Page 45 of Even Exchange

“Yes, Noah,” they chime in unison.

In my tent, I grab the supplies for the next item on the list of “Top 5 Things to do While Camping,” and when I return, Charlotte grins at me.

“S’mores?” she asks, looking down at the two bags in my hands.

“Yep.” I beam. “It’s not camping without s’mores.”At least not according to my research.

I take two thin sticks Nash found and stake marshmallows through them, then hand one to him and the other to Denny. I grab one for myself and demonstrate how to roast them to perfection.Well, I try.Only ten are burned before they get the hang of it. I don’t mind. That’s why I brought extra.

I meticulously stack a graham cracker, toasted marshmallow, piece of chocolate, and another cracker on top. Pressing it together, I grin satisfactorily at my handiwork.Like riding a bike.Charlotte sits beside me on a log, a pretty smile on her face, watching her siblings laugh and giggle as they consume their weight in gooey goodness. We might regret this later when they need to go to bed.

Two six-year-olds pumped with sugar? Yikes.

“Here,” I say, holding out my perfect creation.

“Thanks.” She accepts the offering.

“Have you enjoyed losing your camping virginity?” I ask as she takes a bite, chocolate oozing out and trickling down her chin.

New rule: don’t lick the chocolate off Charlotte’s face.

She nods, swallowing. “Definitely.” She wipes the tasty temptation off with her thumb and sticks it in her mouth, sucking it clean.Blood, stay out of dick.Her attention returns to Denny and Nash.

“Maybe we should take them to do stuff like this more often,” I find myself saying, the idea of spending time with her appealing. I’ve got a no relationship rule, sure. But hanging out with afriendshouldn’t be a distraction… right?

Her curious eyes flick to mine. “Really?”

I shrug, shoving all counter arguments to the who-gives-a-fuck department. “Yeah, why not?”

Charlotte scans my face, her lips dropping to a frown, and she looks away, her knee bouncing.

“Hey,” I say softly, and her gaze returns to mine, unreadable. “What was that?”

“What was what?” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“Where did you go there?” I wring my fingers together, fighting the urge to place a hand on her anxious leg. “You were happy, and then…”

“The truth?”

“Always.”

“First, I was thinking I’d really enjoy us doing stuff with the twins.” My heart swells. “But then I thought how much it would hurt them when you move away later this year.”

And just like that, my swelling heart turns to a sinking stomach because,fuck. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt the twins, or her.

“Char.” I tilt my head to the side, and she looks down at her hands. “We don’t even know where I’ll end up yet.”

Her eyes are glossy in the firelight. “You’re graduating next week, then immediately touring Seattle.” She pauses. “They’re going to love you, by the way,” she assures me, gaze meeting mine. “Your life’s about to get super hectic. I don’t want to put any pressure on you to come see us.”

“Seeing you all would be as much for me as it would be for you.”

“How so?”

“I’m going to crave this…” Glancing around, I search for the right word. “Normalcy. Spending time with people who see me as more than a vessel for winning football games or for some kind of clout.”

“I promise I would never use you for clout.” Her lips quirk upward. “You’re really not that cool anyways.”

“Hey.” I throw a hand over my wounded ego.

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