“I didn’t see anybody, darlin’,” his southern drawl brings me back to the present.
I press my lips together. “You don’t believe me?” He doesn’t. Why would he? We just met. We’re just now starting—whatever this is between us—and now I’ve chased him off. No one believed me at first either. I had seen Michael around town for a while. He would follow me to school some days. Then he wasn’t there when I went to get the teacher. Ever.
“Darlin’,” he voice is deep, seductive. “If you say you saw something I believe you. Maybe it was someone from the house on the other side of the woods. A few cabins are there. I’m sure it was someone.” He runs his fingers along his jaw. “Now, you ready to go back to camp? We’re probably gonna get our asses in trouble. We didn’t show up for breakfast, and our campout starts in two hours.”
He believes me. “Thank you. Let’s go.”
Chapter Nine
Aubrey
Tanner and I both get texts on the way back to the camp. We have a camp counselor meeting in ten minutes. I can only imagine what it’s going to be about.
“You think they know we’re gone?”
Tanner raises a heavy eyebrow. “If Jake knows I’m sure he went to tell on us. Dumb bastard.”
Twisting my fingers in my lap, I peer out the window. “Well, what do you think we should say?”
Tanner doesn’t seem fazed. His arm rests behind my head, and the other loosely grips the steering wheel. “The truth.” He shrugs. “We didn’t do anything wrong.”
He’s right. We’re adults—which, reminds me. “How old are you?”
He glances at me from the corner of his eye and tries to keep a smile from widening across his face. “How old do you think I am?”
I’ve never been any good at this game. “Um, twenty-three.”
He cracks a smile. “Close. Twenty-four. You?”
“Twenty-two.”
“Youngster.”
“You’re only two years older than me. I’d hardly say that makes me a youngster.”
He smiles. “Sexy youngster?”
“Maybe.”
“How about fuckin’ sexy youngster?”
I smile. “Keep going.”
Everyone is sitting in the counselor room when we barge in. Every pair of eyes glances our way. I’m sure my cheeks are blood red, because I feel like I’m holding fire in them.
Mrs. Jones clears her throat. “Tanner, Aubrey, take a seat. We’re about to have a little discussion.”
Shit. I frown and meet Cassie’s eyes. She is smiling ear-to-ear and giving me a thumbs up. My eyes move around the room as we take the seats closet to us. Jake is staring at me, boring holes into my head. Christ, I should be ash on the ground right now. His eyes are black, one swollen. His lip is cut, and he looks worn.
The warmth of Tanner’s hand wraps around my fingers. He interlocks his with mine and guides me to my seat. Jake doesn’t miss the movement; his eyes are fixated on it.
I give Tanner a sideways glance, but he looks relaxed, not at all worried about Jake’s glares.
“Okay, children,” Mrs. Jones says. She called us children, she’s pissed. “I’ve heard about some fighting and…possible inappropriate behavior.” Her gaze travels to Tanner and me. Great.
“Would anyone like to share what the hel—heck is going on?” I almost snicker at her cursing.
No one says anything. Not one soul. Cassie eyes me from across the room and holds back a smile. Eric is doing the same, nodding his head.
Tanner growls. “I assume you’re talkin’ ‘bout me and Jake gettin’ into a fight. Yes, we fought. Aubrey had a panic attack—”
“What?” Jake sits up in his chair. “How? Why? What did you do to her?” His voice starts to rise.
“Nothing,” I snap out. “He saved my life. Twice.”
Mrs. Jones holds up her hand. “Let him finish.”
Tanner’s Adam’s apple bobs in his throat when he swallows. “So, I brought her back to her cabin. Jake was there, saw my arm wrapped around her and came at me. So, yes, I fought him. What was I supposed to do? Let him hit me? I defended myself. Momma didn’t raise no fool.”
I bark out a laugh. It’s not the right time, I know. But, who says that? The corner of his lip rises. “Something funny?” he whispers.
I shake my head.
“Hush,” Mrs. Jones says. Her face is red now. I think I’ll shut up. “Is that true, Jake? Did you come at Tanner?”
Jake’s jaw pops from clenching it so tight. “Yes.”
“Well, I believe Tanner needs an apology.”
“Hell no,” Jake says, sitting up in his seat. “I’m not apologizing to him. He shouldn’t have been with my girl.”
“I’m not your anything, Jake. Drop it.”
“Don’t say that. Don’t fucking—”
“Shut up,” Mrs. Jones interrupts. “Say it. Now. Or you’ll go home and not be welcomed back.”
Jake holds Tanner’s glare. Neither one of them blink. “Sorry,” Jake says.
“Now,” Mrs. Jones interlocks her fingers around her knees. “On to other matters. Where were you two this morning?”
Fuck. I press my mouth together. I’m so not going to say it out loud. Assumptions are going to be made—even if I wanted those said assumptions—they didn’t happen.
Squeezing my hand, Tanner clears his throat. “Last night we went to a place about a mile from here. It’s a little field with a pond. We sat on the tailgate and watched the sunset and then fell asleep. We forgot to set our alarms, so we missed breakfast.”
Mrs. Jones presses her lips together. “There will be no funny business at this camp. I would have to be stupid to think none of the camp counselors would hit it off. That’s fine …”she says, uneasily. “However, there won’t be any sleeping outside of your own cabin at night. I won’t tolerate it.”
Tanner nods. “Yes, ma’am. I promise it won’t happen again.”
She turns to me, her short, gray bob moving with the motion. She lifts an eyebrow. “No, ma’am. It won’t happen again.”
She nods. “Okay, well, we need to get to the next camp activity. You all have your schedules. Get ready. Tanner and Aubrey you’re taking a group of seven camping.” She narrows her eyes. “Behave.”
Cassie snorts, which makes Eric snort. Mrs. Jones closes her eyes. “Get to your activities before I come to my senses and fire you all. Go.” She shoos us away with her hand.
Everyone piles out of the room. Cassie wraps her hand around my elbow and pulls me out in front of Tanner.
She presses me against the outside of the building. “Details. Now. I need them.”
“Calm down. You sound like a horny housewife. We did just what Tanner said. We fell asleep.”