Family Camp (Daddy Dearest, #1)(20)

“I’m glad the Mayhews found you,” Geo said.

Travis nodded slowly, gaze still straight ahead on the distant trees. “Yup. If they hadn’t, I’d be dead by now. Or in prison. So anyway. Yeah, I get Jayden.”

“Well, thank you for befriending him. Having someone like you to talk to, look up to, all that you’ve accomplished…that could mean everything to him. I’m really trying, but I don’t seem to be getting through to him. Any tips you might have…” Geo chuckled self-consciously. “Isn’t there a saying about how when you’re ready, the teacher will appear?”

“Is that why you’re sending him back to foster care?” Travis blurted in a hard voice. “Because you can’t get through to him?”

It was so unexpected, it felt like a slap in the face. Geo gaped at him, unsure if he’d heard right. “Why I’m— What?”

Travis’s jaw tightened and he didn’t say anything. Maybe he was searching for words, but Geo was too upset to wait. “I’m not sending Jayden back. What gave you that idea? Did he tell you that?”

“No. You did.” Travis finally turned his head to look at Geo, an angry frown on his brow. “When I gave you gas, you said they were your kids for now. Like you were already planning to ditch them.”

Geo gave a pained gasp and put his head in his hands.

Shit. Shit. Awesome. He’d made that comment right about the time the hot guy with the gas can had gone ice cold, hadn’t he? Jesus, why had he been so careless with his words? Sometimes his tendency to joke and speak too freely backfired spectacularly. And knowing the way Travis had grown up, it must have really hit a nerve.

Travis went on, his voice dismissive. “Or maybe you just said that because you were hoping to get into my pants. Didn’t want me to think they’d be hanging around.”

“No!” Geo said abruptly, looking up. “Christ, Travis. You’re kind of shaming me for a lot of shit here that I didn’t do.”

Travis blinked and swallowed. “Sorry.”

Geo was breathing hard with anger. “I said ‘for now’ because I’m working on adopting them. I’m fostering them for now until I can say that they’re mine. Full stop.”

“Oh.”

“And yes, I thought you were hot. But I wouldn’t have pretended to disown my kids to get laid. Ugh.” The very idea made Geo feel slimy. “You do know I’m a schoolteacher, right? I’m not, generally speaking, used to being treated like I’m an asshole. Most people think I’m one of the good guys.”

They sat there for a few moments, Geo breathing and trying to get his outrage and hurt under control. And Travis saying nothing.

“I am sorry,” Travis said finally, sounding genuinely contrite. “I jumped to conclusions. And…that was bad.”

“No kidding. Ugh.” Geo did an exaggerated, full-body shake with a creeped-out brrr sound. Emotion, dark and icky, clogged the center of him, a spot below his breastbone that felt like spiritual heartburn. “Just thinking about someone else doing that to Jayden and Lucy makes me want to Hulk out.”

“Hulk out? Well, we don’t want that.”

“No, sir, we do not.” Geo’s chest lightened and he took a deep breath, blowing out the last of the megrims. “Especially since this Hulk weighs a hundred-sixty and wears glasses. I’d probably just hurt myself.”

In the moonlight, he saw Travis smile. “Probably.” He hesitated. “Forgive me?”

Geo considered it. “Yeah, okay. Idiots get one free pass with me. But don’t do it again, or you’ll go permanently on the naughty list.”

“Noted.”

They sat there for a moment in silence. And then Geo heard Travis chuckle. He turned to look at him. “What?”

“You’re funny,” Travis said, still smiling. “Naughty list.”

Geo rolled his eyes. He was definitely getting whiplash from this guy. But Travis even looked lighter now that they’d gotten that stupid misunderstanding cleared up. And if that was a permanent change in his attitude, Geo would take it.

“It’s a thing I threaten at school. Though I don’t actually have a naughty list. I might start one for you though.”

“Could be interesting,” Travis said. There was a new undercurrent to his voice. He rubbed his bearded jaw with one hand.

He wasn’t flirting. Was he? He’d better not be flirting.

“So you were at the campfire tonight?” Geo asked, to change the subject.

“I was. Can’t you tell?” Travis sniffed his own shirt.

There was a whiff of wood smoke coming off the man. It made Geo want to lean in, place his nose on Travis’s chest, and inhale. He refrained. It took effort.

“Um… How did Jayden do? He went with Van and her kids.”

“Aw, he was fine. He seems to be making friends with Stryker and Aiden. That’s good.”

“Yeah, it is. I’m glad he’s found a couple of boys his age who think camp is awesome. That holds more weight than anything I could ever say.”

“He was a little quiet at first, but by the end he was singing along with everyone else.”

“Singing?” Geo said in disbelief.

Travis nodded. “At the first campfire we teach everyone the Camp Evermore song. You know, the one we did during orientation?”