Drew

She was so close and I could hear her breath coming out in short gasps. I wanted to close the distance between us but I pulled back.

Mostly because I’d told myself that I wouldn’t touch her tonight. It was enough that we’d become friends. I was making this apology with no strings attached. It seemed like the right thing to do. Which sucked but I was sticking to my principles now having just watched her and Alex at dinner. I wouldn’t be a jerk about it and be angry when I saw them together but I also couldn’t kiss her right after that. I’d practically told him to ask her out.

“All right,” I said instead, sitting back up. “Whisper ‘Camp Winni.’”

I strummed the guitar softly, not wanting anyone to join our song for two. Then we started whisper singing. By the third round, I was ready to sing it louder, and, I hated to admit it, I was having fun.

“Ready to move on,” she whispered scooting closer.

It was a good thing I needed two hands to play my guitar or I might have pulled her closer until she was up against me. “Yep.”

We sang several more songs, Chloe getting more animated with each one. Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight and her smile was infectious. I had to admit, she looked so adorable that it made me like the songs.

We finished up Winni’s version of “Row Row Row Your Kayak” and even I was laughing as Chloe pretended to row her kayak in the sand. Her enthusiasm was infectious and her antics too cute.

I finished strumming the simple notes and a brief silence stretched between us.

She sat down next to me and I could feel her warmth despite the fact that we weren’t touching. “Enough camp songs.” Her shoulder nudged mine. Even that small touch made me tense. Anticipation raced along my skin. “You’re ready for tomorrow. Can I hear you play something else?”

“Sure,” I cleared my throat, a little nervous as I tried to decide what to play on the acoustic. It wasn’t a rock out kind of guitar but it somehow seemed significant if I launched into a ballad. I thought about asking her what she wanted to hear.

Instead, I strummed a few cords and started 311, “Amber is the Color of Your Energy.” My voice was a little deep but I sang it anyway. Chloe sat perfectly still, listening to every note. And I realized what I hadn’t last year. Yes, she was bubbly and silly and a joiner. But she was also quiet, and reflective, and able to listen as well as talk. She was like Alex. But, no offense to my friend, she was so much deeper than him.

As I sang, I saw her blush and her head dropped as she picked at the sand. I knew I was making her uncomfortable but this song reminded me of her. She was beautiful inside and out. Did she know I was singing it for her? Did she think there could be something between us? I wanted to ask.

But I stopped myself. It was more than the thought of Alex that stopped me. What happened when she pulled a Sarah and went off on some amazing vacation I couldn’t afford? Sarah had said it wouldn’t matter but a week into her trip she’d dumped me for some guy she’d met in Paris.

Dumped by my girl and my band in the same week. I can safely say it had been the worst week of my life.

“That was really great,” Chloe gushed as the song ended. I saw her fiddle with the hem of her shorts. “You’re going to do amazing at Boston Conservatory.”

“Thanks,” I said. It was really nice of her to say, and I appreciated the compliment but thoughts of Sarah had ruined a lot of the fun for me. It was pointless to get close to Chloe when I’d likely only open myself to rejection. “We should probably turn in. Big day tomorrow.”

“Oh yeah.” She jumped up, rubbing her hands on her legs, brushing off the sand. She looked everywhere but at me. “Good point.”

“Thanks for your help tonight.” I gave her a little nudge on the shoulder trying to push myself back into the friend zone. It was best that we kept whatever was happening between us platonic.

“Anytime…friend.” She gave me a wave and then turned to leave.

I should have walked with her but my head was spinning and somehow, walking her back made it feel more like a date. I knew I wouldn’t sleep turning over my conversation with her in my head. Not that it changed anything. Chloe and I could only be friends. That was all there was to it. But my pulse raced as I watched her walk away. Somehow, my feelings weren’t cooperating.

* * *

Chloe

What had just happened? One second I felt like we were moving closer together and then the next, boom, I was literally getting pushed away.

And why did it matter? I’d gotten one on one time with Alex tonight and Drew and I were just friends. That was it.

But was I thinking of Alex less and less. And why was it Drew that I looked forward to talking to again? It was his lips I’d thought about touching.

I made my way back to my cabin, brushed my teeth and crawled into bed. The lights were already out and I was so glad not to have to talk to anyone. But my mind kept turning and it felt like hours before I finally fell asleep.

Which made the next morning rough. We all had a group of campers we were assigned to and my first job of the day was getting them all to breakfast. Then I’d teach morning and afternoon swim lessons. That was what I should be thinking of. I wanted a great recommendation out of this, and more importantly, I wanted the campers to have an awesome time. That was what camp was all about.

With that in mind, I put on my happy face. As I marched my campers to breakfast I broke out in song, skipping all the way despite my tired brain.

It was their first day and they deserved it.

But as I went by another group, I mentally cringed. Jason Richardson led them toward the cafeteria. He’d called me Alka Seltzer all summer after he’d heard Drew say it, and it made me crazy. Mostly because he wasn’t smart enough to ever come up with something like that on his own. He was as dumb as he was mean.

“At it again, Alka Seltzer,” he yelled from several feet away. I ignored him, choosing to just keep singing. Guys like that didn’t deserve my time.

“Hey Alka--” but he was cut off by someone else.

“Hey,” a voice yelled from my right.

I searched the crowd and immediately found Drew charging toward us.

“Knock it off, Mason.” Drew’s voice boomed over the other camper’s babble. Several people stopped to watch what would happen.

“My name isn’t Mason, you dumb—“ Jason started.

But Drew cut him off with a sharp laugh. His campers had stopped behind him their eyes huge. “Really, I thought for sure it was Mason. You’re about as smart as a brick so Mason makes complete sense.”

People burst into laughter around us and my mouth fell open. So did Jason’s as he stood there trying to figure out what to say.

But Drew wasn’t done. “She’s a fellow counselor, have some respect. Especially in front of the campers. No one likes to get roasted in front of their own group.” Drew’s eyebrows went up as if his recent display was supposed to teach Jason a lesson.

I hated to tell him, but I was pretty sure that kind of subtly was lost on Jason Richardson.

“Forget you, man.” Jason stormed off with a dirty look, his campers trailing behind him looking back at us.

But Drew didn’t seem bothered at all. In fact, he looked rather amused. “You okay?” he asked turning to me.

“Fine,” I replied nibbling on my lip. I’d appreciated what he’d done but it reminded me a little of the old Drew. Last year’s version. “I feel a little bad for him, actually. I’ve been on the receiving end of that tongue.”

Drew rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I can get a little rough.” Then he cleared his throat. “If I tell you why, promise not to judge me too harshly?”

“Promise,” I said, honestly holding my breath a little. Truthfully, I was glad he was back to being the new Drew that confided in me.

“I was really lucky to get a scholarship to a great school, but everyone had way more money than me, and the guys there weren’t exactly welcoming….I learned quickly that being the loudest and most ruthless meant being left alone.” We started walking toward the cafeteria again as he talked and our campers fell in line behind us.

I blinked. It made perfect sense and I could just imagine how tough that must have been for him. Without meaning too, I reached for his hand, holding it in mine. “Oh man, that kind of sucks. You’re making me so glad that I went to a regular school with a bunch of completely average kids.”

His eyebrows went up then. “You’re not among the ridiculously wealthy?”

I giggled and went to let go of his hand but he held firm. “My parents have an adorable 1800 square foot ranch in Preston, Connecticut. It is the definition of an average American home.”

“The car?” His hand squeezed my hand a little tighter.

I shrugged. “It’s so old, my aunt couldn’t sell it. At least that is what my dad says. So she gave it to me as a graduation present.”

“Camp every year?” He stopped walking. His eyebrows were nearly to his hairline and his mouth was hanging open.

“My grandma paid half my tuition as a birthday present so I could go.” I turned to him then, my head cocking to the side. This conversation was another piece of the puzzle that was Drew McCabe. Honestly, I was having fun trying to solve it. Even more importantly, I got the feeling it was important that I wasn’t rich. “I’m only going to Simmons because I got an academic scholarship. My parents only have to pay for room and board.”

Drew’s other hand had reached for mine. I turned toward him and we stood facing each other, holding hands. No wonder he had such a tough exterior. He’d earned it. And now that I knew that, I kind of wanted to comfort him, wrap my arms around him and pull him close.

“Are we ever going to breakfast?” One of the campers called from the back.

We both laughed and Drew dropped my hands. A little disappointment niggled in my stomach but it was probably better that I didn’t snuggle him in front of a hundred people.

As we started walking, I had this tingling deep inside. Like I wanted to giggle, or scream, or jump or… wrap my arms around Drew. Hold him close and not let go.

Leading the campers inside, I made my way to the cafeteria line, incredibly aware of Drew behind me. So aware, that I didn’t even notice Alex approaching until he was right next to me.

“Hey,” he said, giving me a wave.

“Hi,” I replied, giving him a forced smile. It suddenly felt awkward to talk with Alex with Drew just behind me.

“So, how was your first night?” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and started walking next to me as the line moved.

I glanced back quickly at Drew. He was scowling, and my cheeks heated. I’m sure they were turning a nice bright shade of pink. Was it weird that Drew and I had hung out all night? It couldn’t be right? We had said we were friends and I’d been doing him a favor. Friends did that stuff. “Good. You?”

He shrugged. “I’ll have to see if I can be sports director next year. The late night duty kinda sucks.” He shrugged but I inwardly winced. Didn’t he have a better reason for wanting to be a director than the schedule?

“Yeah,” I answered because I didn’t know what else to say.

“So, question for you.” He gave me a sideways glance. “Tomorrow some of the counselors are doing a beach fire. Want to come?”

“Ah, sure,” I chirped, wondering why excitement wasn’t coursing through me. If anything, I felt a little dread. I snuck a peek back at Drew again. His brows were set low over his eyes, his lips turned down as he glared at us.

“Great,” he put his arm around the small of my back. “I’ll pick you up at your cabin tomorrow night.” Then he gave me wink. “At ten sharp.”

I blinked my eyes several times. This was what I had wanted… a date with Alex. Why did I feel icky inside? Why did I keep looking back at Drew? “Awesome,” I said quietly, looking at the floor.

“Cool. Me and Millie are sitting over at the corner table by the doors. Come find us when you get your food.” Then he turned and left.

I turned back to Drew, not sure what to say but feeling like I should say something. But Drew was practically sneering at me. I started in surprise. This was the guy who had just been holding my hands outside. Had declared me his friend last night.

It looked like snarky Drew was back. He was the one who had declared them friends. Why should he care if she dated his friend?