fireworks," he suddenly said.
She supposed making small talk would be easier than sitting there in the tension. "Did you? The next day, Heather told me that Kristy was there, but I didn't see you."
"You were busy. With Livingston."
The tone of Alex's voice puzzled her. Certainly, he couldn't be jealous. Yet, if there was the slightest possibility... "We enjoyed the fireworks together."
"I see."
"With Heather gone this week, he thought I'd enjoy going to a movie on Friday. I'm looking forward to it."
Alex gave her a long look, then crossed his arms over his chest and stared straight ahead.
So much for small talk being better than tension!
Finally the activities coordinator stepped up to the microphone. After explaining the daily schedule, rules and regulations, she talked about Parents' Day next Saturday, encouraging all the parents to join in the activities with their children. After asking the parents to take their children back to their respective cabins where they could say good bye, she closed the session.
Back at the cabin, Kristy and Heather met their counselor for the week, and Amanda felt tears prick in her eyes. It was so hard to leave Heather here. But she knew it was good for both of them. Finally when it was time to go, she said, "Use the phone card and call me whenever you want."
"Mom, I'm gonna be busy. Is it okay if I don't call?"
Amanda smiled. "Yes, it's fine."
Amanda saw Alex slipping Kristy some money to tuck away safely. She had already done that. After giving their daughters hugs, she and Alex headed for the parking lot.
She wanted to talk to Alex as she had before. She wanted to tell him how much she was going to miss her daughter. But he didn't seem open to conversation. Still, they weren't strangers, either.
As she motioned to her car, she said, "I'm over there."
He stopped beside her for a moment. "I'm parked at the other end. I guess I'll see you on Parents' Day."
"I guess so." There was nothing else to say, so she walked toward her car until she heard his voice over her shoulder. "Good bye, Amanda."
Facing him, she responded, "Good bye, Alex."
As she opened her car door, she felt very sad. Something had ended, and she didn't know why.
***
Parents' Day at Camp Rocky Top looked like chaos. But Alex realized it was organized chaos. When he arrived a little after noon and received his schedule of events, he realized he'd be paired with his daughter most of the day. That was fine with him. He hoped they didn't run into Amanda too often. Thinking about her dating Ted Livingston made his blood boil. Most of the day while he kept busy, he could forget about her. Yet at night when he lay in the dark staring at the ceiling, all he could think about was her smile, the softness of her skin, the silkiness of her hair, and the sensual pleasure of her kisses.
But he just wasn't sure he was ready to open himself and Kristy up to the possibility of getting hurt again. What if it didn't work out with him and Amanda? What if she walked away like Kristy's mother had? The price of having a woman in bed beside him every night was just too high to pay.
Kristy led Alex to the field where the relay races were going to take place, and that's when he realized trying to forget about Amanda would be impossible. Apparently the teams were arranged according to the girls' cabins; therefore, he, Kristy, Amanda and Heather were on the same team. He couldn't help glancing at Amanda often. She wore a pink tank top and white shorts that left bare enough leg to more than whet his appetite. She wore her hair in a ponytail again, and the style made her look younger and very desirable. But she didn't look his way whenever he looked in her direction. She was ignoring him, and it annoyed him. Had Livingston kissed her after the fireworks? What about after their date last night? And had she responded with as much fire as with--
That
She supposed making small talk would be easier than sitting there in the tension. "Did you? The next day, Heather told me that Kristy was there, but I didn't see you."
"You were busy. With Livingston."
The tone of Alex's voice puzzled her. Certainly, he couldn't be jealous. Yet, if there was the slightest possibility... "We enjoyed the fireworks together."
"I see."
"With Heather gone this week, he thought I'd enjoy going to a movie on Friday. I'm looking forward to it."
Alex gave her a long look, then crossed his arms over his chest and stared straight ahead.
So much for small talk being better than tension!
Finally the activities coordinator stepped up to the microphone. After explaining the daily schedule, rules and regulations, she talked about Parents' Day next Saturday, encouraging all the parents to join in the activities with their children. After asking the parents to take their children back to their respective cabins where they could say good bye, she closed the session.
Back at the cabin, Kristy and Heather met their counselor for the week, and Amanda felt tears prick in her eyes. It was so hard to leave Heather here. But she knew it was good for both of them. Finally when it was time to go, she said, "Use the phone card and call me whenever you want."
"Mom, I'm gonna be busy. Is it okay if I don't call?"
Amanda smiled. "Yes, it's fine."
Amanda saw Alex slipping Kristy some money to tuck away safely. She had already done that. After giving their daughters hugs, she and Alex headed for the parking lot.
She wanted to talk to Alex as she had before. She wanted to tell him how much she was going to miss her daughter. But he didn't seem open to conversation. Still, they weren't strangers, either.
As she motioned to her car, she said, "I'm over there."
He stopped beside her for a moment. "I'm parked at the other end. I guess I'll see you on Parents' Day."
"I guess so." There was nothing else to say, so she walked toward her car until she heard his voice over her shoulder. "Good bye, Amanda."
Facing him, she responded, "Good bye, Alex."
As she opened her car door, she felt very sad. Something had ended, and she didn't know why.
***
Parents' Day at Camp Rocky Top looked like chaos. But Alex realized it was organized chaos. When he arrived a little after noon and received his schedule of events, he realized he'd be paired with his daughter most of the day. That was fine with him. He hoped they didn't run into Amanda too often. Thinking about her dating Ted Livingston made his blood boil. Most of the day while he kept busy, he could forget about her. Yet at night when he lay in the dark staring at the ceiling, all he could think about was her smile, the softness of her skin, the silkiness of her hair, and the sensual pleasure of her kisses.
But he just wasn't sure he was ready to open himself and Kristy up to the possibility of getting hurt again. What if it didn't work out with him and Amanda? What if she walked away like Kristy's mother had? The price of having a woman in bed beside him every night was just too high to pay.
Kristy led Alex to the field where the relay races were going to take place, and that's when he realized trying to forget about Amanda would be impossible. Apparently the teams were arranged according to the girls' cabins; therefore, he, Kristy, Amanda and Heather were on the same team. He couldn't help glancing at Amanda often. She wore a pink tank top and white shorts that left bare enough leg to more than whet his appetite. She wore her hair in a ponytail again, and the style made her look younger and very desirable. But she didn't look his way whenever he looked in her direction. She was ignoring him, and it annoyed him. Had Livingston kissed her after the fireworks? What about after their date last night? And had she responded with as much fire as with--
That
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