GEORGE

My first thought was, oh fuck.

My second thought was—who the hell names their kid Juniper when their last name is Jones? That was sadistic. Though I supposed my name wasn’t any better. George-Arthur Milton sounded like the name you’d give a man from the 1800s with a handlebar mustache and a briefcase as he ‘harrumphed’ across the counter at a bank teller.

My heart was in my throat as Roddy turned back to me with an oblivious grin. “I’ll wave them over.”

Dear God, don’t wave them over.

Don’t wave them over, don’t wave them over, don’t wave them over.

He waved them over.

Juniper and Alex made a beeline for us, but not before the tiny soon-to-be bride downed the beers she’d been clutching and belched into the sunny afternoon air with importance. The crowd of flannel-wearing, BBQ-devouring men cheered like she was the Second Coming of Christ. Juney grinned, hiking up her massive, blue ball gown till her cowgirl boots poked out, so she could stomp her way over.

Alex was a shadow behind her, though I could see his eyes twinkling from all the way over here.

Fuuuuck me.

Seriously.

Joe appeared out of nowhere, latching onto Juniper’s arm with a grin of his own as he escorted the two dark-haired siblings toward my throne of shame and Roddy’s expectant smile. It hurt a little, honestly, seeing how open he was with them. I envied that easiness. I’d never had an easy time making friends. I knew I was prickly, but I’d never known how to be anything but…me. Roddy had always liked me, despite this. Although even he had complained frequently enough, so I wore that insecurity like a brand beneath my skin.

It didn’t take long for the little group to reach us. When they arrived, Joe split from the pack and sidled up next to me like a loyal hound on my side of the table, his corn-flour hair glistening. He smelled like sunscreen and sweat and something distinctly meaty. I grimaced. 

“See, told you he was cute,” Joe whispered way too loudly in my ear. 

And then his words hit me.

Motherfucker.

Motherfucking-shitball-christ-on-a-cracker-all-mighty.

Alex’s eyes only grew more sparkly. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought he was a shark in the water, feasting on the scent of my frustration in place of blood. He was watching me, an evil little glint in his eyes like he was a cartoon villain ready to rub his hands together with glee.

“So we meet again,” he hummed, clearly having gotten over the stabbing incident. Or maybe he was just waiting for the right moment to bring it up again and humiliate me. Knowing my luck, he’d tell my goddamn mother what a stabby-little-stabber I was.

I lamented my life.

“Why didn’t you ride with us?” was the first thing I blurted out. No hello, no suave how-do-you-do’s from me, nope. I went straight for the neck like a rabid bulldog.

“Juney wanted to pick me up,” Alex cocked his head at me, his shoulders relaxed, lips twitching playfully. “Did you miss me?”

“Miss you?” I spluttered, cheeks burning as Joe stared down at me with blue-eyed amusement. Roderick was also looking, and I was ready to burst from the attention. This was not at all how I’d pictured this encounter going—the whole day, really.

“You two met?” Joe asked curiously, and my entire body exploded, red-hot and itchy with mortification.

“That was me.” Juniper grinned, wiggling in excitement. “I’m the one that bought the tickets. Thought you know…all things considered—”

With horror, I realized what was happening.

They were trying to set us up.

All three of them.

Scratch that—all four. Because clearly, Alex was in on the joke. Or maybe he was just an asshole? That was a possibility too.

“I figured it would be entertaining,” Alex tacked on, proving my point as he cackled like a little hyena beneath his hot-guy facade. Evil. He was evil.

“You figured it would be—” My jaw was flopping so much it might as well have been a fish out of water.

“Entertaining, yes.” Alex’s grin sparked brighter, and he dropped his head to mock whisper across the horrible Christmas bauble-themed tablecloth at me. “I was right. It was entertaining.”

“And you didn’t—” I shook my head in disbelief, “You didn’t think to warn me that you knew who I was? That you were—” I waved my hands at him, encompassing all his mischievous, huge-muscled shittery.

“That I was what?”

I glared at him, spluttering for a moment before inevitably calming and narrowing my eyes. “You’re a little shit.”

Joe gasped. Roddy gasped. Juniper gasped.

“I don’t know if I’d classify myself as little,” Alex shrugged, emphasizing his point as his massive shoulders pushed at the snug fit of his cotton T-shirt.

I hadn’t known it was possible to grow even redder or angrier. Apparently, Alex had a knack for helping me surpass my limits. Suddenly the table between us became a massive problem as my whole body burst with fury. I exploded out of my seat and practically shoved my way around the table to get up in Alex’s face. Joe reached for the back of my shirt to stop me, but I dodged his hand, my chest heaving as I stood nose to nose with the bane of my existence. Alex was a few inches taller than me, but that didn’t stop me from glaring down my nose at him.

Smug bastard only leaned closer, his breath fanning my cheek as he shifted imperceptibly till his feet bumped against mine. His eyes were prettier up close, and that thought only made me angrier. How dare he be so smug—and so hot—at the same time. I wanted to wipe the smile right off his face.

“Artie—” Joe admonished, frozen in disbelief as I fisted the front of Alex’s shirt, trying not to be unfairly affected by how warm he was or his now familiar scent. I had no idea what the hell a guy like him was doing in my parents’ overgrown backyard. He shouldn’t be here. My nostrils flared, and Roderick’s eyes widened as he glanced helplessly between the two of us.

Everyone expected a fight.

Except Juniper, who cackled gleefully as I watched the way Alex’s lashes fluttered, noting the flecks of gold in his pale blue irises. He was hot against me, sweat beading at the hinge of his collar as I shoved up against his deliciously full, muscular chest. We were close enough that I could feel his breath fan along my cheek.

He should’ve been frightened.

Clearly, I was unhinged.

And then he did the thing I’d least expected and…he laughed.

Loud and unrepentant. His eyes crinkled with amusement as he tossed his head towards the fluffy white clouds above and let loose a chuckle warmer than dark chocolate on melted marshmallows. The tension bled away from the rest of the group as Alex cackled, and Juniper joined in again, nudging up against him like they were a pair of gleeful little hyenas. Though their size was vastly different, their evil glee might as well have made them twins.

I regretted coming home.

This was the universe’s way of punishing me for dropping my dildo in a public place. I was in hell.

“I like you, Georgie,” Alex told me, dipping his head down again till our noses brushed, and I was forced to stumble back for fear of touching more of him. I tingled all over, the hair on my arms raising as my heart beat an unsteady staccato in my chest.

Calm down.

“Well, I don’t like you.” I hissed back, only to hear Joe sigh as he threw his hands in the air as if to say, ‘this. This is why you’re single.’

As if I didn’t fucking know that already.

***

I ran away. Again. Except I played it cool this time, pretending like I heard my mother calling me. In reality, if I had to deal with Alex’s eyes on me for another second, I would explode and do something that would get me uninvited from my own home.

So, yeah.

I piled up a plate of potluck delicacies and retreated to the sandbox to eat beside the only people I decided I still liked.

“Unca Art.” Mavis stared at me from behind her sandcastle with her huge brown eyes, and I relaxed.

“Hi.”

“Why are you so red?” she asked, uncaring of my own embarrassment. I waved a hand at myself, fanning the heat from my cheeks as I shrugged.

“It’s hot out.”

“Okay.”

Joey Jr. peeled by us with a squeal, his inflatable bat held high enough to block the sun as he paused, clearly shocked to see me sitting in the sand.

“Ew.” His whole face scrunched up, and my brow furrowed in confusion as I glanced down at myself to try and figure out what I’d done to elicit such a firm announcement of disgust.

“Pickles.”

Ah. Pickles. I glanced down at my plate and laughed, grabbing the offending item and waving it at him.

“Want some?”

The wrinkles of disgust on Joey’s face multiplied before he shook his head quickly and ran off again.

“I like pickles,” Mavis told me importantly, like that simple fact made her much better than Joey. “And I’m only four.”

“Good for you.” I offered her my pickle because what else was I supposed to do?

“Thanks.” Her chubby little fist was covered in sand as she closed it around the pickle and brought it to her face. She took a thoughtful bite, shrugged, and shoved the rest into her mouth in a single go.

“Good, right?”

“Good.” Her words were muffled around her mouthful, but she did grace me with a tiny-toothed smile that made my heart throb. I snorted, hiding my smile behind my hand. I thoroughly wiped the remaining pickle juice off my fingers before grabbing my sandwich. I was lucky they’d had napkins at all. Mom tended to forget that.

Just like she’d clearly forgotten that I was here.

I could see her chatting with Roddy, her rounded body swathed in a dress so colorful it was bound to stop traffic. Her blonde hair was piled high on her head, voluminous in a way that looked like it belonged in a Dr. Seuss cartoon, not small-town Ohio.

All her friends looked like that, though, so I figured she might fit in that way.

Mavis was good company. She only stole about half of my food. She was a tiny, adorable garbage disposal with one pigtail loose. I figured maybe Joey had broken the hair tie when he’d been whacking her earlier.

There was screeching in the distance and a whole lot of swearing. I glanced up, concerned, only to realize that Joey Jr. had somehow managed to injure himself in the five minutes since I’d seen him last.

His mom, Nancy, possibly the nicest human I’d ever met, was consoling him, but it wasn’t doing much. The festivities were at a standstill, the group of beer-wielding adults glancing awkwardly from side to side at each other as Joe bounded his way down from the porch where he’d been helping my dad at the grill.

“I’m dying!” Joey yelled, sprawled on the ground, his voice wet with tears.

It was easy enough to hear Nancy’s quiet murmurs in the awkward silence.

“It’s just a scratch, baby. You’re okay—”

“There’s so much blood—” Joey Jr. continued.

If I knew where my backpack was, I could’ve brought out my first aid kit, but as it was, I rose and slowly made my way over, ready for damage control. Sometimes parenting took a whole tribe of adults.

I paused halfway there, deterred, when I realized that Alex had stopped beside Nancy and was currently trying to console Joey Jr.

Which was…kinda cute.

He looked massive where he crouched next to my distressed sister-in-law, his frame dwarfing her in the same way Joe’s always had.

“Mom,” Joe called, frowning down at his son, “I couldn’t find your first aid kit in the bathroom.”

Mom’s voice echoed loudly through the air, where she yelled over Roddy’s shoulder back to him. “That’s because it went with Rebecca to Sunny’s football game yesterday.”

“Rebecca isn’t here,” Joe pointed out, and my mom sighed, throwing up her hands as if to say obviously.

“I’ll never get Christmas again!” Joey Jr. called, “I’m gonna die before my next game. Coach is gonna be so mad—and my birthday is next month…” The more he talked, the more distressed he became, his wailing soon turning nonsensical.

I pushed through my own discomfort and took another step forward only to stop in horror as I watched Joe sling my backpack off his back and into his arms.

“S’okay, bud. Uncle Art usually has one on him.”

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

This could not be happening!

Murphy’s law was a sad, vicious bitch.

My life flashed before my eyes. Visions of shiny silicone Hell blinded me as a cold sweat broke out across my forehead. I hurried forward, my cry of panic stuck like a lump in my throat. But I knew I was too far away to stop the inevitable.

This moment would live in infamy at every family gathering for the rest of my life. I could see my future now. George-Arthur, banished to Hell because his older brother dropped his dirty airport-dildo on top of his wounded nephew’s head.

No.

No.

Joe’s hand went for the zipper, and a part of my soul died as I heard the first quiet ziiiip. Maybe it was my imagination, but it seemed like the entire crowd had stopped to stare at him. Alex was right there. His blue eyes wide as he stared between Joe and myself, quickly rising to his feet.

Here came the moment he would completely crush me. The second the dildo fell to the ground, he was bound to point at it and laugh. I wouldn’t blame him either. Really, this was my fault. Nine-inch-Neil’s betrayal would live on forever. 

I should’ve put him in the other pocket.

Before I could quite literally die, something totally unexpected happened.

Alex’s jaw ticked tight with determination, brow lowered as he reached out with his meaty fingers and snatched the backpack right out of Joe’s hands.

“I got it, man,” he hummed, a quiet rumble. The only reason I heard it was because, in my panic, I’d managed to get close enough to enjoy a front-row seat to my humiliation. Except. That wasn’t what had happened. My teeth clenched tight as Alex glanced up at me one last time, a dark curl falling across his forehead in a cheap Clark Kent impression as he flashed me a smile and then turned around.

I almost fell to my knees in relief.

I wasn’t out of dangerous waters yet, though—suspicion flickering in my chest as I waited to see what he would do next.

Alex’s broad shoulders shifted as the zipper opening echoed through the quiet. He was quiet as he scrounged around inside my bag for several endlessly painful seconds. I released a burst of tension when he finally pulled out the first aid kit I always carried with me and tossed it to my brother with a practiced flick of his wrist. Perfect aim. The bastard. “There.”

“Thanks.” Joe had a question in his voice, but neither of us answered as I finally crossed the last of the distance between us; my cold sweat turned hot as I watched Alex toss the backpack over his own shoulder, his gaze flickering to mine again.

My cheeks burned as I looked away, unsure of what to do with the ache of gratitude that filled my heart.

Alex had saved me.

Joey Jr. continued to wail as Joe crouched down beside him, murmuring softly as he opened my kit and began cleaning up the, frankly, tiny cut I finally spotted on his elbow. It was so small it took nearly a solid minute for me to find it.

Joey Jr. was apparently dramatic.

Cute though.

“It hurts!”

“I know, bud.” Joe slapped the bandage on before reaching to help him up. Joey refused, though, laying there like a dead fish, his cheeks streaked with tears. It was clear the party was over unless we got him going. The awkward silence had drawn on too long, and I opened my mouth to offer him something—anything—but…once again, Alex beat me to it.

“Wanna hit me with your baseball bat?” Alex asked, smiling down at Joey’s tear-streaked, ruddy cheeks.

“How many times?” Joey Jr. sniffed suspiciously.

“As many times as it takes for you to forget about your cut.”

“Deal.” Joey launched to his feet, thoroughly distracted, as he dragged Alex away, tiny fingers wrapped around his wrist. Alex gave me one last lingering glance over his shoulder before he turned away again, escaping with both my nephew and my backpack.

Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all?

“Has your Uncle Arthur always had anger problems?” Alex asked Joey, loud enough for the entire town to hear.

Joe started laughing, which caused the rest of the crowd to join in, my mother included. I glared at him, hoping my stare would burn holes in his back.

I took it all back.

Alex was the worst.

***

I managed a week at home while avoiding Alex at every turn. I even orchestrated an escape the time he came over to return my backpack. I saw him, of course, because apparently, he was staying across the street at Roddy’s place. But I’d been lucky enough to be assigned as my mother’s errand runner which meant I spent most of my days driving her minivan far, far away from Alex and his mischievous blue eyes.

Despite the distance, however, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

I lay awake at night on the trundle beneath Mavis’s bed, staring out the window where I could see the lights beaming from Roddy’s place. They were up all hours of the night preparing for the campout. As much as my mom was helping, there was so much to do that Roderick’s family never seemed to sleep. It was always loud over there too. Louder than it was over here—even considering that my mother often forgot most of us were old enough that we didn’t need her to yell at us for us to listen.

Joe had offered for me to stay at his place since my bedroom had been turned into my mom’s craft room, but I’d refused. As much as I complained, the real reason I’d wanted to come into town was because I’d missed my mom. Not that I’d ever admit that. She’d probably pinch my cheeks so hard they’d fall onto the floor like abused pancakes.

I’d missed her.

I’d even missed her nosiness.

She was—incredibly nosy, that was.

“You know the car’s basically full,” she told me the day before we were due to head down to Hocking Hills and the cabins that had been rented for the wedding celebration. Why we needed two entire weeks down in the forest, I had no idea. But it wasn’t my wedding—so.

Honestly, thank God. If this was what Roddy would’ve wanted with me, we would’ve gotten divorced before we even finished planning the wedding.

“Almost full,” I agreed. “I’ll ride in back with Mavis.”

“You can’t keep hiding behind your niece,” Mom admonished, and I glared at her, crossing my arms over my chest.

“What am I hiding from?”

She blinked. She blinked again. Her eyes narrowed, and I watched her lips move, but no sound came out. It was like she didn’t think I knew her.

“I hope to God you’re not trying to hook me up with Juniper’s brother,” I told her, glaring down at where she was packing the last of the cooking supplies in one of the ten coolers we were hauling over in Joe’s truck.

“Why—I’d never—”

“Yes you would. And you are.” I glared at her and grabbed the last bag of bacon before slapping it into her sturdy little palm. “I know you.”

She sniffed, “Well you’re wrong.”

“I’m sure.” I tried to hide my smile, but I couldn’t help it. Mom was a horrible liar. When she did it, she looked like a naughty pug, tail between her legs, face all scrunched up in a way that she didn’t notice made it obvious.

“I’m riding with Mavis.”

“Fine, fine.” She sighed, clearly giving up on me. She sniffed, pausing, “But you can’t blame me can you? You’re the only one of my kids that hasn’t paired off.” Her voice was wet and raw. “I worry about you, that’s all.”

Her face did the scrunched-up pug thing again, and I hid my smile against my shoulder, shaking my head.

“You just want more grandbabies.”

“Arthur!” She slapped my arm, but then her face twisted into a wry little grin. “Can you blame me? It’s been a dry period.” Her tall blonde hair bounced.

“It’s only been a year since Greg and Becca had Delilah.”

“Yes, well. They live in Vancouver now. I hardly see them.”

“You hardly see me.”

“Well, you’d visit wouldn’t you? If you had babies.”

I paused, honestly floored, as I realized why this conversation was happening in the first place. As always, Mom’s heart was in a good place, even if she’d gotten to her destination in the most roundabout way possible.

“I should visit more anyway,” I concluded, only to watch the tension bleed away from her shoulders and her lips twist up into a little smile.

“You should.”

I leaned down and kissed her cheek, figuring the whole thing was resolved.

It was not resolved.

***

The next day as we lined up to fill the cars, I moved to climb into the back of the minivan only to discover that my spot was full. Roderick smiled at me and waved. I was so surprised to see him that I did a double take, glancing between him and chubby Mavis, where she had a stuffed lion tucked protectively in her lap, its mane almost as matted as her own hair.

I’d watched Lacey comb it just that morning, so it was a mystery how she’d managed to get it that messy that quickly.

Toddler magic.

Was she even a toddler anymore?

What was the cut-off time for toddlers? Two? Three?

“What are you doing in my mom’s car?” I asked, surprised by how bitter I sounded. Shit. I cleared my throat, softening my voice. “I thought…you would be riding with your fiancé?”

“June wanted to ride with Mom, and their whole car is full of coolers.”

“The ten coolers aren’t the only coolers?”

“Nah.” Roderick shrugged. “Anyway. I ended up booted out of my spot and your mom offered to take me.” He offered me the same cheeky grin that had made me weak-kneed in high school. Now it just made me want to pull my hair out.

“So where am I…” I glanced over my shoulder as I felt a familiar heated presence begin to warm up my back. No.

No.

“I’ve got a free spot in mine.” Alex’s voice echoed cheerily. “It’s only a three-hour drive.” His fingers bunched around my shoulders as he steered me away, clearly not accepting no as an answer.

Lacey watched us from where she was climbing into the front seat with an interested flare to her eyebrows. Mavis’s pink unicorn backpack was tucked protectively in her arms, and I mouthed, ‘help’ at her, widening my eyes to show how dire the situation was, only for her lips to quirk up into a smile before she turned away and completely ignored me.

Betrayed.

On all fronts.

“I don’t want to go with you,” I complained petulantly at Alex as he steered me away, only for my mother’s voice to ring through the air like a gavel.

“George-Arthur Milton, your mama didn’t raise you to be such an ungrateful little shit.”

I flushed bright red, and my head sunk low in shame at the same time Alex’s thumbs rubbed soothing circles into the soft cotton of my T-shirt. It made me feel at least a little better. Though I did admittedly feel about two inches tall.

“Sorry.” I muttered, and Alex hummed, his voice rumbling way too close to my ear.

“S’okay, Twinky.” Ugh. “You have three hours to make it up to me.”

Three hours?

Christ on a cracker.

***

The nice thing about riding with Alex was the fact that I got to sit in the front seat. The not-so-nice thing about riding with Alex? I got to sit in the front seat. Sitting in the front seat meant being forced into conversation with the man. There was no escape. I hadn’t even thought to unpack my headphones because I’d been too nervous to listen to my usual barrage of smutty audiobooks when I was two feet away from my niece. 

“So…” Alex started, interrupting our first fifteen minutes of blissful silence. “Everyone calls you Arthur.”

Okay.

I could work with that. This was fine.

This was all fine.

Be polite, George.

“I went by Arthur for most of my childhood.”

“So why switch?” He cocked his head at me, looking unfairly gorgeous where he reclined, relaxed and golden, his sunglasses perched atop his nose. His rental car was pristine other than a half-empty Diet Coke sitting in the driver’s side cup holder.

I figured everyone had their vices, but it was nice to see that Alex wasn’t untouchable after all.

Coke head.

“You want the real answer or the one I tell everyone else?” I asked, surprised by the fact I was offering him a choice at all. Maybe it was the fuck-it mentality. I didn’t care what Alex thought of me. My mom, though? Jesus.

“The truth, obviously.”

“Okay.” Even though I’d offered the information, I still chewed on my lip, debating how best to deliver it. I wasn’t really…chatty. Especially when it came to talking about myself. Honestly, people never really asked.

I was incredibly gifted at delivering the usual ‘I’m good’ though. Everyone always believed me, even if I wasn’t good. I wasn’t sure if that was because I was an excellent liar though, or if people just generally didn’t give a fuck.

“My ex called me Arthur and it really fucked me up.”

Alex’s jaw clenched, and I watched the muscle twitch as he switched gears, silent for once. “He treat you badly?”

Oh.

I hadn’t been expecting that. My cheeks flushed. “He wasn’t abusive or anything,” I wasn’t sure if that was necessarily true or not. But I wasn’t going to dive into years of emotional dating trauma with a cute man when I was stuck in the car with him for hours. It would scare him off.

Except, isn’t that what I wanted?

To scare him off.

No-dicking-zone, remember?

“Yeah, you could say that.” I admitted, curious to see how Alex would react. “He was a liar.” I shrugged. “He’s the reason I swore off men entirely.”

Alex arched an eyebrow, glancing at me from overtop his shades. “For good?”

“I guess.”

“That’s a shame.”

My cheeks heated up again, and I ducked my head, glaring out the window at the rolling cornfields, trying to get my breathing under control.

“Stop hitting on me if you don’t mean it.” I growled instead of looking at him, and Alex just laughed, that same low rumbling chuckle.

“Who says I don’t mean it?”

“Shut up.”

My heart was throbbing in my chest as I reached over and slammed the button to turn up the radio, glaring at the numbers on the dash till the crooning notes of pop music filled the cabin loud enough I didn’t have to listen to Alex talk anymore.

If I stole a few glances at him, though, who would tattle? Not me.

Definitely not.

Maybe he touched me too much too. Just brushes of fingers along my thighs, across my shoulders, as he unnecessarily checked my seatbelt after we’d stopped for a coffee break at a gas station. He didn’t push me again, though. He let me have my silence.

My stomach growled when we were getting close to the turnoff leading into the mountains. No doubt mom was already at the cabins cooking up a storm, but despite this, Alex pulled off the street and headed toward a local diner.

“Where are we going?” He hadn’t said anything. He’d just smiled at me, dark brows quirking upwards as he pulled into a parking spot and flipped the ignition off.

“I’m hungry,” he hummed, not giving me a chance to protest before he was out of his seat and heading around the car. To my surprise, he opened my door for me, gesturing magnanimously to the side for me to head in front of him.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I protested, my cheeks pinking up.

“After you, your majesty.” Alex teased, ignoring me again.

Rude.

I got out of the car, glaring at him the whole time before stomping my way into the diner. Alex whistled appreciatively, no doubt just to make me uncomfortable again.

“Hate to see him leave, love to watch him go,” he called after me, and I flipped him off.

***

The food was actually surprisingly good. Greasy, but good. I enjoyed my fries probably a little too enthusiastically, hiding my chewing behind my napkin as I watched Alex demolish a massive mushroom Swiss burger. He wiped up the leftover sauce with one of the fries from my plate, grinning at me as I rolled my eyes.

I ate slower than he did by a good margin. My bites were normal bites, clearly, and his were gigantic.

“Like a baby bird,” Alex cooed thoughtfully, leaning on his hand as he watched me. His watch glinted in the sunlight that streamed through the window, and I glared at him.

“Shut up.”

“What?” He teased, his foot kicking out till it brushed up against mine. “I never said it was a bad thing.” He cocked his head, messing with me again, his blue eyes flashing. “It’s cute.”

“I’m not a bird.”

“Chipmunk then?” Alex perked up. “I could see that. Though…there’s another kind of nut I’d like to see you stick in your mouth.”

I kicked him.

Hard.

He just laughed, reaching down to rub his shin as his eyes twinkled and his dimples flashed. “You’re cute when you’re mad. You get this little furrow between your brows. All prissy.”

“Alright Mr. I-wear-designer-watches-on-a-camping-trip. Call me prissy?”

I expected him to quip back, to flirt again, to smile—anything. Instead, he clammed up, his eyes growing ice cold and dark as he slid his feet back to his side of the table. The friendly atmosphere was gone, and I missed it the moment it disappeared. I swallowed the lump in my throat, regret burning bright in my chest.

As much as I complained, I actually kind of liked the way he messed with me. Even if it wasn’t real, it still made me feel desirable.

I didn’t know how to fix whatever I’d done.

I finished my food in silence, floundering for the words I needed to get back the friendly atmosphere we’d had up until I’d opened my big mouth. The waitress came over to take the bill, and I flapped around uselessly, quickly procuring my wallet and sliding my card to her before Alex could.

“Split or together?” she asked without looking up, tucking my card into her clipboard, clearly waiting for Alex’s as well.

“Together.” I hurried to announce, glancing over at Alex to find that he was staring at me. He cocked his head thoughtfully to the side, watching me with an unreadable look on his face.

“Treating me on our first date, how gentlemanly of you.” Alex hummed, lips quirking upwards, and the tension I’d been carrying since I fucked up slipped away as I relaxed in relief.

“You wish.”

***

We were the last to arrive at the cabins. There were four of them, all knit together in a clearing surrounded by trees covered in leaves as pale as green grapes. The cabins were fairly large; though, despite that, it was clear the housing situation was going to be more complicated than I’d realized.

Especially as we pulled into the driveway, and I was shocked to note that Roddy’s family had begun to set up tents along the border of the valley just a few hundred yards below the fire pit.

“Tents?” I asked, clearly alarmed because Alex took pity on me and answered without his usual teasing.

“There were supposed to be six cabins but the listing got double booked. Roderick and Juney had to get last-minute accommodations and this was the biggest place they could find.”

“So how many are…?”

“The wedding party. Bridesmaids, groomsmen, the senior members of the crew, as well as all the kids.”

“And the rest of us?”

“We’re in the tents.” My cheeks burned bright red as I stared in horror at the plastic monstrosities.

“I want to go home.” I decided immediately, turning back to him. “Take me back. I’ll pay for gas.”

“It’s really not that bad.” Alex grinned, “Didn’t you ever go camping with your siblings? You have a bunch right?”

“Yes.” I glared at him, “That is exactly why I know I’ll hate it.”

“It’ll be fine.” Alex reached over to squeeze my shoulder, and it was unfair how the heat of his grip made me melt.

No boys. No boys. No boys.

Stop it, heart, you traitorous whore.

“Why do you hate it?” Alex asked instead of ignoring my fears and forcing me from the vehicle.

“The bugs. The animals. The…dirt.”

Alex cocked his head, eyes narrowed in thought as he tapped his lip. “We still get to use the showers so the dirt isn’t so much a problem. I’ve got bug spray, and the yard is fenced off. I think you’re safe.”

“What about snakes? Snakes can go under fences.”

“How about this? If you see a snake, all you need to do is yell and I’ll come running.” He was teasing me again, that humorous twinkle in his eyes, but I couldn’t help the way his words soothed me despite this.

“Do you mean that?”

“Of course I mean that, Twinky. You have my word.” He held out his hand, his pinky extended, dark brows raised. I stared at his hand for a second, unsure how to proceed. “What? You’ve never done a pinky swear before?”

“Of course, I’ve pinky sworn,” I huffed, my heart fluttering. It was just…this was my first time touching him. Really touching him. Without the violence. Without him having touched me first. I swallowed, my heart fluttering as I reached out tentatively to lock our pinkies together. His was thicker than mine—warmer, too—and he smiled, giving me a squeeze before releasing.

“What if your tent is way far away from mine?”

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

I didn’t realize until later why he’d been so adamant it would be fine. Because as we were dragging our backpacks from the car, it became abundantly clear that the tents were not only in the wild but they would need to be shared. I hoped I didn’t get paired with someone that snored. Or…God…someone that didn’t use deodorant.

My family, I trusted.

Roderick’s? Not so much. I’d grown up with them, after all.

I went to find my mom, figuring she was the one that would know which tent I was in. Alex had split off at some point, flagged down by his sister and her gaggle of cowgirl boot-wearing bridesmaids. I couldn’t help the way a little flare of jealousy buzzed inside my chest at the thought of a gaggle of women fawning over him.

Which was silly.

It wasn’t like he was mine to be jealous over, after all.

I didn’t want him.

I didn’t.

Shut up.

I found mom knee-deep in blankets, arranging them over the cots in the cabin designated for kids and grandparents.

“Do you know where I’m sleeping?” I asked in the most polite way possible.

“Well hello to you too, dear.” She laughed and gestured at the blankets. “Grab a few of these would you? I can’t reach the top bunks without climbing the ladders.”

I nodded and obediently began working, glancing over at her from time to time, nervously awaiting her answer. I figured they’d pair me with Joe and Nancy. That wouldn’t be so bad. I loved Joe.

Even Lacey would be preferable to one of Roderick’s stinky cousins.

Maybe I could convince everyone to let me sleep on the floor in the kids’ cabin. I could stand watch over them—protect them from…bears. Or something.

Mom took eons to answer. It almost seemed planned because she was silent until the moment I finished packing up the last of the bunk beds. I felt a little sweaty from all the reaching and tucking, my cheeks pink as I turned back to her with a nervous little smile.

“I think you already know who you’re staying with,” she said by way of answer.

The color drained from my cheeks as horror dawned.

“No.”

“Don’t be such a pill, Artie.”

“Mom—”

“He’s a nice boy.”

“Yes I know but—” I shook my head.

“He’ll take care of you. I already warned him of your…peculiarities.”

“You didn’t.”

“I even made sure he had one of those little lamps for you so you don’t have to be alone in the dark.”

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

I walked from the cabin in a daze, flushed and terrified, my feelings at war inside me. Was I relieved? Kind of. Was I terrified? Absolutely. I had no idea what tent I was supposed to be cohabitating with Alex, so I just stood in front of the line of them, twitching every time something rustled in the distance.

Snakes. Bugs. Creatures with greedy little dirty hands.

Christ.

I might as well have a heart attack right now.

The trees shook as a gust of wind danced through the leaves, and I shuddered, my ears tucked into my shoulders as I tensed. I shouldn’t have come. Why did I do this? What had I been thinking? This was how it always went.

No one gave a shit about my…problems. My ‘peculiarities,’ as my mother called them.

They didn’t realize my fussiness came from deep-rooted fears.

“C’mere.” Alex’s voice rumbled warm and increasingly familiar as he sidled up to me, his hands closing on my tensed shoulders as he gave them a gentle squeeze. “I’ll show you to our bed.”

Fuck.

What had I gotten myself into?