Boyfriend for the Summer

The counselors don’t seem particularly concerned either. We haven’t gone as far as to start making out in front of them—or his parents—but we hold hands now. And I love the simplicity of that.

I love a lot of things about this and about him. I almost let it slip a few weeks ago under the dock. I’m in love with Eric Elmore. It’s an impossibly large feeling, and I don’t know what to do with it. I’ve never been in love before.

But what happens now? None of the issues of taking this beyond the summer have disappeared. We live two hours apart. We’ll never be able to see each other. And as much as I’d like to believe we could make that work, it doesn’t seem likely.

Across the fire, I see Eric’s parents. His mom makes eye contact with me and smiles after looking between Eric and me. At least there’s that. She doesn’t wholly hate me for her dating son, even though he hasn’t officially introduced to her to me as his mother. He holds that information pretty tightly to his chest.

“Sleepy?” he asks, leaning close to my ear.

“Yeah.”

“Can I walk you back to your cabin?”

I can’t keep the smile off my face. “Yeah.”

Eric helps me up and leads me away from the fire into the darkness. There are still enough people around the fire that us walking away doesn’t draw a lot of attention. But that cozy, sleepy, feeling doesn’t leave me as I walk.

Eric has his arm slung around my shoulder, and he pulls me in so I can lean my head on his shoulder. I’m not sure why I’m so tired, but I could nearly fall asleep standing up. Almost to my cabin, we cross the spot where Eric tackled me. “I like that spot,” I say.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Even though I almost broke your nose?”

I smile even though he can’t see it. “Almost would be the key phrase there.”

“I like that spot too. But this spot works,” he says, leaning me up against the wall of the cabin by the door.

“You’re playing with fire.”

“Yes, I am. I just left a bonfire after all.”

He kisses me gently, and I let him. “Your mom smiled at us.”

“I think she likes you.”

“How could she know? I think we’ve only spoken a couple of times.”

Eric chuckles softly. “She’s a good judge of character. And I think she’s figured it out.”

“She has definitely figured it out.”

He laughs again. “Before we leave, we’ll talk to them together.”

“About what?”

“About anything you want.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and just hold him. This feels so nice. Just simple touches and connection. “I wish we could sleep together,” I say, my voice muffled by his shirt.

“We’ve slept together.”

I shake my head. “You know what I mean. Just to sleep. I like being close to you.”

Eric looks at me. “I could find a way.”

“A way that doesn’t involve sleeping on the ground outside?”

He chuckles, running his hands down my ribs. “Maybe not. But maybe. By the way, I’ve been working on something.”

“On what?”

“A song.”

My heart kicks up into a faster rhythm. “A new one?”

He nods. “I wrote it after the night at the waterfall. It’s for you.”

Heat floods my cheeks. “Do I get to hear it?”

“If you want.” Eric seems a little breathless, and I realize that he’s nervous.

“If?” I pull him into a kiss. “Of course I want to hear it. No one’s ever written me a song before.”

He shrugs. “I don’t think that it’s very good.”

“And I’m sure that it’s brilliant.”

I see the shadow of his smile in the dark. “Thank you.”

“So, when do I get to hear this magical melody?”

“What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?”

I think. “There was a crafting class, but trust me when I say that I would much rather be with you.”

“Then meet me at the waterfall at four. I’ll play it for you.”

“I can’t wait,” I say. “I really can’t.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

“And don’t beat yourself down,” I say, poking him in the chest.

“Fair enough,” he says. “I deserved that.”

But then he’s kissing me again and nothing matters in the world but the soft feel of his lips. “I should go,” he says. “The others might be coming soon.”

“Okay.”

One final kiss, and he leaves. I miss him already. I love you, I think into the darkness, listening to the soft sounds of his retreating footsteps.

At Red Rock you’re not supposed to use your cell phone. The service is spotty anyway, but we keep them for emergencies. But I can’t resist this time. I dig my cellphone out of my suitcase and turn it on.

Leena is still in Europe so there’s no way that she’s going to answer, but I have to tell someone about this feeling so I don’t go crazy.

So, I type. I met a guy. At camp. And I think that I’m falling for him hard. I’m not sure what to do about it.