Page 58 of Camping with the Boss

“Look, I’m sorry about leaving, okay?”

“You were a freshman.” The memory is vivid, and I can still picture his stubborn face as he told me I wasn’t in charge of him. “You refused to go to school—or anywhere—without it.”

He presses his lips together, his body a frozen line of tension. “What are you doing?”

I get it. Just likeFight Club, we have an unspoken rule. But he smashed all our rules to hell, and there’s a price to pay for that. “Why did you take my Charizard card to school every day?”

He shakes his head. Angry little shakes. His hands fist and press against his legs. “It was a comfort thing. Mom and Dad had just—stop being an asshole, Canyon.”

My resolve crumbles. Hurting my brother goes against every instinct I have. My job is to protect him. But I can’t do this anymore. I need him to understand. “It wasn’t a comfort thing.” I soften my voice. “You thought Charizard was stupid.”

“He is stupid,” River says. He sounds so much like that fifteen-year-old boy that I almost hug him again.

“Tell me why.”

He stares out the window behind me, blinking rapidly. Then his eyes meet mine. Anguish swirls in the green pools. “You loved that stupid card. I knew if I had it, you’d always—” His eyes shut and tears leak out.

“You took our family picture with you, River. If you’d left it?—”

He wraps his arms around me, squeezing me tight. “I’m so sorry, Can. I wasn’t thinking.”

The words are no longer important. I hug him back, this time without violence. “I’m still mad at you.”

“I know.”

Wade clears his throat. “I hate to interrupt this touching family reunion, but we still have a retreat to run.” He folds his arms across his chest and swallows.

River chuckles and wipes his eyes on his shirt. “Some things never change. Same ol’ bossman.”

That’s not true. I almost tell him Wade has changed. Or is that just my perception of him?

Before Wade can yell at him, and I can tell by the tightness of his jaw that he wants to—and why is that now endearing?—River turns to me. “I’m back now, bro. You can go home.”

“What? No. I’ve got activities planned?—”

He straightens, and the bro-tude vanishes. “No, Can. I planned the activities. I planned everything. This is literally my job. You can go back to counting sheep.”

Wade steps forward, his face etched with fury. I resist the urge to pull River to safety. He’s an adult. He did this to himself. “Your brother is the only reason you still have a job, Mr. Drake.” His words are low but sharp with anger. “You disappeared without a word. That was your decision. But I decide who stays. Not you.”

This is the bosshole I remember. Taking charge. His hands are on his hips as he towers over my brother. River in front of the bookcase. Wade, in profile, framed against the green door.

My mind shifts to Wade lifting my arms above my head. Commanding me not to move as his hands roam under my shirt. As he kisses and sucks on my neck?—

Shit.I move behind a chair.Really, Canyon? Your brother is in the room. But my body doesn’t care. It hears the growl in Wade’s voice. “So there’s no reason for you to stay, River?—”

“No.” The cry escapes me before I can stop it. “Please.” My eyes dart from River to Wade. My heart is beating fast, but now for a different reason. It’s too soon. I just got him back.

Wade must read it on my face because he regroups with a muttered curse and a shake of his head. “Fine. You and Canyon can work together on this.”

“Hold up. Wade Darian is changing his mind. Listening to someone else?” River asks with a snarky tone, and I want to whack him upside the head again.

Wade’s jaw tightens, but his voice is even. “You might as well stay since I’m paying both of you.”

“Wait, you are?” His attitude slips away. “Why?”

“Your brother insisted. You can thank him.”

His brows draw together as he looks from Wade to me. He frowns. “It’s true, isn’t it?”

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