open. “I like cats, too. Do you think there’ll be a cat at camp?”
Jake opened the back passenger door and lifted Ethan into his seat. “I don’t know about cats, but you’ll find lots of birds and squirrels. Maybe even a hawk.”
A woman walked toward the truck with a backpack slung over her shoulder. Her short blonde hair and petit frame were the direct opposite of Jake’s tall, dark, and well-built attractions. But her startling blue eyes reflected the same strong personality that her brother had in bucket loads.
“Mad Max is all sorted.” Lucy looked inside the truck and smiled at Erin. “Hi. I’m Lucy, Jake’s sister. I’ll just get our bags and then we’re ready to go.”
Jake walked past with his sister’s suitcases in his hands. “I’ve got them. Did you bring all of those cookies you made?”
Lucy rolled her eyes and smiled at Erin. “My brother has a sweet tooth a mile long.” She turned toward her brother. “They’re already at camp. Gracie picked them up on her way through this morning.”
Jake closed the canopy and moved around to the front of the truck. “Do you need to use the bathroom, Ethan?”
“Mom’s already asked me that heaps of times, Uncle Jake.”
“Well?”
“I don’t need to use the bathroom. And I’ve got a hanky and my book.”
“Good man. Let’s get going then.”
As Jake drove down the driveway, Erin settled back in her seat, looking forward to the next couple of days with Jake, his sister, and thirty excited teenagers.
Camp Discovery was everything Erin had imagined it would be. Pine and aspen trees rose from the mountains surrounding them, their shadows rippling across a large lake.
All around them, teenagers were making their way to their rooms, pulling suitcases behind them. Counselors and volunteers were directing any lost souls to their cabins and boxes of gear were being moved to where they needed to go.
Erin was sleeping in Elm Cabin. She met the four teenagers and adult buddies that would be sharing the same room with her.
Jake had disappeared to get ready for a meeting, so she decided to look around the grounds before chaos descended.
She spotted Ethan running around the camp, exploring every nook and cranny he could find. Lucy invited her over to the adventure playground with them, and they both laughed as Ethan zoomed along the zip line.
Beyond the playground, Erin could see a big red barn with at least half a dozen horses grazing in the corral. “This place is amazing. Has it always been a camp?”
Lucy shook her head. “When the Bernard’s bought the property eight years ago, it was a cattle ranch. They built the camp from nothing and every couple of years they add another building. But the rest of the land is still used to graze cattle.”
“It must take a lot of money to keep the camp open.”
Lucy smiled. “That’s why we hold the charity ball each year. Even with all of the other fundraising projects Jake’s involved in, the camp still relies on volunteers to keep it going.”
Ethan had finished his first ride on the zip line and was about to swoop down for a second run.
Two arms grabbed Erin around the waist, pulling her tight against warm skin. “He must have inherited a gene for flying through the air.”
Her heart slammed into her ribs and she yelped in surprise. “Jake Williams, you nearly gave me a heart attack.” She turned in his arms and he dropped a light kiss on her lips. Her heart pounded as she gazed into his clear blue eyes.
With a grin on her face, Lucy said, “I hate to interrupt, but the welcome meeting in the dining hall starts in ten minutes.” Her gaze darted to the playground. “Come on Ethan, time to go back.”
Ethan gave the zip line one last wistful look before turning toward his mom. Running straight at her, he yelled, “Race you everyone!”
Lucy took off at a sprint and Jake grabbed Erin’s hand. They all arrived at the dining hall laughing and
Jake opened the back passenger door and lifted Ethan into his seat. “I don’t know about cats, but you’ll find lots of birds and squirrels. Maybe even a hawk.”
A woman walked toward the truck with a backpack slung over her shoulder. Her short blonde hair and petit frame were the direct opposite of Jake’s tall, dark, and well-built attractions. But her startling blue eyes reflected the same strong personality that her brother had in bucket loads.
“Mad Max is all sorted.” Lucy looked inside the truck and smiled at Erin. “Hi. I’m Lucy, Jake’s sister. I’ll just get our bags and then we’re ready to go.”
Jake walked past with his sister’s suitcases in his hands. “I’ve got them. Did you bring all of those cookies you made?”
Lucy rolled her eyes and smiled at Erin. “My brother has a sweet tooth a mile long.” She turned toward her brother. “They’re already at camp. Gracie picked them up on her way through this morning.”
Jake closed the canopy and moved around to the front of the truck. “Do you need to use the bathroom, Ethan?”
“Mom’s already asked me that heaps of times, Uncle Jake.”
“Well?”
“I don’t need to use the bathroom. And I’ve got a hanky and my book.”
“Good man. Let’s get going then.”
As Jake drove down the driveway, Erin settled back in her seat, looking forward to the next couple of days with Jake, his sister, and thirty excited teenagers.
Camp Discovery was everything Erin had imagined it would be. Pine and aspen trees rose from the mountains surrounding them, their shadows rippling across a large lake.
All around them, teenagers were making their way to their rooms, pulling suitcases behind them. Counselors and volunteers were directing any lost souls to their cabins and boxes of gear were being moved to where they needed to go.
Erin was sleeping in Elm Cabin. She met the four teenagers and adult buddies that would be sharing the same room with her.
Jake had disappeared to get ready for a meeting, so she decided to look around the grounds before chaos descended.
She spotted Ethan running around the camp, exploring every nook and cranny he could find. Lucy invited her over to the adventure playground with them, and they both laughed as Ethan zoomed along the zip line.
Beyond the playground, Erin could see a big red barn with at least half a dozen horses grazing in the corral. “This place is amazing. Has it always been a camp?”
Lucy shook her head. “When the Bernard’s bought the property eight years ago, it was a cattle ranch. They built the camp from nothing and every couple of years they add another building. But the rest of the land is still used to graze cattle.”
“It must take a lot of money to keep the camp open.”
Lucy smiled. “That’s why we hold the charity ball each year. Even with all of the other fundraising projects Jake’s involved in, the camp still relies on volunteers to keep it going.”
Ethan had finished his first ride on the zip line and was about to swoop down for a second run.
Two arms grabbed Erin around the waist, pulling her tight against warm skin. “He must have inherited a gene for flying through the air.”
Her heart slammed into her ribs and she yelped in surprise. “Jake Williams, you nearly gave me a heart attack.” She turned in his arms and he dropped a light kiss on her lips. Her heart pounded as she gazed into his clear blue eyes.
With a grin on her face, Lucy said, “I hate to interrupt, but the welcome meeting in the dining hall starts in ten minutes.” Her gaze darted to the playground. “Come on Ethan, time to go back.”
Ethan gave the zip line one last wistful look before turning toward his mom. Running straight at her, he yelled, “Race you everyone!”
Lucy took off at a sprint and Jake grabbed Erin’s hand. They all arrived at the dining hall laughing and
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