to make the kids uncomfortable during their time here. This was going to be the best month they’d ever had.
“Well, I didn’t come over here to gawk at the boss, honest.” Tara smoothed back a curl of coppery hair that had worked loose from her ponytail. “Some of the girls are a little weepy now that their parents have left. First time away from home.”
“Homesickness is to be expected with eight- and nine-year-olds.” Summer and Tara fell into step moving toward the girls’ bunkhouse. “I remember my first year here.”
Tara’s eyebrows shot up. “You went to camp here?”
“Six years. I loved every one of them.” Summer swept her arms wide. “This is one of my favorite places. I was thrilled when Mom and Dad bought it. My heart broke at the thought that someone would tear it down.”
“More reason to see these kids have a great time and want to come back next year.”
“Yep.” Summer gave an emphatic nod and shot a glance toward Rick, who was checking in the last boy. “I don’t intend to let anything stand in the way of this place’s success.”
* * *
HOWIE SQUINTED AND LOOKED RICK up and down. “My dad could beat you up.”
“Howard Silas Gerard, Jr.!” Nila Gerard’s sharp tone drew her son’s attention. “We don’t talk that way. Apologize this instant.”
“Sorry.” The boy’s eyes shifted to the ground at Rick’s feet.
“Apology accepted...and I’m sure your dad’s very strong.” Rick smiled and tried to make light of the situation. The kid was scared, probably the first time away from home. In fact, he and his mother both seemed jittery. She nervously rubbed her cheek. That’s when Rick noticed the faint bluish mark tinged in yellow and green below her left eye. It had faded, but careful inspection showed it dropped well below her cheekbone. Combat instinct tightened his gut.
He flipped to the back of his clipboard, wrote a quick note and pulled it free. “Say, sport.” He held the note toward the boy. “Would you do me a favor and take this count over to Ms. Ginny, our cook? She should be over there in the dining hall.” He indicated the long white building with the large screened-in area.
Howie took the paper and shuffled toward the dining hall.
“Thanks.” Nila waited until he got out of hearing distance. “He isn’t normally like that. He’s usually very sweet, but...” Her voice broke as her eyes clouded with tears.
“Are you okay?” Rick didn’t do gentle well, but he gave it his best shot. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“His dad and I have been going through a hard time lately. I filed for divorce last week, and Howie and I are staying with my sister.” Her bottom lip trembled and she caught it between her teeth.
Damn. Seeing a woman cry was a fist in his gut. “It’ll be okay, really.” He tried to sound reassuring. “Several of our kids are going through or have been through divorce. Howie won’t be the only one here. Is his father allowed contact?”
She shook her head, and her gaze cut toward Howie, who disappeared through the screen door. “I have a restraining order against him.” She touched her cheek absently and shifted her eyes, shadowed by pain and grief, back to Rick. He knew the look well. As a marine, he’d seen it often.
“We’ll see that Howie has a good time. Maybe, by the time the month is over, things will have settled down at home.”
Nila nodded, but the way her lips pressed into a thin line told Rick she didn’t believe his words any more than he did.
“Maybe you and your sister can use the month to do some fun things together,” Rick suggested.
Nila smiled and her shoulders dropped into a more relaxed position as Howie burst through the door and ran back to join them.
“Now, you need to go claim your bunk and get settled in.” Rick nodded toward the boys’ dorm. “We’ll have a briefing to welcome all the campers in—” he checked his watch “—thirty-two minutes.” Though his comments were directed to Howie, he hoped Howie’s mom would take the hint that it was time to say goodbye.
Nila put her arm around her son’s shoulders, walking him toward the boys’ barracks. “I want to take a quick look at where you’ll be staying, and then I’ll head home.”
Rick flipped through papers on his clipboard. Everything appeared to be completed.
A flurry of activity erupted from the girls’ barracks. Summer burst out, leading a string