Last Chance Summer - Shannon Klare Page 0,55

shaking her head.

“Am I wrong?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I interrupted, drawing their attention.

I stood in the middle of the porch, filthy and too exhausted to function. An argument over the legitimacy of Steff’s blood phobia was the last thing I wanted to hear. My brain couldn’t take the conflict. I couldn’t take the conflict.

“I think the three of you should head to bed,” I said, shifting my weight. “Grant’s guys will be back any minute. I’m going to finish the cleanup in his cabin before they get here. If they have any questions, I would rather be the one to answer them.”

“You weren’t the only one who made the mess,” Jess said, stepping forward. “We can help.”

“I got this,” I said, holding up a hand. “You three go to bed.”

Her lips spread into a thin line, the look on her face shifting into something I hadn’t seen in a while. Maybe my tone was the reason, maybe something else, but Jess gave a huff and turned for our side of the cabin.

“We didn’t mean for someone to actually get hurt,” Jules said, lingering outside as Brie and Jess exited through the door. “It was an accident. Please don’t be mad.”

“I never said I was mad,” I said. “I’m just doing my duty as a counselor and ensuring no one else gets hurt. That means the three of you need to be in there while I handle the guy’s side. Easy.”

“And that’s the only issue?” she said, crossing her arms.

“That’s the only issue,” I said, turning my back on her.

I walked into Grant’s side of the cabin, letting out a long sigh. I had to get his side pulled together before I crashed completely. With the way the night was going, that task was getting harder by the minute.

I grabbed the tarp, heaving it across the porch to our side of the cabin with a trail of baby oil dripping behind me. It was easier to rinse it in our shower. Then I could dry it quickly and store it in one of the closets before questions were asked.

“Sure you don’t want us to help?” Jess said, changing clothes as I dropped the tarp in a shower.

I shook my head and moved back toward the door, returning to Grant’s side a few seconds later. Except for the blood, the room looked almost normal. Good. At least I was on the right track.

I hurried to the bathroom and grabbed a handful of paper towels and some cleaning supplies from beneath the sink. Short on time, non-watered-down Pine Sol would have to do the job.

With my nerves on edge and my heart in my throat, I quickly scrubbed what blood spots I could find on the floor. After finishing, I carried the bottle back to the bathroom and tossed the paper towels in the trash. Buried beneath a mountain of clean ones, nobody would notice them there. Hopefully.

Maneuvering through the guys’ side one last time, I switched off the light in the bathroom and returned to Grant’s bed, fixing the blankets I’d ruffled. My eyes briefly landed on the picture beside his bed. Three kids, two adults, and a dog looked back at me, all of them standing in front of the Camp Kenton sign still present today.

With the youngest kid in the picture looking strikingly like Grant, there was no denying this was his family. I grabbed the picture carefully, scanning it with close attention.

Dark hair ran in his family; all five boasted chestnut-colored locks. His mom had her hands on either side of his shoulders and was wearing a power suit instead of street clothes like everyone else. She looked important, the kind of woman who could walk into a room and demand attention. Just like Grant.

I studied her a little longer, feeling a pang of familiarity. I hadn’t met her, but I recognized her from somewhere. Where?

Footsteps on the porch drew my attention and my pulse raced again. If Loraine caught wind of the accident, and found me here, it was game over.

I turned, sneaking across the wood floor until I spotted Jess creeping across the threshold. I let out a long breath, my hand at the base of my throat.

“I thought you were Loraine,” I whispered.

“Not even close,” she said. “But I saw the guys through our back window and they’re almost to cabin four. Unless you intend to get caught, you need to hurry.”

“I’m done,” I said, racing toward the door.

We closed the screen door to our side just