Page 79 of The Summer Intern

"The renovations put us over budget, I know," Sutton replied, his voice carrying the hint of his Southern upbringing."But the increased capacity will pay off eventually, and I think we can make it work, can't we?"

Budget problems?My stomach twisted.Matt hadn't mentioned anything since the confrontation with Walter, but was he still secretly worried?

"Eventually doesn't help us now," Matt said, and I heard the strain in his voice."We need new ideas for revenue streams if we want to keep this place running."

A chill ran through me despite the warmth of the morning.If the camp closed, Matt would have to find another job.He might move away from Eagle Ridge altogether.Our tentative plans for weekend visits would become impossible even if I mastered driving.

"The Oregon program could be the answer," Sutton said."A full new business plan.And in the meantime, the Yamadas have pledged a donation."

"It might not work.Everything could still fall apart."Matt's voice was tense in a way I didn't usually hear from him.

Fall apart.The words hung in the air like a prophecy.My mind raced, connecting dots that might not have been there.Had my presence at camp somehow contributed to these problems?I'd pushed for several changes to the traditional program—more arts activities, explicit LGBTQ+ inclusion, alternatives to the hyper-competitive sports events.Matt had implemented all of them, seemingly enthusiastic about my ideas.

But what if those changes had driven away traditional campers?What if conservative parents had pulled their kids out, taking their tuition payments with them?What if my relationship with Matt had somehow become known, causing problems with the more traditional families?

"—ruin the camp's reputation with certain demographics," Sutton was saying as my attention refocused.

My blood ran cold.Certain demographics.That had to be code for the conservative families who'd been sending their kids here for generations.

"I know the risk," Matt replied, his voice tight."But I can't keep pretending—"

"I'm not suggesting you pretend anything," Sutton cut in."But we can't always rely on alternate funding, so we need to be strategic about how we approach any changes.It's going to be hard work."

"Dad wants to look over everything tomorrow," Matt said."I need concrete numbers by then.And a contingency plan if the Oregon plan falls through."

Oregon.My heart stuttered.Was Matt considering moving the camp's operations to Oregon?That made no sense.Unless...unless he was thinking of following me there?The thought sent a surge of guilt through me.I couldn't let Matt uproot his entire life, his family's legacy, just for me.Not when it was clearly causing financial strain.

"This place means everything to me," Matt continued, his voice dropping so low I had to strain to hear it."It's my heritage, my responsibility.I can't be the one who ruins it."

But what if I was the one ruining it for him?The insidious thought wrapped around my heart like barbed wire.Matt had never made me feel like a burden, but that was Matt—selfless to a fault, always putting others before himself.

I heard chairs scraping against the floor and stepped back from the door, but not quickly enough.It swung open, revealing Matt and Sutton frozen in surprise at the sight of me lurking in the hallway.Matt's face, already tense from their discussion, shifted into something softer when our eyes met.

"Casey," he said, a smile breaking through his serious expression."I was going to find you after this meeting.I've got some exciting—"

"I'm sorry," I blurted out, the words tumbling over each other."I'm sorry for ruining everything."

Matt's smile faltered, confusion replacing it."What?You haven't ruined anything—"

But I couldn't bear to hear his kind lies, couldn't face the possibility that he was sacrificing his family's legacy to chase me to Oregon, couldn't stand the thought that my progressive ideas had damaged the camp's reputation with its core clientele.

"I'll fix it," I promised, although I had no idea how."I won't let you ruin your life for me."

Before he could respond, I turned and fled, pushing past the heavy wooden doors and into the blinding morning sunlight.Behind me, I heard Matt call my name, his voice tinged with alarm, but I kept moving, my feet carrying me automatically toward the lake.

The water stretched before me, a sheet of glass reflecting the surrounding pines and distant mountains.This view had become my thinking spot over the summer, the place where I'd first admitted to myself that what I felt for Matt was more than attraction or infatuation.

I dropped onto a weathered dock, my legs dangling above the water.The tears I'd been holding back now flowed freely, blurring the perfect reflection below.Five days left, and I'd managed to discover that I was possibly the worst thing that had happened to Camp Eagle Ridge's finances.That Matt might be contemplating some desperate plan to stop my wild ideas from destroying everything his family had built.

thirty-one

Matt

Caseyrushedoutofthe lodge so quickly that he nearly knocked over a potted plant.My chest tightened with that specific brand of worry that had become all too familiar since falling for him–—a mixture of fear and protectiveness that made my feet move before my brain caught up.I glanced at Sutton, who was standing by the door, eyebrows raised.

"You didn't tell him yet?"

"Shit...I didn't..."I raked my hands through my hair."No."

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