Page 2 of Summer Camp with the Mountain Man

This is the first time I’ll be seeing any of them since I fired George again. It’s kind of a bad look when the company is named after him but with the amount his mistakes were costing us, there’d be no company left. In his heart, I know his dad sees it, hence why I took the reins to the decking company he named after his son, but everyone else is blinded by his fluorescent toothy grin.

I’m never going to hear the end of it. How could I be so heartless? Bless that boy’s heart, he tries. How was he supposed to know the work truck couldn’t drive underwater? Or that you shouldn’t use a blowtorch around a brush pile? He didn’t mean to bang a client’s wife in the pool house and accidentally record it on the security cameras.

I was hoping he wouldn’t show up, too busy with some new business venture he hasn’t screwed up yet, but apparently he’s engaged and wants us all to meet her, so we can see how much he’s matured since I Jambalaya’d him. He meant Judas’d and blamed it on autocorrect but there was no autocorrect involved, he has the IQ of an under-watered houseplant.

“Everything alright?” I ask when she hangs up abruptly, climbing the dock like a jungle gym.

“No,” she pouts. “I’m not gonna have time to get another Springy Dog. My parents got swamped in the half hour I was gone. I need to run but it was nice meeting you, umm, crap, I think I spaced out when you told me your name, I do that around cute guys. It was Spencer or Dragon, or something, right?”

“It’s Cade,” I laugh, entranced by the way her brown eyes smile right along with her rosy lips. “But Dragon is much more badass.”

“Cade’s good too. I’m Rayne, like the wet stuff that falls from the sky but spelled all wrong, my parents are hippies. Hey, um, are you in town long, Cade, my fellow tourist?”

“I hope so. I’m building a new course at Wildwood Adventures.”

“Oh, Fuller’s park? Wait, you’re building a new course?”

“I build decks in places you didn’t know decks could be built. I think of it as extreme decking. He needed platforms for a new ropes course.”

The twinkle in Rayne’s eyes feels like a spotlight aimed directly at my heart, and I never want it to go dark. “I’m not too proud to admit when I’m wrong. You’re not a Cade, you’re definitely a Dragon. Wildwood, huh? I’m just down the road. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

How do I say god I hope so without it sounding desperate?

“God, I hope so.”

Well, that’s certainly not what I meant to say but that smile, those eyes, and good lord, the curves on this woman in a pair of jean shorts and a tight shirt that says Springy doesn’t believe in you either, I’m lucky any words made it past my tongue.

“We’ll just have to make it happen, Dragon.” Her auburn hair blows gently in the breeze, and never have I wanted anything on my pillows more.

“Wait, Rayne, here,” I gulp, offering her my loaded Springy Dog. It’d feel weird not to offer her something and my heart seems a bit too forward.

“For me? No, I couldn’t. You haven’t even taken a bite. Trust me, once you do, your life will never be the same again.” Is that in reference to the hot dog, or her? Because neither could be more true.

“I know, it’s a good thing I’m looking for a change. This is my second one today.”

“Well, in that case…”

She leans over, taking a bite, doing things to me I can’t explain when her eyes roll back in her head as she moans in ecstasy. Watching her lick the bbq sauce and coleslaw from her lips must have my eyes popping out of my head like Scooby and the gang just spotted a ghost. I’m gonna need to seek medical treatment the moment she’s gone, I can’t imagine they’ll go back in on their own.

She shoots a thank you of some sort over her shoulder while turning to leave, I can’t really hear her over my heart performing an intricate solo in a drum circle the rest of me wasn’t invited to.

Rayne, you have no idea how right you are, my life will never be the same again.

TWO

Rayne

Is it me or was that the hottest thing ever?

I’m strongly considering letting my parents fend for themselves at the campground and staying here to Lady and the Tramp the rest of that Springy Dog. I’m about as good at reading guys as I am Klingon, but dare I say, I think he likes me.

Oh what do I know? I hang out with second graders all day. It’d be much easier to decipher if he’d pulled my hair on the monkey bars or gave Jasmin a note to give to me asking if he likes me. If he circles yes, I’d know for sure.

Maybe if I turn back to wave goodbye and he’s still looking at me, that’d be the adult equivalent of circling yes. I really need to hang out with people who don’t view recess as the highlight of their day.

He’s looking!

That has to be the equivalent of throwing a ball of paper at me, right?