Page 143 of Camp Bliss
“How are Sunny and Marco? What can I do?”
I shake my head, hardly believing what I’m about to tell her. “Sounds like they tried to do some off-roading in a golf cart at the club. They flipped the thing, and now Dad has a dislocated shoulder and Mom broke her wrist—”
Greta gasps, eyes wide. “Oh no!”
“And Mom’s about to go in for surgery because she needs pins—”
“Shit. Oh my God.” How come she sounds so much more concerned than my own sister? She looks devastated. “They won’t be able to golf for weeks. Maybe months.”
And for a moment, I can’t speak. Can’t respond at all. Because Greta spent just three days with my parents, and she already knows what this will mean for them. What it has cost them.
“You’re amazing. Did you know that?” I say, unable to help myself.
She frowns. “What? W-Why?”
I just shake my head. “It’ll take too long to explain and—”
“And you need to pack and buy a plane ticket,” she interjects.
I cover her hand that’s still on my chest. “And make sure you are okay for the next week.”
Greta looks at me from under her lashes. “I’ll be fine, Zach. I’ll keep this place under control.”
But the thought of leaving her? For a week? A thousand worries rise to the surface of my mind. What if the roof of the fifth wheel starts leaking again? What if a coyote tries to attack Russell during his late-night pee? What if one of the male guests is a creep and tries to harass Greta?
We should have bitten the bullet and hired someone else to help out. We just decided to put that off as long as possible, but what if—
“Hey, smooth out that frown,” she says, rubbing my chest and smiling up at me. “I’ll be okay. I got this. I can even find you a flight while you pack a bag.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “That’d actually be really helpful,” I admit. I know there’s only a couple of flights out of Lafayette to the Charlotte hub every day. I need to hustle if I’m going to get to Charleston before tonight. “Thank you.”
And then I let myself kiss her. It’s not a goodbye kiss. I’ll save that for later. But it’s athank youkiss. AnI'm gonna miss the hell out of youkiss.
And I am.
When I pull back, Greta clutches the front of my shirt, staring up at me with wide, worried eyes.
“Promise me something, Zach.
I frown. “What, babe?”
“That you’ll come back, okay?” She lets go of my shirt and smooths the fabric with one hand. “Just come back.”
“Greta—” But I kiss her again, and this time it’s anI’m yourskiss. Ayou’re minekiss.
AnI swear on my life I’ll come backkiss.
I just wish I’d never had to leave in the first place.
ChapterTwenty-Two
GRETA
“You’ve been holdingout on us! This place isamazing!”
“If this is life after teaching, count me in.”
“Spiced Apple Cider Margaritas? Where did you find this recipe?”
