
Ren’s mood shifted, and he gave me a terse nod before looking back out the window. “He’s having a hard time with a clogged disposal, but he can get his new partner to help him figure it out,” he grumbled, then immediately backtracked. “I’d meant to show him. It can be finicky, you know?”
Ren huffed as he settled farther into his seat.
My best friend wore a rare sad smile, which I hated seeing on him.
As he worked through his recent divorce, this vacation was something he’d needed just as much as I did.
They’d been friends since they were teens, and this was an adjustment for both of them.
“I don’t know how to talk to him anymore.” Ren’s shoulders slumped.
“It might be more than a wonky disposal. Maybe he wants you in his life, you know? I mean, you’ve known each other—”
I’d tried for months to give my friend the pep talk he needed, but he hadn’t been ready.
This time, however, my chance to shine as a friend was interrupted by the dazzling voice of camp owner and Top Gun tour guide herself, Hazel. “Let’s go, campers. Pick a seat, any seat. We’re all friends here.”
Ren faced the window, and the moment passed.
Bumping and bouncing on the bus, I felt like a kid on a field trip. Hazel faced backward in her seat, holding the intercom up as Leo drove. Before Hazel got everyone’s attention, I sought out Autumn. She was easy to spot. We hadn’t talked since that almost-kiss ruined everything.
What had I been thinking? Autumn’s eyes had been filled with indecision. Telling me yes, then telling me never again. The warmth of our bodies, close but not close enough. I’d watched as her tongue moistened her lips and her hand rested on the doorknob before leaving me in the cold.
I blinked away last night’s foolish hope. She didn’t want me like that, not after how things ended before.
Today, she was as gorgeous as I’d ever seen.
Her hair showed more blonde, catching the sunlight as it swayed behind her, tied back in a way that had half of the locks in her face.
The other half was secured tightly, as if she’d given up on pulling it all back but hadn’t wanted to lose her don’t fuck with me look.
I kept stealing glances, hoping to draw her gaze back to me, but it didn’t work.
She was bubblier than I’d seen her the entire trip, possibly to distract from the fact that she was uncomfortable being within ten feet of me.
Or maybe I was being ridiculous, and it was just a blip of her strange week.
Icing me out, she gave Hazel her full attention. Guess I needed to as well.
A vibrant stack of bright yellow papers suddenly dropped into my lap.
I took one for Ren and me and passed the rest down to Emerson, who sat behind me, before scanning the scavenger hunt checklist. The list would take us through Wildwood’s Main Street.
We were tasked with gathering items and pictures from various locations in town to complete the list.
“This isn’t the honor system, people,” Sawyer exclaimed, distributing Polaroid cameras to each pair on the bus. “The first place prize is far too valuable to award without photographic evidence.”
Ren checked ours, ensuring the film was loaded and the viewfinder was clear, while I continued to peruse the list.
“Wait, what’s the prize this time?” Leo asked.
“Well, I’m glad you asked.” Hazel waved a stack of gift cards.
“The winners will receive gift cards to Wildwood Books, and”—she tapped her hands on the top of a bus seat like a drumroll—“a nifty keychain that says, ‘I’m the best.’” She pulled a blue and white plastic key ring from her fanny pack and dangled it from her finger as people oohed and ahhed.
She explained the rules, most of which were predictable.
Except the one prohibiting us from discussing fishing with the mayor if we encountered her in town, and under no circumstances were we to mention the Santa Run—an annual costume holiday race that came to blows each year.
We were also warned not to speak with the owner of the diner, unless we wanted to delve into the three different ways to prepare a tuna melt sandwich, then be goaded into trying all three variations.
Autumn’s voice rang out, interrupting Hazel’s explanation. “Not sampling each sandwich because you ‘dislike tuna’ is an insult to Wildwood and Wanda’s Diner,” she playfully shouted.
Jack practically giggled next to her. Tearing my eyes away from them, I returned my attention to Hazel.
“We’re not going to talk about that.”
Autumn’s laughter at Hazel’s mock outrage was contagious as the bus started laughing and commenting. Across the aisle, four seats ahead, the sound of her delight drew me in, and I feared she would disappear like she had last night.
The counselors weren’t taking part in the scavenger hunt.
Something about how it wouldn’t be fair since they knew every nook and cranny in this adorable town.
Jack passed out pens to our group, and I shied away.
The idea of talking with him about what I saw last night gnawed at me again.
I was between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, his relationship wasn’t my business, and it’d been dark that night.
Who knew what I actually saw? On the other hand, he was important to Autumn and an altogether decent guy.
He knew the new Autumn, this sarcastic, gorgeous goddess of a camp counselor.
I knew the past version of her, and she’d always been an excellent judge of character.
She’d chosen Jack as a best friend, and I liked the idea of maybe having him as a friend, too, as presumptuous as it sounded.
“Don’t forget to get a stamp at each place you visit. Except for the post office. Mabel’s ferret was the last to see it,” Hazel pointed out.
“Which reminds me, if you see a snake-like rodent carrying around a handstamp proudly, please get it out of his clutches. Bribe him with anything he wants,” Leo implored. “Bonus points will be awarded.”
Next to me, my bouncing best friend was delighted to take part in this ridiculous hunt. He offered me a piece of his favorite candy, which of course my mother somehow knew he favored.
“Think I’m her favorite son yet?” he ribbed me.
“Just stop.” I grinned wide. “You’re not my mom’s favorite kid… Not yet, anyway.”
Ren busted up laughing. He was the goofiest, most random friend I could ask for, and I loved that he and my family got along so well.
The package Mom had put together solidified what we already knew.
Ren was already part of our family. His parents hadn’t been around.
He had an amazing younger brother, and he’d been close to his in-laws, but with the divorce this year, things would be different.
I was grateful my mom remembered his favorite candy.
The thought settled nicely as he popped another bright red fish into his mouth.
His sour mood had completely evaporated.
Briefly, I let my mind wander to Autumn as if it were my new default setting.
Would her parents send her a care package for a weeklong trip or maybe for her first week on the job?
I doubted it from what I remembered of Nancy and Robert, not that they were cold, but I couldn’t imagine they’d be thrilled with Autumn’s dropping out of Stanford and her current career choice.
Even if it was the happiest I’d ever seen her.
Before that thought could take root, the bus parked with a thud, and campers stood up, stretching and moving about as if we’d been on the bus for the past three hours and not fifteen minutes.
“And that’s why we don’t mess with the half-done puzzle at the salon.” Hazel’s cheeks were bright as she finished the rules with a laugh.
My eyes moved unconsciously to Autumn again, and this time, she turned away so quickly, her lips in a firm I’m not talking to you right now line. The message was received, and yet my lips tipped up. She’d been looking for me too. I was right here.