Page 35 of Never Will I Ever

“Then why did you hire him?” I exclaim, unable to hide the mixture of surprise and dismay in my tone. “Do you really think someone who’d do that should be here working with all these kids?”

Colin leans back in his chair, resting his elbows on the armrests and steepling his fingers together. It’s a position I’ve seen Coach—as well as plenty of other authority figures—in many times over the last few years. And paired with his stoic expression and hard eyes, I know he’s about to lay down the law.

“Look, Kal. I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Avery the day he got here: I believe in second chances. And one mistake, failure, or decision shouldn’t have the power to define you as a bad person.”

“Onemistake?” I echo before barking out a laugh. “Just last night, he all but told me about this little plan to use you and Elijah to get back into Foltyn this fall.”

He leans back in his chair, resting his elbows on the arm rests before steepling his fingers. “You’ve seen the two of them interact together more than anyone else since camp started. You really think that’s the case?” Colin aims a knowing look my way. “This is the first year I’ve seen Elijah act remotely himself. The kid wants to do this kind of stuff as much as he’d want to never eat sugar again, but I can already see a change in him.”

“So you don’t care that he’s getting close to Elijah just to garner favor with your brother?”

For the first time in this entire conversation, I see a flicker of irritation in Colin’s expression. “Avery’s connecting with him, and that’s all I could ask for. While it might be a bit unorthodox, I think they both have things to teach each other this summer, regardless of how their relationship initially started. Wouldn’t you agree?”

I offer a nod in concession of his point, but it doesn’t stop me from carefully forming a rebuttal. “I see where you’re coming from, but—”

“That’s all I need to hear.”

“Colin—” I start to protest, but he’s already cutting me off at the knees before I get out anything except his name.

“If the only issue you truly have is because of what happened this past spring, then I’m going to encourage you to use it as an opportunity to mend fences.” Colin’s eyes soften around the edges, and he takes on a softer tone. One he hasn’t used with me since I was a kid attending this camp myself. “You and I both know you can handle this, Kal. You’ve risen above far greater things in your short life. Spending the summer working beside Avery won’t even register as a blip in the grand scheme of your life.”

Shit.

My teeth sink into my tongue, and I’m half tempted to tell him about the little stunt Elijah pulled with going MIA on us, which would surely put an entirely different view of Avery in Colin’s head. But unfortunately, I’m just as responsible for Elijah as Avery is—all bringing it up to Colin would accomplish is makingbothof us look incompetent.

So rather than chancing it, I accept defeat with a curt nod and rise from my seat. “If that’s all, I better get back to the kids before they start a food fight in the dining hall.”

Colin’s lip twitches, and I can’t tell if he’s amused with my statement or my feeble attempt to hide my irritation with hisdecision. “Enjoy your overnighter up on the mountain.”

Shit,I’d completely forgotten about that. And after last night, followed by this conversation, it’s not fucking likely.

I manage to keep the comment to myself, though, and simply nod.

I’m through the open threshold of the office seconds later, ready to get the kids started on today’s adventure, only to turn straight into Avery. My hand grabs the wall to steady myself, and when my gaze lifts to his face, I find a hardened glare and jaw lined with tension.

Shit.

It’s obvious from his expression alone he overheard enough of my conversation with Colin to piss him off. And now I’m surely going to pay the price for it.

“For someone who’s all about being on time, you’re the only one making us late today,” he snaps, disdain dripping from his tone as he crosses his arms. “The kids are already outside, ready to hit the trail, if you’re done trying to get me fired.”

Double shit.

It’s at that moment when I catch something in his gaze that doesn’t quite match the fury he’s aiming my way. Something that looks eerily like…hurt.

And though it makes no sense, the realization is a blade right through my gut.

I don’t even have a chance to respond before he’s storming back toward the dining hall without another word.

Eleven

Avery

Pissed off doesn’t begin to cover how I’m feeling about Kaleb’s little attempt to get me booted from camp, but I do my best to shove down the frustration and hurt it causes by focusing on the task at hand: getting twenty-something kids up a mountain safely.

Of course, it’s a little difficult to rein in the irritation when we’ll be forced in each other’s proximity for the next twenty-four hours, no referee or mediator in sight.

Then again, we’ll be on a mountain with no one around to stop me from pushing him off the nearest cliff.

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