I don’t want to get fired.
For once in my life, I want to see something through until the very end.
Seconds pass, maybe minutes, but when I finally release a shaky breath and my mind clears some, I’m fully aware that if Dexter and I weren’t having a secret fling, he’d fire me on the spot.
“You know I love my job,” I try again, my voice calmer. “You know how hard I’ve worked to be here today. All I’m asking for is the chance to prove that I can do this. You promised me that chance.”
He blows out a breath that tells me he’s conceding. Thank God. I don’t think I can handle another fight with Dexter while I’m here. It’s hard enough as it is being around Anderson.
“You’re right.”
Two words. They’re enough that I can take a deep breath. “Do you mean that?”
“Yes, Hope. You’ve earned this. I was angry and missing you, and I’m sorry. I won’t butt in again.”
“You won’t?” I’m so relieved, I could cry.
“No, I won’t. You have my word. But you have to give me your word that you’ll stop being furious with me. I can’t think straight when you’re like this. And you’re too far away for me to punish you.”
My cheeks heat again, this time for an entirely different reason. I’m so grateful to keep my job and that he’s trusting me with another chance that all my fury toward him dissolves. “I’ll call you tonight.”
“Looking forward to it, Miss Davies.” His voice practically purrs before I hear the click of the line and I bring the phone down from my ear.
It’s only then that I remember it’s Anderson’s phone in my hand. The home screen is visible, and so is a folder titled Hope.
Curiosity nibbles away at me for too many seconds before I break down and tap the folder, exposing the contents—endless photos of me. I click through them, one after the other, my chest squeezing at every frame of some of my best memories, some of which had slipped away.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to imagine those three incredible years and just how much I loved them. It was like I was on permanent vacation when even the hardest days felt like such a blessing. But that’s all Camp Bexley was—a vacation from the real world, a stepping-stone to who I was destined to become. And Anderson was nothing but a naive fantasy—a link to the world I wanted to believe I could belong in forever, when nothing could be further from the truth.
Then why does he have a folder of photos of you?
“Hope, you off the phone?”
I jump at Anderson’s voice on the other side of the door and close the folder then leap forward. “Yup, one second. Sorry, I had to send a quick email.”
I open the door, the gorgeous sight of Anderson Bexley hitting me once again. “Thank you for letting me borrow that.” I slip the phone into his hands and push out a smile. “Mine is dead, so he wanted to check in on things.”
“Everything okay?”
I nod a little too eagerly. “Yup.”
The deep crease between Anderson’s eyebrows tells me he doesn’t believe me. “Did you say you had something you wanted to present to me?”
I let out a laugh and shake my head. Even though I put my foot down with Dexter, it’s too late. My insecurities are running rampant. “I’m going to need a day to look at those again before I present, if that’s okay.” I bite down on my bottom lip, hoping he doesn’t question me any further.
Anderson nods. “Sure, on one condition.”
I wasn’t expecting that. “O-okay. What’s that?”
“Come with me somewhere.”
“Where?”
Anderson slips his phone into his pocket and takes a step away from his office. “You’ll see.”
Chapter Seven
ANDERSON
Ever since Hope stepped foot back into camp, I’ve struggled with how different she seems. I’ve questioned whether those changes are temporary or permanent. Or if it’s all just a mask belonging to a costume she thinks she needs to wear to exist in this new world of hers. After spending the entire day trying to work it all out in my head, I’m only more confused than before. So I decided to approach it differently.
“Where are we going, Anderson? I need to get back to work at some point today.”
We’re deep in the woods, off the man-made trails. We’ve only been hiking for ten minutes, but I suppose that can feel like a long time to someone who’s lost their sense of patience.
“We’re almost there.”
“Where?” she growls, and I can’t help but chuckle. The sound is almost unrecognizable coming from her.
Hope had never been a growler. She was the prime example of an optimist. Always reminding the rest of us of the positives in every situation. She lived up to her name, and it’s one of the many reasons I always felt myself gravitating toward her. I couldn’t even leave to go on an errand without asking her to come along because it would be so boring without her chatting off my ear. It didn’t even matter what she was telling me. Most of the time, it was the camp gossip that got her talking a million miles an hour. And I’d let her, listening to every single word like they were my bible. She made it easy. She made it fun. And God, do I miss that woman.
“Do you remember that old shed behind the clearing we use as a field?”
Hope’s laugh is light and airy, causing a squeeze in my chest at the warm familiarity. “Of course. It was your favorite hideout, but everyone knew when you were there. Your power tools were so loud, and you made the coolest stuff.”
I roll my eyes. “Right, which you know because you and Silver would sneak inside when you thought I wasn’t looking.”
She gazes back at me, amused. “If you knew, why didn’t you stop us?”
I shrug. “It became part of the fun of it all, I guess. I loved to create things, but I never had the guts to show anyone. I liked that you two were curious.”
Hope’s teeth sink down into her bottom lip, and I can’t help but wonder if she tastes and feels the same. It only took one kiss, one night, and I knew I’d never be the same. I still replay that night in my head, especially from the moment I slipped into bed beside her until right before I spouted cruel words. I replay her kiss, her soft sighs, her gentle touch, and the way her warm body felt against mine.
My regrets from that night nearly destroyed me, but it’s those safe moments in between that bring me back to life.
“Well, in Silver’s defense, she would have never snuck inside if it weren’t for her trying to drag me out.” She tilts her head. “What did you do with the shed?”
“I’m taking you to it now,” I finally reveal. “My old shop got demolished when I created the new cabins, so I decided to put something deeper in the woods where the sounds wouldn’t raise any complaints.”
Almost as soon as I’m done talking, a white aluminum shack with a bright-green roof comes into view. Understanding registers on her face. “Isn’t it hard to lug things back and forth from here?”
I shake my head. “Nah. If I need to transport anything, I can use a boat.” I point through the woods to where a dock sits. “We’re not too far from the water on the opposite side of camp. You may have never been this far out before.”