Margaret’s mother had been a hard sell, but had finally acquiesced.
Summer divided the kids into small groups and sent each group out with an adult. Cal had the opportunity to photograph them practicing archery, canoeing, swimming, geocaching, hiking and cooking. Then they all ended together with a hike to the Byassee place.
During the entire afternoon, Rick kept his distance, and Summer missed his presence by her side. Despite their differences in opinion, she wanted to straighten things out with him as soon as possible. She hated the anger hanging between them.
“The kids have been telling me about this fairy princess philosophy of yours.” Cal was standing beside her again with his pad open. “I think it would make a great angle for the story.”
His statement sent a surge of satisfaction through her. More free publicity was a good thing. Her mom and dad would be impressed!
* * *
WHILE THE YOUNG MAN FAWNED over Summer, Rick stayed out of the way, watching from a distance, taking his own photos for his Delaney file. The besotted reporter was sure to give Summer some great coverage in the article. Rick just hoped the camp got some mention, as well.
When the guy first arrived and attached himself to her, jealousy pricked at Rick. But he’d recalled Summer’s words that a person who made you fight for him—or in this case her—wasn’t worth having. The adage made sense. And though the twangs continued throughout the afternoon as he watched her smile and converse, he realized they weren’t so much twangs of jealousy as they were twangs of remorse.
He didn’t mind her smiling at the reporter—he just wanted her to smile at him, too. Her smile warmed his heart, and he missed that feeling.
Cal Perry put his gear into his backpack, finally. Rick waited until he was pulling away in his car before he approached Summer.
She heard him and turned his way, but the smile he was hoping for wasn’t present. She raised an eyebrow. “See? I told you it was a great idea.”
“I never said it wasn’t a good idea.”
His friend Sid at the planetarium had been none too pleased that he’d given up time in the middle of his day off when he found out they would have to rush through everything.
Once the kids had loaded back onto the bus, Sid had chewed Rick’s ass thoroughly for his poor planning, making Rick wonder if he’d hurt his chances for the park ranger job he was hoping for this fall. He’d counted on Sid’s support, but now he wasn’t sure that was a given. It ate at him, and he shrugged noncommittally, still feeling the sting. “It was just bad timing.”
“The timing was perfect, actually. Maybe Mom and Daddy will finally see that I’m capable of making good decisions for this place.” Her face broke into a smile of smug delight.
“Is that what all this was about?” Irritation flickered in his gut again.
“Proving myself?” She gave a curt nod. “Damn right.”
Proving herself to Mommy and Daddy? Grabbing some glory for herself with no thought of the consequences to others? The flicker flared higher. She was acting like a spoiled brat, and it was time somebody called her on it. “That’s pretty selfish, don’t you think?”
“Selfish?” Her smugness shifted to indignation.
“You heard me. You’re thinking about Summer Delaney, not Camp Sunny Daze...not the kids.”
“How can you say that?” she sputtered.
“How can I not say that? Don’t you realize there’s a ripple effect in life? Things are related? You’re willing to waste educational time...time that could spark a lifelong interest...maybe even determine a life’s calling—” he included the entire camp with a sweep of his arms “—in order to prove you could make one good decision?”
Her chin snapped higher at his use of the word one. “I would never preempt a true learning experience for the kids. I’m all for their learning early about life and finding their place in it.” She mimicked his arm sweep. “If you think anything different from that, you don’t know me very well.”
“I thought I did. But you’re right. I don’t know you very well, apparently.”
They stood in silence, eyes locked defiantly.
Summer was about to say something—wanting to get in the last word, no doubt—when her gaze shifted beyond him and her face pinched in worry. Footfalls came up fast behind him.
He swung around to meet Tara, breathless and pale. She gripped her cell phone so tightly her knuckles were white. “Summer, I need to go home.” Her voice quavered.