Page 12 of Class Clown

“Yes, ma’am,” Nico whispered back, before his rapid footsteps followed Cole right out the door.

The way I saw it, I had two options. One: be a wimp and avoid the Funky Bunks forced proximity situation at all costs. Two: take queen-like ownership of the cabin and show those men how things were going to be. It took me less than five minutes to decide that, yeah, it was going to be option two. Queen it up.

Cole had lived with a sister growing up, and he’d understand the explosion of grooming products in the bathroom, the peach-scented steam-cloud after showering, waiting for more hot water, watching me hold up a hand mirror to tweeze my facial hairs, and the radical spraying of scented air-freshener on the regular. Nico, well, he was a bit of a mystery. I didn’t know his story, but I was going to grin and fake it until he warmed up. Or at least thawed to whatever level he was capable of.

To be fair, I’d never stuck around long enough to see if Nico could thaw.

I worked out my thoughts as I sat on the exam table in the health center cabin, my feet scuffing the floor as I kicked my legs back and forth. The room smelled pleasantly of disinfectant, latex, and band aids. The blue plastic cushion under me squeaked a little with each back and forth of my legs, and I allowed the soothing scents and sounds to replace the irritation of earlier.

Why couldn’t I have been stuck in a standard forced proximity romance trope with someone agreeable? I could have salvaged my Summer of Love. Sad. There was zero romance in being forced to room with my brother and his robot bestie.

My mind went down a little, teeny, harmless rabbit hole of imagining how it would have been if the hero from my latest romance novel had walked in the door instead. My face would have lit up, my heart pounded, my mouth would have shifted into a smile of welcome. I’d have helped him make his bed and then heated some water and we’d have sat down atthe little table while I stirred up some creamy cocoa and added one more marshmallow than he’d asked for. He’d swipe the hair out of his eyes and give me a teasing look. I would have apologized for the mishap of us ending up rooming together - not meaning a word of it - and he’d have pulled me close to him, kissing me while he told me we’d better make the best of it.

Heaven.

Dark, serious eyes replaced his and I frowned as Nico’s face flashed into my mind. I was going to spend the next three months scampering around like a half-feral person trying to force the cabin to feel like a home.

My stomach sank and heaviness filled my chest. I shook my head. “Be honest, Ruby,” I said out loud to myself. “None of the guys you’ve dated were ever going to play house with you.” I really needed to stop pretending that I’d ever had more than a passing, flirtatious relationship. Daydreaming about love was only making me feel worse.

I stood up and grabbed a book on poison ivy, sternly reminding myself that I was a Thornback Dragon Woman. I did not need a man to complete me, and I had the strength to make this the best summer ever regardless of break-ups and unexpected house-mates.

The pep talk helped a little, but my mind still didn’t focus well and I’d probably read the same paragraph fifteen times when there was a light knock on the doorway leading into the exam room. I glanced up to find a younger woman with a blond ponytail and a bright smile standing in the open frame. She was wearing a t-shirt and those zip-away pants that can turn into shorts. In fact, it seemed like everyone up here was ready to go from pants to shorts at the flick of a zipper. Maybe I’d have to get some.

“You must be Ruby,” she said.

I closed the book and smiled at her. “I like your pants. If the bottom caught fire, how long would it take you to zip yourself free?”

Her smiled dimmed a little at the unexpected line of conversation, but she pushed it back up. “I’ve never counted, but if your phone has a stopwatch, I’m willing to see.”

I liked this girl. “Let’s do it.” I grabbed my phone from the top of my desk and opened the stopwatch feature. She put her hand on one of the zippers just above her knee, and when I said go, she unzipped while using her other foot to toe off her hiking boot, and then kicked off the bottom half of her pants. We both laughed as I read the final time. “A little under four seconds. Not bad.”

She grinned as she retrieved her pant leg from across the room and stuck her foot back through it. “The longest part was definitely getting my boot off. If I’d been in flip-flops that would have easily been half the time. Still, around eight seconds for both legs. There would be burns, but not as bad as if I’d been in regular pants and had to remove more material.”

I tucked my phone back in my pocket. “Do they come in purple?”

She shrugged and picked up her boot. “Not sure. I ordered mine online. I can give you the website.”

“Fantastic. I am Ruby. You were looking for me?”

“Oh, right.” She finished getting her boot back on and held out her hand in greeting, introducing herself as we shook. “I’m Kristy. Mr. Jenkins told me I could probably find you here.”

“Ah, by Mr. Jenkins I’m assuming you mean my brother.” I released her hand and leaned back against my desk. “Just so we’re clear, I’ll never call him that. It’ll go to his head.” I teased. “He was right, though. Here I am.”

“Well, I’m your assistant and I’m here to help you get organized.”

I got an assistant? Cool beans. Cole had not mentioned this little nugget, and that realization had me feeling slightly more forgiving about him not mentioning Nico. If he hadn’t told me the good, then he probably hadn’t meant to surprise me with the bad. Camp had a lot of moving parts, and Cole could be a scatterbrain.

I met Kristy’s curious look and smiled. Her eyes were the same blue color as the sky had been that morning. It was a rare color and made me think of my friend Hailey. A fizz of homesickness had me pressing a hand to my stomach. How I wished my friends were here. We could have really made the most of summering together in the Funky Bunk cabin.

I took a deep breath in through my nose and refocused. Kristy looked young, maybe early twenties, and eager, and her eyes had no shadowy secrets that I could see. It gave me hope that there was the possibility of a friendly person to pass the time with.

I gave her a big smile. “This is a pleasant surprise. Cole didn’t tell me I’d have some help, and it’s about time one of his surprises was good.” I pulled a face, which Kristy laughed at. “With over a hundred kids attending camp each week, plus staff, I have a feeling the health center will be hopping.”

“I was the assistant last year too, and it’s mostly throwing up and head colds. Nothing too drastic.”

“I’ll spend my days knocking on wood and tossing salt to make that wish come true.”

She nodded and held up a hand to wave her crossed fingers. “It’s kind of fun that you get to work with your brother for the summer.”

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