that way again, I knew I had to end this. It wasn’t fair to Jack. But how did you tell the guy who was supposed to be your boyfriend you were in love with someone else? That you’d always been and there was nothing in the world that was gonna change it?
That it would just be better that you weren’t with either one of them?
Jack frowned through a smile. “What’s goin’ on with you, Frankie Leigh? You’re acting weird.”
I heaved out a strained breath, forced a smile of my own. “Nothin’. You startled me, that’s all.” Only it was something I was goin’ to have to take care of and soon.
Carly shouldered around Jack, knocking him a couple feet back. She wedged a wicker tote on top of our pile of supplies. “I think that’s it. We’re ready to roll.”
“Are you sure you brought enough shit?” Jack teased her, canting her one of his charming grins.
“No, actually, I’m not, but this was all that I could fit. Of course, you could hang back here, and I could fill your spot with some more of my things?”
If only I could get so lucky.
“Fine. Just don’t ask me to drag all your crap to the camp spot,” Jack returned, lifting his muscled, tattooed arms in surrender.
“Ha. You wish. That’s the only reason we’re letting you come.” Carly gave him all her sass.
“You ready?” She turned her attention on me.
“It’s gonna be a blast,” I told her, nothing but sarcasm dripping from my tongue.
She reached up and slammed the hatch down. “Oh, it’s gonna be a blast, all right.”
Half an hour later, we were on the outskirts of Gingham Lakes where we hit the two-lane road that led out to the river and the lakes. Tall trees rose up at the sides of the road that curved and twisted through the lush, dense forest where it followed along the river.
We weren’t even to the lakes yet, and I was already losing my breath.
That fluttery feeling of awe slipping into my bloodstream.
I’d been coming here for all my life, all the way back when it was just me and my daddy. We spent most every weekend out on the slippery rocks near the waterfalls that overlooked one of the lakes, Daddy grilling us hamburgers over a rock-rimmed fire while I’d danced and played and imagined I could be anything.
It was my favorite place in the world.
That world had expanded as our families had grown. As Rynna had become a sacred part of that vision. As Kale and Hope and Evan had become a part of it, as well as the rest of their tight-knit friends.
Children were born and our families multiplied and it became a haven all of us gravitated to. A place to get away and share in the most important things in life.
Time.
Experiences.
Laughter and support.
They would all be there, the second Saturday in September forever reserved for our campout.
Tradition.
No one dared miss it, and I was having the horrifying premonition that would again apply to Evan.
Evan who’d shared these days with me like we’d been born with the same DNA. Neither of us able to move one muscle without the other one moving one in return.
Magnets.
Beside me, Milo sat in the middle part of the backseat, his tongue hanging out as he panted and whined in his excitement, turning circles in the small spot. My fingers scratched through his fur in hopes to keep him from crawling all over the place.
My sweet old boy.
This was his favorite place, too.
Jack sat on the opposite side of me, Josiah was driving, and Carly rode in the front passenger seat.
Me? I was that girl in the right rear, getting eaten up by the disaster of emotions.
“So, you’ve been coming to this campout every year?” Jack asked Josiah, leaning forward to get his attention.
Josiah lifted his thumbs out from the steering wheel. “Nah, man . . . didn’t start coming until high school. I guess Evan’s parents figured I’d hung around enough through the years that I became some kind of honorable family member. Mars Bar begged ’em to let me come the summer before our freshman year. Have been coming ever since.”
All it took was a single mention of his name for my heart to go skittering into overdrive.
“Mars Bar, huh?” Jack lifted a speculative brow.
Josiah chuckled. “Kid was fucking obsessed with the stars. It fit.”
Could feel the weight of Jack’s attention dragging over to me, heavier than it’d ever been.