Last Chance Summer - Shannon Klare Page 0,37

for your cabin? Maybe you can win them over that way.”

“Like what? Extra pool time?”

“You aren’t lifeguard certified,” Grant said.

“Salt in the wound, Grant.”

He took another sip of his coffee and laughed. “Okay, why don’t you ask her to let them have extra time in arts and crafts or something along those lines? You could go tonight, after the all-camp get-together at the amphitheater. Y’all will be out there anyway. It’s not like it would be hard to get from one point to another.”

“Except I’ve never actually been to arts and crafts,” I said, trying to mentally map out where that was in relation to the amphitheater. Having missed out on a real camp tour, the only experience I had with that area was from Grant’s and my camp patrol in the rain.

“If I get some time later, I’ll show you,” he said. “If I don’t, just remember it’s close to the outskirts of camp. If you reach the fence, you’ve gone too far.”

“And you really think she’ll agree?” I said, surveying him.

“She’s your aunt,” Grant said. “If anyone has a shot at getting her to agree, it’s you.”

“You don’t know her like I do.”

“Maybe not, but it’s hard to believe she’d be as stubborn as you.”

* * *

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Loraine said, sitting behind her desk.

Her face was sunburned, except for the pale white circles around her eyes where sunglasses had been. Perhaps the heat was getting to her. Even Grant seemed to think the request was reasonable and he was arguably the most uptight person out here.

“How is it not a good idea?” I said, hands on my hips. “I want to try and build morale with my girls. This is the perfect opportunity to do that.”

“You could also do that during one of our preapproved activities like the team-building session,” Loraine said. “You don’t need to tack anything else onto it. If you’re doing your job correctly, those exercises should build trust between you.”

“Except my girls aren’t even remotely interested in scaling a ten-foot wall,” I said, frowning. “They want to do something fun. Something not physical.”

“Then they can enjoy tonight’s all-camp get-together,” she said. “You can’t tell me s’mores and campfire songs don’t scream comradery.”

This was getting me nowhere.

“I want something for just my cabin,” I said. “Group therapy, team building, those pointless yoga sessions at the amphitheater, all of those are things we do with Grant and his guys. I want time for just me and my girls. I’m trying to build a relationship with them, do this whole counselor thing the right way.”

“I can respect that, but the answer is still no,” Loraine said, shaking her head.

“Because you don’t trust me, or because you don’t want me to?” I said.

“Because I said no.”

“Loraine,” I said, hands on my hips. “Why are you being so difficult?”

She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. “You want the honest answer or the sugarcoated one?” she said.

“I want the one that gets you to let me have some fun,” I said. “I’m trying here. Okay? You can’t expect me to do this job correctly if you won’t even give an inch. You’re hindering my progress for no reason.”

“I have my reasons.”

“Like?”

“I don’t know you well enough to trust you,” she said.

I paused, my blood running cold.

“I can see and appreciate that you’re trying out here,” she said. “But keeping you and your campers on a schedule seems to be the easiest way to manage your cabin. Besides, these activities aren’t just intended for your campers. They have things to work on, just like you. That’s why you’re in this position. We wanted to give you a way to work on yourself, while learning how to be responsible for someone other than yourself. It’s twofold.”

“Whose stupid decision was that?!” I said, fists balling at my sides. “From where I stand, I’m out here for one thing and one thing only—money. I want to survive this summer. That’s it. I owe nobody anything. I’m here for me. Point. Blank. Period.”

“And that self-serving issue is just one of the things you still need to work on,” she said, an edge in her tone.

I turned, stalking toward the door. How dare she?

The door swung open at full force and blistering afternoon heat scorched my bare arms and legs. This time of the day, my girls were scattered across camp—some at the pool and some at arts and crafts. Later on in the afternoon we’d be expected to participate