America's Bravest (30 page)

“The campers are here,” Mitch yelled through
a bull horn.

Sure enough they heard the squeal of the
yellow busses marked with Hidden Cove School District making their
way toward the camp.
Good
, Felicia thought. Now she
wouldn’t have to dwell on how she’d made the biggest mistake of her
life. How she’d cried right after she did it, so hard, she’d
vomited. And how she’d taken three days furlough to try to get
herself together after Ryan ditched her for good; she’d been
readily given the time because she’d never asked for a spontaneous
furlough in her seventeen year career as a smoke eater.

“We’ll talk more later,” Jenn said
rising.

She and Felicia reached the bus area before
they parked. Felicia tried to keep her gaze straight ahead so she
wouldn’t spot Ryan, but she heard his husky, male laugh off to the
right and her whole body tensed. It was, of course, accompanied by
female laughter tinkling through the air. Had he found someone here
already? A week’s diversion? He wouldn’t have to worry about his
Rule of Six, as camp was only five days.

Not fair. You know it. He’d
changed.

But it had been too late for Felicia, too
late before she realized he really did care about her enough to
make a commitment. Way, way too late.

She heard hers and Jenn’s name called and saw
a group of little girls looking a bit lost, huddled together with
sleeping bags and backpacks. “Let’s go,” she said to Jenn. “I think
we have our work cut out for us.”

Thankfully, Felicia managed to get away from
the arrival sight without laying eyes on Ryan. She couldn’t avoid
him for long, but this was some respite. She’d have to take one day
at a time as she recovered from her Ryan O’Malley addiction.

oOo

They gathered under the picnic pavilion and
Ryan sat amidst his assigned fourteen-to-seventeen year olds. From
beside him, his brother said, “Rye, Juan asked you a question.”

“Oh. Sorry. What did you say, Juan?”

Ryan had finished telling the boy that no,
during the course of his job, he’d never had anyone die on him. At
least not literally. But personally, four weeks ago he’d
experienced a loss so great it had leveled him as much as death
could. He’d been so shocked when he found Felicia with another man.
He’d really thought she’d send Dennison packing after Gabe’s
wedding, maybe even come and see him. Instead, she’d fucked him.
Ryan could never forgive her.

“Hello, campers,” Megan called through the
bull horn.

The kids and counselors responded.

“I’m going to give you a few rules, and then
I won’t have to use this thing…” she held up the bullhorn
“…again.”

Trying hard to focus on Megan Hale, Ryan
listened to her tell the kids three rules that were important at
the camp: when a leader raised her hand in a group meeting, all
campers were to stop talking and raise
their
hands. This
was how order would be maintained. Second, the campers couldn’t go
anywhere without adult accompaniment. Finally—and here the
counselors joined in and yelled “
A clean camp is a happy
camp!”
Ryan knew from past volunteering that keeping the
eating areas and cabins clean was a must in order to handle nearly
eighty people on the grounds.

“We’re going to conduct an opening service up
on the hill, and then our food will be ready for dinner. So follow
your counselors to the outdoor chapel.”

Ryan put on a happy face. But as soon as he
stood, he caught sight of Felicia, and like he feared, just seeing
her poleaxed him. She looked okay in white shorts and a red camp
shirt emblazoned with
Hale’s Haven, Three Years and
Counting
. But she didn’t fill the clothes out well. She must
have lost fifteen pounds in the last month. Pounds she didn’t need
to lose. And though she was laughing at something one of the kids
said, when she turned and her face came right into his line of
vision, he saw the ravages of what had happened between them etched
out on every feature. For a minute she stared at him, then gave him
her back and started up the hill.

“I told you she looked like shit,” Brody
said, placing his hand on Ryan’s shoulder.

Ryan had been on a slippery slope right after
he found Felicia with another man and realized what that meant, so
he’d told Brody everything. His brother had been pissed Ryan hadn’t
confided in him earlier, but knew how raw Ryan was and never reamed
him out. Lately, though, Brody had been making noise about
forgiveness.

Which totally wasn’t going to happen.

“Yeah, she does look like shit. Her own
fault.”

As they began the hike up the hill, the sun
beat down on them mercilessly, making Ryan even more uncomfortable.
One thing about having older campers, though, they didn’t have to
hold hands with the counselors and could be trusted to wander
within sight. Problems came in getting that age group to sleep at
night.

Brody picked up the topic as he fell into
stride next to Ryan. “I guess you could look at it that Licia got
what she deserved. In any case, she hasn’t been herself since
May.”

“Can we rule her out as conversation this
week?” he asked as nicely as he could.

“Yeah, after I ask you this. What are you
going to do when you have to talk to her?”

“I’ll avoid her.”

“You might not be able to.”

“I will. Now, let’s catch up to the
boys.”

oOo

The first night ended early and when the kids
were ready for bed, one cabin was chosen to do Tuck-Ins. This was a
routine where all campers settled down, then one cabin of kids
would visit each of the other five and say goodnight--with a hug.
The scent of the lake wafted into Felicia’s and Jenn’s cabin, but
it was stifling in the small space. Still, everybody loved this
activity. Waiting in line, Felicia hoped that Ryan’s group wouldn’t
be doing the drill but that was dashed when she saw Brody walk
through the door. Damn. What was she going to do? Could she duck
out? She looked around wildly. There were people packed in here and
there was little room to move. A lot of other counselors who
weren’t assigned cabins milled about. Damn, she’d have to grin and
bear it.

And maybe that wasn’t so bad. They’d have
their first confrontation in front of everybody and be done with
it. Still she started to sweat and her heart triple timed in her
chest.

Each camper came down the row. The hugs were
awkward at first even though her girls were little and the boys
big. Brody led the way, with Ryan taking up the rear. She watched
Brody lean down and speak to one of her girls, the homesick one. He
got her to smile and hugged her fiercely.

“Hey, thanks for that,” she said when he
reached her.

“No problem.” He enveloped Felicia in a big
embrace. “Be strong, honey,” he whispered, shocking her.

Brody had told her right after the night of
Gabe and Rachel’s wedding that he knew what happened between her
and Rye, he wished he could help her out, but his brother would
always be his first priority. He also said he was sorry they were
both hurting so badly.

Too soon, the line wound down. Ryan inched
closer. Closer. Closer still until he stood in front of her.

She was stunned by his physical presence: how
he towered over her, his scent of man and musk and sweat, how he
hadn’t shaved and his beard flecked on his jaw. Which was clenched.
“Goodnight,” he said stiffly. He slid his arms around her.
Expecting a weak embrace, she got it.

When he drew back, he couldn’t even look at
her. Felicia lifted her chin and didn’t move.

Unfortunately, she dreamed about that hug and
his stony expression all night long.

oOo

After a polar swim, where kids got up at six
and dipped their feet—not often their bodies—in the shallow end of
the lake, everybody headed for breakfast. Kids shouted and squealed
their way through the meal because they were excited and more
familiar with the camp. Afterward, Megan got up to announce what
activities were planned for that morning.

“We’ll break up into groups and you get to
choose what you want to do with these counselors: basketball with
me, Mitch and Zach, Kelly and Tamara.” The other four waved. Ryan
knew Kelly Long from work and she’d flirted with him last night.
“Next, there’ll be an acting studio headed by our own Broadway
star, Lisel Loring.”

The beautiful woman also waved.

Jenn O’Grady was assigned to crafts, others
to a variety of physical and non-physical activities. Ryan began to
worry when he and Felicia hadn’t been called for anything.
Rightfully so because finally Megan said, “Last will be our hiking
adventure. You’ll be going on a hike in the woods at the end of the
lake with Ryan and Felicia. You’ll be back for lunch.”

Son of a bitch. He remembered now he and
Licia had shared a conversation about hiking. They must have both
put the interest down on their interview sheets. He approached
Brody immediately. “Hey, bro, you need to change activities with
me.”

“Can’t,” Brody said. “Emma’s coming out to
look around and after lunch, then she’s doing a reading hour with
the little kids. I’m helping.” He cocked his head. “You know, maybe
you should talk to her.”

All his muscles hardened. “Over my dead
body.”

Eight kids volunteered to hike—five boys and
three girls who all surrounded Felicia. She kept darting glances at
him and Brody. Finally, he threw in the towel and approached the
group. He noticed one camper from his cabin, Mikey, who was a
pistol, in the crowd. Tamping down thoughts of the woman in middle
of the kids, he made a note of keeping an eye on the boy.

They all piled into the camp van and rode it
to the end of the lake; the whole time, Ryan managed to look right
through Felicia. She sat in front with the driver, Nick, a full
time jack-of-all-trades for the camp, who flirted with her the
entire trip. She didn’t say much back. When they got out of the
van, they headed to the bottom of the trail. Felicia caught Ryan’s
gaze and arched a brow.

He crossed to her. “Do you want to lead or
take up the rear?” Other than goodnight, those were the first words
he’d spoken to her in four weeks.

“I’d rather lead.”

Figures. He wondered if she led in bed with
Dennison. Sometimes she did with him. And he loved it. Fuck!

“Okay, guys, fall into line, whatever order
you want.”

A young girl approached Felicia. “Will you
hold my hand?”

“Sure, honey.”

Ryan pulled out a sheet of printed
instructions Megan had given him. “You each get a bottle of water.
If you drink it all and have to go to the bathroom, I’m afraid
there’s only the woods.”

The kids giggled.

“Stay on the trail. Do not wander off.”

He gave a few more warnings and they started
up.

Felicia went slowly, then picked up the pace.
The sun was beaming down on them and he yelled to the kids to put
on the caps they’d been given in their camp-provided backpacks. He
noticed Felicia didn’t don one. The delicate skin of her face
already showed some red. Not that he cared.

Halfway up the trail, Ryan called for a break
because some boys had to pee. “I’ll go with them,” he called to
Felicia and she grunted without looking at him.

From his post several feet away, he told the
kids to do their business and tried not to think about how Felicia
looked holding the young camper’s hand. She was good with kids, but
she’d never have children of her own. He’d thought at one time…

“Ryan, Ryan, help!”

Ryan bolted through the woods and found Mikey
had gone past a sign that read, “Danger, keep out.” Ryan darted
around the meager fencing, raced forward. And stopped short when he
came to a pit in the ground. Hell. He took out the walkie talkie
they’d been given and spoke into it. “Felicia, you need to come
into the woods with the all girls. Mikey’s in trouble.”

oOo

“It’s not very deep,” Felicia said, clicking
into firefighter mode. She was glad to be distracted from Ryan’s
presence and not too worried about Mikey, who appeared
unharmed.

“Too deep for us to pull him up.” Ryan’s tone
was dry.

“I’m scared,” the boy yelled up.

“It’s okay, buddy. We’re gonna get you out.”
He turned and drew Felicia off to the side. A soft breeze had
picked up and played peek-a-boo with her hair. “Any ideas?”

“Yeah. I’ll go get him. The pit is sloped
with gravel sides so I can ease down on my butt. Then I’ll boost
him up on my shoulders. I’m five seven, the kid’s about five feet,
so you should be able to drag him out.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll dig holes in the gravel. Let’s hope I
can climb five feet then you can pull me the rest of the way.”

“That sounds precarious, Felicia.”

“I’ve done worse.”

“Yeah, so I’ve seen.”

Glancing around to see who was
near—nobody—she turned on him. Her face was red and her eyes
flaming. “Look, I know how you feel about me. You’re going to have
to put that aside so we can help this kid.”

“No problem. I hardly think about you
anymore.”

She took the emotional jab square on the
chin, swallowed hard and crossed to the shaft.

Ryan shooed the other kids back ten feet in
case something went wrong and put the oldest in charge.

Back at the lip of the shaft, he watched
Felicia scale down the gravelly side. Her legs were going to get
scraped again. Her descent was going well until she lost her
footing and tumbled down the last five feet.

Though he could see she was unhurt, his
heartbeat escalated. “You okay?”

She looked up at him. “Yeah, my pride’s
dented and my rear’s sore, is all.”

Damn it all to hell!

She explained the procedure to Mikey and
squatted down. By bracing himself on the side of the pit, the boy
was able to get up on her shoulders. Then Felicia slowly stood.
Ryan could picture her calf muscles bulging. God, that had to hurt.
But she only grunted. Squatting, Ryan was able to grab Mikey’s arms
and pull the kid out. Just from that small exertion, he was
breathing hard and his muscles hurt. What must she be feeling?