Page 97 of Class Clown

“You’d do that?” I blinked. “Like, a unified front?”

He frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Said like a person who didn’t understand that relationships could be fake, and guys could leave someone to face the music alone, and not everyone was gentle with a woman’s heart.

I debated the pros and cons quickly. Pro, I wouldn’t be alone and Kristy would probably be easier on me with Nico around. Pro, Nico having my back. Con, Kristy clamming up in front of Nico. Con, further rubbing it in her face by having Nico with me.

I smacked my lips. “I think since I’m the liar here, it has to be me.” I turned back to face him fully. “I love that you were willing to come with me.”

“I’m in your corner, love, always.”

Dang these quiet guys were a zing a minute. It was exhilarating to be on the receiving end of it. I wanted to plant a big kiss on him for being so amazing, but it for sure wasn’t the right moment, and so I settled for offering him a big grin.

“I’m in your corner too, big fella.”

He arched a brow, something I hadn’t known he could do. “Big fella?”

“I’m still workshopping the nickname thing.”

“Keep workshopping,” he responded drily.

“Snookie? Pookems? Marshmallow Daddy?”

“Maybe I don’t need a nickname.”

I laughed, waved the phone at him in goodbye, and hurried after Kristy.

I found her sitting at the desk in the exam room, with a patient on the table. That must have been why she’d been looking for me. She didn’t make eye contact, but pointed at the little boy and gave me a quick report on his symptoms.

He’d been vomiting all day and appeared to be dehydrated. In a perfect world I’d have a doctor on site to give an order for IV fluids, but at camp we did what we could. So, while I made sure the vomiting had ended, I had Kristy go to the storage room to get some electrolyte fluids for me.

Falling into the care routine took the initial buzz off Kristy discovering my little secret, and focusing on the camper to get him back in top shapeseemed to help her settle as well. While I didn’t want Kristy upset, I was sort of grateful for this buffer time.

We got the camper settled in the recovery area, sipping on a drink, wrapped in a blanket comfortably, before Kristy finally met eyes for the first time. I tilted my head toward the empty waiting area, and in unspoken agreement we moved together until we were clear to talk.

“You probably have a few questions for me,” I said sheepishly.

She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and folded her arms, shooting me a look of betrayal and hurt. “How long?”

I swallowed. “Not long, actually. Officially, a week or so.”

“I don’t buy it.”

“Don’t buy what?”

“That it hasn’t been going on this whole summer while you sat and listened to Gina and I talk about how we wanted to date him. It’s humiliating.”

I shook my head. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but when this summer started I did not like Nico. I was mad about bunking up with him. I loved the idea of setting you or Gina up with him.”

“Because you didn’t like him? That makes it even worse!” Her voice raised. “You don’t set up friends with a guy you hate. Why?”

I shook my head again. “No, no. It wasn’t like that. I didn’t hate him. I just didn’t see him as someone I’d be interested in. You two thought he was so cute, so I thought it would be fun to matchmake a little.”

“And yet, neither of us had a shot, did we?”

“I thought you did.”

She huffed. “Yeah, well, I thought you were our friend, and we were on the same team. We crushed on him all summer and you never hinted that your own feelings were involved too.”

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