Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Oh my God, Jenna. Stop it.
“Hey.” Nathan greeted the group when he reached us, his gaze lingering on me. “Sorry. Two of my servers called in sick right when I was about to leave. I got Tori to handle it, and then I hit the worst traffic.”
“Told you,” Brian mumbled under his breath.
I barely heard him. I was too busy focusing on the fact that Nathan had a work issue and still made sure he could be here. No matter what, he wouldn’t have missed this.
“You’re not late or anything,” Oliver was quick to say.
Nathan set his duffle next to the gear and bumped fists with Oliver before extending a hand to Brian. “How’s it going?”
“Good. You?”
“Good.” Nathan’s eyes slid to mine as their handshake ended. He gently smiled at me. “Didn’t think I’d show?”
I shrugged and was about to tell him I wholeheartedly feared it—what did I care if he knew?—but Brian spoke up first.
“I wanted to drop off that watch for him.” My brother tipped his chin at Oliver.
“Check it out. It’s got a compass.” Oliver stood in front of Nathan and tapped the face. “It’s cool, right?”
“Yeah. It’s very cool.” Nathan looked over at me. I looked over at Brian. Brian smirked.
What the hell? Is he in love with Nathan now too?
The Scout leader hollered above the crowd, advising everyone to load up onto the bus.
“Come on, Nate. Hurry. We gotta go.” Oliver grabbed his gear, carrying as much as he could over to the sidewalk while Nathan bent down and unzipped his duffle.
He pulled out his hat and slid it on. Backward, of course.
I refused to look at him. Fully, anyway. I did, however, have one helluva peripheral view.
Nathan carried the rest of Oliver’s stuff, a backpack and two canteens, and stood with him in line. I walked over with my phone, the camera mode ready, and bit my lip when Oliver turned his hat around to match Nathan. The line moved up and up as people loaded.
“Get together,” I instructed. “One quick picture before you guys go.”
Nathan stood next to Oliver with his hand on his shoulder and the gear at their feet. Their smiles matched now too.
I took the picture. “Want to do one more?”
“Mom, we gotta go,” Oliver said, hurrying to snatch up his gear.
I walked along the curb beside them, rattling off reminders to Oliver, mainly things about safety, which I was sure were being ignored and were probably unnecessary anyway, but I couldn’t help it. Before he hopped onto the bus, I pulled him into a hug and kissed him.
“Mom!” He groaned, leaning away.
“Sorry.” I laughed. “I love you. Have a great time, okay?”
Oliver hustled onto the bus. He dragged his backpack up the steps.
“Do I get a send-off like that? Because I want one.” Nathan paused at the door. He looked so fucking good—the eyes, the jaw, that neck of his. Ugh.
I fought a smile, along with my heart’s desire to hug him and hold on. “Thank you for taking him.”
“Thank you for letting me.”
“Come on, Nate!” Oliver yelled out a window.
I waved at him as he stepped onto the bus, and then I walked away. I almost told him to call me and check in later, but Oliver would be fine. He would be more than fine.
I stood beside my brother and watched the bus pull out of the parking lot and drive down the street. I was feeling all kinds of things I could easily acknowledge and other things I couldn’t yet name.
“How long are you gonna fight this guy?” Brian asked.
“You warned me about moving too fast and you questioned all the time I let the kids spend with him. Since when are you pro-Nathan?”
Brian looked over at me. “Since he showed up for your son.”
* * *
It was just after eleven that night when my phone rang.
I rolled over and untangled my arm from the satin sheet. I held the lit screen above me, smiling at the caller. I had been hoping to hear from him.
“Hey.”
“Hey. Did I wake you?” Nathan asked.
Behind his voice, I could hear a cricket chirp. I pictured him surrounded by woods and the darkened sky above sprinkled with stars.
“No. I wasn’t asleep yet. It usually takes me a while when nobody’s here.”
“Olivia isn’t there?”
“She’s at a friend’s house.” I boosted my pillow higher underneath my head and pulled the sheet up to my neck. “She was jealous of your campout, so I told her she could have a sleepover tonight. I think she’s still jealous though. She’s dying to make s’mores with you.”
“Well, I am pretty awesome at it.”
“How’s Oliver? Is he having fun?”
“Oh yeah. He’s having a blast. He’s asleep right now.” I heard sticks snapping. “I just left him in the tent. He made me promise we’d stay up all night and then he passed out about five minutes after saying that.”