And to recite the state capitals in alphabetical order.”
He rolled over to his backpack and pulled out his Nalgene.
I gaped at him. “State capitals? W-Why?”
He shot me a half smile. “Let’s just say my body really likes you touching me.” He took a big glug of water. “And I need to calm it down a little. Plus, I think you’ll find my state capital knowledge is pretty impressive.” He cleared his throat and folded his arms over his chest. “Albany, Annapolis, Atlanta, Augusta—”
I realized what he was doing and laughed. “Did you know,” I said, sitting up, “that when I learned about sex, I figured penises were straight like sticks all the time? I didn’t ask anyone, but I felt really sorry for boys. It sounded extremely uncomfortable.”
Jesse burst out laughing.
“Better?” I asked, smiling.
“No!” he exclaimed. “I told you—I love that you’re funny. It does not make . . . things calm down.”
“It’s always seemed to have worked before.”
Jesse shook his head, then leaned in slowly and kissed my neck. I sighed.
“We’ve established this. Those guys are idiots,” he whispered, his breath tickling my skin.
I smiled and tilted my neck. “I like that.”
He kissed my neck again. “What else do you like?” he asked.
I tugged on the hem of my T-shirt. “Let’s find out.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
An hour later, hand in hand, I realized that we were about to emerge from the woods. Anticipating that tomorrow a million people would be around to pick up and be picked up from camp and we wouldn’t have any alone time, I dropped my pack, flicked off my head-lamp, and pulled Jesse to me. After he dropped his pack and headlamp, too, I kissed him, trying to memorize the way his body felt pressed against mine.
“I’m so glad I met you,” I said, my arms still wrapped around his neck.
“I’m the luckiest Boy Scout of all time,” he marveled, keeping me close. “Who meets any girl at Boy Scout camp, much less the best girl?”
“There should be a merit badge for that.”
Jesse laughed and kissed me again.
“And hey—in three weeks when Boy Scout camp is over, and you’re back in Minnesota, I want to meet Micky. And your moms.”
He nodded and smiled. “Three weeks is going to feel like a lifetime,” he said.
“Three lifetimes,” I agreed. “One for each week.”
He picked up his backpack, stared at it, then dropped it, and kissed me again. Laughing, I kissed him back, taking his hand and guiding it under my shirt, but Jesse pulled away. “Karen—”
I chuckled. “No one’ll be here for at least twenty more minutes,” I murmured.
“No—Karen! There! Now!”
My head whipped around to follow where he was pointing. Karen, plus the Gildas, were marching with purpose toward the nurse’s cabin.
“Hey!” I called out, waving an arm over my head. “How was the show?”
At the sound of my voice, their heads snapped my way, and like a flock of birds with a shared instinctual brain, the Gildas flew toward us. Karen waved, but kept marching toward her cabin.
“Zelda!” Hanna called, “Go get changed! You need to look like a Boy Scout!”
I frowned and asked Jesse, “What is she talking about?”
“No idea.”
The Gildas arrived in a clump, breathing heavily, all talking on top of each other.
I held up a hand. “What is going on?”
Everyone turned to Paloma.
“Okay,” she said, “We don’t have much time. Karen is finding a shirt and shorts and a Boy Scout baseball cap for you. She has extras in her cabin. That’s the first thing—run there! Go! We’ll explain the rest on the way back to camp!”
“But—”
Paloma put her hands on my shoulders. “Zelda. Do you trust us?”
“Of course.”
“Then change! It’s important!”
Three minutes later, I emerged from Karen’s cabin in my own hiking boots, a pair of ill-fitting olive shorts, and a button-up BSA khaki uniform shirt with patches sewn on the sleeve. I’d stuffed my hair into a messy bun and tucked it all under the baseball cap she’d given me. My pleas for Karen to explain had been met with tight lips and head shakes.
“My job was to get you the clothes,” was all she’d allow. “The Gildas would kill me if I told you the rest.”
“Okay,” I said, letting the screen door slam behind me. “I’m a Boy Scout. Now what?”
“I’m ready!” Jesse called, jogging up to meet us on Karen’s porch. He’d changed into an outfit that looked just like mine, only he also had a scarf cinched around his neck with a medal slider.
I grinned at him. “You’re very