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"Uhh..." June realized she had been found out. She couldn't admit that Colin had made her coffee without admitting everything, so she just gave in and went with it. "Colin made me coffee this morning."
"Colin made you coffee this morning," he repeated, his tone flat and skeptical. "He made you coffee this morning after what, June?"
She pursed her lips and looked up at the morning sky. "After I spent the night at his place," she replied, feeling much like a student who had to admit they hadn't turned in their work on time. "I did sleep on the couch though!"
"Did you hook up?" June knew that she didn't have to answer, that her face was doing the work for her. She felt the heat in her cheeks, her chest, and much lower, remembering how she had told Colin she was going to sleep in his bed tonight and how his face had turned hungry at the thought. Who was she?
"Figured," Kevin said, taking a dramatic sip of coffee. "Well, I'm happy for you. He seems nice, and he's cute."
"I'm so glad you approve," June replied tartly.
"But will he be a good addition to Friday Fun Nights with me and John?" Kevin asked, referring to their weekly tradition, which had begun as a COVID bubble and expanded into something that June looked forward to every week.
"Ha, yeah right, okay, Kevin, very funny," June retorted.
"No, really."
"He won't be going to Friday Fun Nights because he lives up here and we live in Vanberg."
"So?"
"So? This is clearly just a hookup for the week. A way to blow off steam." Even as June said the words, she knew she was lying. But this had to end when the week was over, so it was no use trying to dream about things that couldn't happen. Colin was perfectly happy here, he wasn't moving down to Vanberg, so she had to just enjoy the moments that she had.
"Yeah right, okay June, very funny," Kevin parroted. "Keep telling yourself that. I know you, though."
"Whatever, I'm getting breakfast," June said, pushing herself out of the chair and popping inside for pancakes and sausage. So what if she was avoiding the uncomfortable conversation with Kevin, it was her prerogative. She didn't see Colin anywhere in the dining hall and she wondered what he did for breakfast. Did he like sweet or savory breakfasts? Did he skip the meal entirely?
Pondering the intricacies of meal timing, June ate her breakfast and tried to plan her day. She needed to work on applications, of course, but she also wanted to try and see what the students were doing. See kids first, then work on cover letters.
"What are your plans for the day?" June asked Kevin, who was still sitting outside, drinking coffee. He wasn't a breakfast eater.
"See kids, grade some tests, call John - the usual." The way he casually tossed in "call John" made something twist inside June. She wanted that - the expectation that someone was always there for you, that you had to stay connected no matter what. When Kevin had stayed at her place during John's business trips, Kevin and John FaceTimed every night, just to talk about their days. Nothing important, just to update them on small details, like what kind of sandwich they had ordered for lunch.
"I was gonna see kids, too," June said, running a finger along the arm of her chair. "Do you have any idea where I should go? Should we go together or split up, to take more pictures to email?"
"Split up," Kevin said quickly. Too quickly. June grew suspicious.
"Why?"
"Like you said, to take more photos." His face had assumed an air of nonchalance. June was still suspicious.
"Fine." She narrowed her eyes. "Where are you going?"
"I was going to check out the climbing tower, probably archery. You should see what arts and crafts is up to."
"Where is that?"
"Downstairs," he pointed to the floor below him. "It's also inside and your fair skin won't burn, you delicate Victorian tuberculosis patient." June lightly smacked him on the arm, but laughed. Grabbing her water bottle, she descended the stairs on the outside porch and was turning to head into the room when she heard a familiar voice.
"Purple was the rarest color to dye with in ancient times, because they had to collect over 200,000 snails to make one tablespoon of dye!" Colin was holding up a tiny bottle of purple dye while a group of students sat cross legged in a semi-circle around him. June hung back for a moment - he hadn't noticed her and she took the opportunity to watch him teach. His face was expressive and he was in constant motion, weaving around the different students, handing out dye samples for them to see, cracking jokes at his own expense.
"Ms. L!" Henry called. Colin looked up from where he was crouched down, showing a camper what warp and weft meant in fabric, and smiled broadly. Dammit, I've been spotted, June said, and gave a meek wave.
"Care to join us, Ms. Lehrer?" Colin said, and June didn't miss the way that goosebumps raised on her arms when Colin called her by her teaching name. She took a deep breath and shoved her brain back into professional teaching mode, intent on not staring at Colin's fingers while he moved them over the sample of fabric in his hand. She failed.
"Sure!" her voice came out squeaky, and she hoped Colin didn't notice, prayed her students didn't. If he did, he didn't show it as he waved her over.
"Asher, why don't you tell Ms. L what we're learning about?" Colin looked over to a shy boy with thick glasses and a lisp who was in June's class.
