Family Camp (Daddy Dearest, #1)(47)

The wheelbarrow race was ridiculous. Travis held Jayden’s feet and Geo held Lucy’s, and they came in third, having way too much fun to be competitive.

The third and final round was the three-legged race. Trish went down the line, passing out large Velcro straps to each team.

“Should we do you and Jay, and me and Lucy again?” Geo suggested to Travis.

“Nuh-uh,” said Jayden. “You guys should be together and me and Lucy should be together, ’cause we’re closer to the same size and stuff.”

“Um…” Geo gave Travis a worried look, then gazed around, as if to check what other families were doing. Travis knew he was thinking about how it might look, about Travis’s nice little comfy room in the closet.

“Plus, I wanna be with my sister,” Jayden added. “Right Lucy? You wanna be with me, huh?” He put his arm around her shoulder.

Lucy squinted up at Jay, her nose wrinkling. She nodded solemnly.

Geo’s expression melted and he put a hand to his chest. “Aw. That’s sweet, Jayden.”

Jayden gave Travis a smug look. He was beginning to suspect the kid’s motives.

“But, um,” Geo went on, “you’d better go with Travis. And I’ll—”

“No, it’s fine,” Travis said abruptly. “Jayden’s right about the size thing. You and I will go.”

He felt a dark thrill of rebellion in his chest. Why the fuck shouldn’t they do the stupid three-legged race together? He and his brothers used to do it all the time. It was just a game. And it made sense for the kids to pair up.

And maybe he was sick of being so damned cautious and fearful all the time. Sick of not being able to just be.

Geo chewed his lip. “If you’re sure.”

“Yup.” Travis clapped his hands. “So. There’ll be three rounds in this one. You guys wanna go twice?”

“Nah, you go twice,” Jayden said decisively. “’Cause you’ll be faster. At least you should be. If ya’ll don’t screw it up.”

Geo snorted. “Aye, aye, Captain, my Captain.”

Cindy blew her whistle. “First round. Get ready!”

“Oh, shit.” Geo scrambled to line up with Travis.

Hurriedly, Travis wrapped one Velcro strap around their thighs and another around their calves. Geo’s arm went around Travis’s waist, and Travis’s arm around his shoulder just as Cindy shouted, “GO!”

And off they went. There was a lot of starting and stopping and nearly falling as they tried to find a rhythm.

“I’ve been dreaming of your ‘third leg’, but this isn’t really what I had in mind,” Geo quipped.

“Wait, just…. Ready?” They somehow moved their legs in opposite ways and stumbled again.

“I feel like this ought to be a sex position, but the logistics have me stumped,” Geo joked.

“Stop it! I can’t run while I’m laughing.”

Geo squeezed his waist tighter. “Come on, Jocko. Let’s count. Outer legs on one, tied legs on two. Ready?”

The counting helped, and they finally began to make progress down the course. Travis was still laughing, it was so absurd watching the other teams fall, and Geo kept making funny sounds and silly remarks. He was warm pressed up against Travis’s side, sweaty and solid.

And Travis’s heart lifted, feeling lighter and lighter. He loved camp, loved this moment right here, with he and Geo playing a silly game, and the kids back at the starting line cheering them on.

He got a flash, strong and clear, rich with color and detail, about how it would be if this were real—if he and Geo and Jayden and Lucy were a family unit. His family unit. If they were his to come home to every day, come to camp with every year. Ten years from now. Twenty. Geo the same but gray in his hair.

What would it be like to have someone to share the problems and joys of life with, watching the kids grow, becoming their own indivisible unit the way the Mayhews were? He loved being a part of the Mayhew clan, but work and distance made that a once-in-a-while thing. What if he had his own thing?

With Geo.

They reached the finish line and Geo quickly undid the straps and put them on Lucy and Jayden. The kids went down the course, honestly doing better than Geo and Travis had. Jayden was half-carrying Lucy, but it worked. Then Travis and Geo went again. This time there was no hesitation. They moved in sync, and Geo’s firm arm around Travis’s waist, the way he molded against his side, was a perfect fit, like they were really one person.

They finished second, but it didn’t matter. They celebrated at the finish line, the four of them hugging and cheering.

And for a moment, it was almost real.





Chapter 23




“Hi, there! You’re Geo, right?”

Geo turned to find James Mayhew behind him in line at the concession booth. The man was probably around seventy with thick white hair worn longer than was fashionable. His brown eyes were sharp but not unkind. He reminded Geo of a teacher—the best kind, the kind that took no bullshit and enforced order but had a heart of gold and always did The Right Thing.

They didn’t make many guys like that anymore.

Geo held out his hand. “Yeah, hi, Mr. Mayhew. It’s nice to meet you. I was hoping I’d get the chance.”