me for me. Or not like me for me, whatever. You get the point.”
Her father smiled and pushed her hair back from her face. “Believe it or not, Nat, I know exactly what you mean. I have to deal with that every day. Agents, actors, directors—everyone telling me what I want to hear.”
Natalie smirked at him. “That must be awful.”
He laughed. “Well, okay, not always. Point taken.”
“You look good,” she said. “The ‘spy’ training is always a good thing.” And he did look good. He was tanned and fit and actually even looked relaxed, which was rare for him.
Her father fake-flexed a bicep. “Not bad for an old-timer, right?” he laughed.
“One of the girls in my bunk has your poster up on the wall,” Natalie said. “She thinks you’re cute. It’s pretty gross.”
Her father arched an eyebrow. “Gross? Should I be offended?”
Natalie giggled. “Sorry.” She stood up and walked toward him. “I’m glad to see you.”
Her father reached out and pulled her close for a hug. “I’m glad to see you, too, sweetie.”
She pushed away and looked at him again. “What have you got on tap for today? I’d give you the grand tour but even with all your personal training I don’t think you could handle the real great outdoors,” she teased. “Also, you wouldn’t be able to walk a foot in any direction without being attacked by legions of fans.”
“Well, hang on, that could be fun,” her father protested, pretending to consider his options. “Legions, you say? ...Nah, I get enough of that in LA,” he decided. “How about I bust you out of this joint for the afternoon? I already cleared it with Dr. Steve. Who, by the way, does not strike me as a medical professional. Has your mother checked his credentials? Anyway, we could do lunch, go shopping—”
“Shopping? Please don’t be kidding,” Natalie said, eyes lighting up at the prospect.
“Of course I’m not kidding! Josie couldn’t go a day without spending some of my money.”
Natalie knew that her father’s girlfriend, Josie, loved to shop.
“I don’t know what sort of shops we’ll find up here,” Natalie warned her father.
“Oh, I’m not worried. Somehow, between you and Josie, I bet we can sniff out the bargains,” her father said, patting her on the head. “I have one call to make—”
“How very Hollywood of you—” Natalie quipped.
“—and then I’ll get Skylar to bring the car up,” her father finished, ignoring her.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Dad. Go make your call, and I’ll meet you at the front entrance to the camp. No more drama, okay?” Natalie said.
“Fine.” He kissed her on her forehead. “See you in fifteen.”
Her father trotted off in the direction of the camp entrance, and Natalie squared her shoulders and prepared herself to go back into the bunk. She had no idea what she was going to say to any of her friends, but it was now or never.
As she walked into the bunk, she was aware of the room going utterly silent. She suddenly had the distinct impression that just moments before, she’d been the subject of conversation. Don’t be paranoid, Nat, she told herself, but she couldn’t shake the sensation that all eyes were on her. She kept her head down as she crossed to her cubby to fish out her bag.
“How’s your father, Nat?” Julie chirped, breaking the silence.
“Um, he’s okay,” Natalie managed. “Tired, I guess, because he just finished filming.”
Julie didn’t seem to know what else to say. In the end, she decided on a nondescript, “mmm,” before turning back to her book.
“God, he is really great-looking in person.”
Natalie turned to find Chelsea gazing at her with stars in her eyes. It was like she’d had some sort of personality transplant or something.
Just what I didn’t want to happen, Natalie thought, dejected. She glanced up to Alyssa’s bunk—but all she could see were feet. Alyssa was either sleeping or playing dead.
Her father smiled and pushed her hair back from her face. “Believe it or not, Nat, I know exactly what you mean. I have to deal with that every day. Agents, actors, directors—everyone telling me what I want to hear.”
Natalie smirked at him. “That must be awful.”
He laughed. “Well, okay, not always. Point taken.”
“You look good,” she said. “The ‘spy’ training is always a good thing.” And he did look good. He was tanned and fit and actually even looked relaxed, which was rare for him.
Her father fake-flexed a bicep. “Not bad for an old-timer, right?” he laughed.
“One of the girls in my bunk has your poster up on the wall,” Natalie said. “She thinks you’re cute. It’s pretty gross.”
Her father arched an eyebrow. “Gross? Should I be offended?”
Natalie giggled. “Sorry.” She stood up and walked toward him. “I’m glad to see you.”
Her father reached out and pulled her close for a hug. “I’m glad to see you, too, sweetie.”
She pushed away and looked at him again. “What have you got on tap for today? I’d give you the grand tour but even with all your personal training I don’t think you could handle the real great outdoors,” she teased. “Also, you wouldn’t be able to walk a foot in any direction without being attacked by legions of fans.”
“Well, hang on, that could be fun,” her father protested, pretending to consider his options. “Legions, you say? ...Nah, I get enough of that in LA,” he decided. “How about I bust you out of this joint for the afternoon? I already cleared it with Dr. Steve. Who, by the way, does not strike me as a medical professional. Has your mother checked his credentials? Anyway, we could do lunch, go shopping—”
“Shopping? Please don’t be kidding,” Natalie said, eyes lighting up at the prospect.
“Of course I’m not kidding! Josie couldn’t go a day without spending some of my money.”
Natalie knew that her father’s girlfriend, Josie, loved to shop.
“I don’t know what sort of shops we’ll find up here,” Natalie warned her father.
“Oh, I’m not worried. Somehow, between you and Josie, I bet we can sniff out the bargains,” her father said, patting her on the head. “I have one call to make—”
“How very Hollywood of you—” Natalie quipped.
“—and then I’ll get Skylar to bring the car up,” her father finished, ignoring her.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Dad. Go make your call, and I’ll meet you at the front entrance to the camp. No more drama, okay?” Natalie said.
“Fine.” He kissed her on her forehead. “See you in fifteen.”
Her father trotted off in the direction of the camp entrance, and Natalie squared her shoulders and prepared herself to go back into the bunk. She had no idea what she was going to say to any of her friends, but it was now or never.
As she walked into the bunk, she was aware of the room going utterly silent. She suddenly had the distinct impression that just moments before, she’d been the subject of conversation. Don’t be paranoid, Nat, she told herself, but she couldn’t shake the sensation that all eyes were on her. She kept her head down as she crossed to her cubby to fish out her bag.
“How’s your father, Nat?” Julie chirped, breaking the silence.
“Um, he’s okay,” Natalie managed. “Tired, I guess, because he just finished filming.”
Julie didn’t seem to know what else to say. In the end, she decided on a nondescript, “mmm,” before turning back to her book.
“God, he is really great-looking in person.”
Natalie turned to find Chelsea gazing at her with stars in her eyes. It was like she’d had some sort of personality transplant or something.
Just what I didn’t want to happen, Natalie thought, dejected. She glanced up to Alyssa’s bunk—but all she could see were feet. Alyssa was either sleeping or playing dead.
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