Page 72 of Never Will I Ever

After that, every group is given a different sheet of instructions to hunt for all six of their specific containers, and the only rule is that one kid is in charge of navigating per container, rotating so everyone gets a turn to test their skills with a map and compass. It also allows them to use their friends as help too, which makes the system all the more genius.

My group consists of Elijah, the twins, and the cabin containing Jordan, Tyler, and Jared. They’re all bursting with excitement as we head up the trail, Jordan taking the first crack at navigating for us. The two groups with the other counselors head out to start their hunt, and once Kaleb wrangles his group of six as well, we set out with our kids toward the first location.

Despite every group searching for their own containers, every number is in the same general vicinity. The ones are all about a mile past the north trailhead, the twos are hidden down by the lake, and so on and so forth. Again, genius, not only to keep the groups together if we couldn’t get CITs to come help us, but because it would’ve taken twice as long to hide these damn things otherwise. Especially with the bushwhacking—Kaleb’s term for going off-trail—we did to actually get them in the right locations.

And even if I was annoyed by the efforts we went through this morning, I’ll give it to him; he really did think of everything when he came up with this activity for the kids.

The two of us chat idly as we follow the lead of our navigators, keeping a steady pace up the trailhead until we reach a fork. Max is navigating for Kaleb’s crew, and he’s already turned off to the left and is climbing through the brush, the others in his group hot on his heels.

“Damn, they’re quick,” I mutter to him, watching as they search high and low around a tree for the first hidden container.

Kaleb smirks and is about to answer when the sound of shouting from my own group pulls his attention.

“Kaleb! Can you help us?”

We both glance over to where Colton just called from, finding they turned left at the fork and are now thirty yards away and heading down a gradual incline in efforts to find their own container. Well, Elijah and the twins are making their way; Jordan, Tyler, and Jared are still on the trail, looking warily in our direction.

Kaleb silently takes in the scene, and I watch the gears turn in his brain while he assesses the situation before calling back, “I’ve gotta check on my group, Cole, but I’m sure Avery can!”

I gape at him, not sure I heard him right. “You’re joking.”

“You’re a quick learner, Aves. I’m sure you can handle it.”

I don’t miss the innuendo in his statement. After all, he knows just how fast of a learner I am. Last night was the perfect example of it, when I finally worked up enough nerve to try giving my first blowjob.

And boy, was he a fan.

Yet, what really has my stomach knotting on itself is the little nickname slipping free. I’m not sure he even realized what he said, but I do. After only ever being Avery or Reynolds to him, how could I not?

I shove it to the side, though, instead choosing to focus on Kaleb throwing me to the goddamn wolves.

“You live to torture me. You know that, right? Fucking sadist.”

His grin only grows. “You say that like you don’t know exactly where they’re hidden.”

Fair enough, though that doesn’t negate the very real possibility that I’m about to make a fool of myself in front of these kids the way I did with Kaleb this morning.

Letting out a long sigh—and flipping Kaleb the bird behind my back—I head over to where my half a dozen heathens are waiting for some assistance.

“Okay, what’s the issue here?” I ask once I reach them.

The twins and Elijah have climbed back up to the trail, and Dayton motions toward the map and instructions in Jordan’s hands.

“Jordan followed the map, andthe clue said it should be right down there”—he points at the spot they just climbed from—“but none of us are finding the container.”

Six sets of eyes fall to me before Jordan holds out the map, compass, and instructions for me to take. And begrudgingly, I accept them.

Reading the instructions, I vaguely recall the location of where we hid this particular container. The problem is, the boys aren’t anywhere near it. Okay, not entirely true. They just turned thewrong way at the fork and should be about sixty yards in the opposite direction.

“Uh, so I think you might’ve been holding the map wrong?” I point down at the spot where we actually are compared to where we should be. “This is where we really are, but you wanna go back to the fork and then go the same distance in the other direction.”

Dayton looks up at me, dumbfounded, before he shoots a glare at Jordan.“Really? I thought you said you could use these.”

“It was an honest mistake,” I cut in, trying to sound as authoritative as I can manage.

With that bit of helpful information, the kids and I set off toward the actual location where the container is hidden. We approach Kaleb’s group on the way, still in search of their first find, and I notice him studying me with a curious gaze when we pass by.

More than anything, I wish I knew what he was thinking. That I could crawl inside that mind of his and weave my way through his thoughts, dissecting them as I go. But that’s unfortunately impossible, seeing as I’m not a sparkly vampire named Edward.

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