Family Camp (Daddy Dearest, #1)(6)

“Sure,” Travis bit out.

He went around the car to get his dog. He paused at the adorable sight that greeted him. Max had his hind legs on the floor of the car now and was contentedly lying on Lucy. She held his head in her little hands as he licked her chin very seriously, as if washing away the tracks of her salty tears. Jayden had scooted a little closer and was watching Max curiously.

“Okay, Princess Lucy,” Travis said, taking a cue from her shirt. “I’m afraid Max and I have to be on our way. But you remember what you promised me. No more tears today.”

Lucy’s lip wobbled as she looked at Max, but she nodded.

“Come on, Max.” Travis unhooked Max’s lead and he jumped out of the car. “Bye, Lucy!”

Travis leaned down to look through the car at Jayden. The boy’s face was so full of attitude it was both funny and sad, and it sent an echo of déjà vu through Travis. “See ya, bro,” Travis said to him.

Jayden’s eyes sparked at the attention. “Yeah, hey, thanks for the gas and shit. You saved Geo’s butt big time.”

“No problem. Hang loose, buddy.”

Travis straightened up. Geo was behind him. “You did save my butt big time. Thank you.”

“Sure. Good luck, Geo,” Travis said coldly.

“Thanks. Um…you too?”

Travis put Max back into the SUV, got in, and drove off, not even glancing back at Geo. Maybe he was being a dick, but he was really upset by Geo’s comment about returning the kids. It triggered a lot of old rage, fear. Things he didn’t like to remember and never wanted to feel again.

Too bad. There for a moment, Travis had sworn he’d met a really nice guy.





Chapter 3




Geo and the kids had an uneventful night at a motel in Big Bear. He got the kids chicken nuggets and fries because the fast-food place was right by the hotel and because he didn’t want to argue when Jayden begged for it. Live to fight another day and all that. They watched a Disney movie on the portable DVD player his folks had gotten them, and both kids crashed early. He felt lucky to have averted any more disasters that day.

Geo’s luck had turned around about the time that gorgeous hunk had stopped to help him on the road. He wasn’t sure he believed in angels sent from heaven. But even if they existed, they probably wouldn’t come wrapped in six-foot-two of all-American, mirrored-sunglass-wearing, tall, dark, handsome and bearded, hubba-hubba man. More’s the pity. And the guy just happened to have both a dog to soothe Lucy and five gallons of gas in his SUV? What were the freaking odds?

Then Geo decided it was entirely possible God was trolling him. Sure. Just about the time Geo gave up sex for fatherhood for, oh, at least the next ten years, God sends that guy.

And even though Geo had willingly put that part of himself in hibernation, it still stung when the hot guy went ice cold. Which happened the instant Geo said the two kids in the car were his. As if Geo needed that bald a reminder that no one would be interested in a guy with two troubled kids on his hands.

Whatever! It was fine. It was allll fine. He needed to focus on the kids anyway, not Mr. I’ve Got Your Gas Can Right Here.

Geo wasn’t gonna think about the guy. He was still not thinking about the guy when they pulled in at the Camp Evermore sign on Saturday morning.

“This is it, guys!” Geo said with cheek-stretching enthusiasm. “Family Camp. Whoo-hoo! This is going to be so much fun!”

The kids said nothing, too busy gawking out the windows. The long driveway was wooded with a split-rail fence on one side. After several hundred feet, the view of the camp opened. A large log building with a covered porch sat next to a grassy field and flagpole. Beyond was a lake, blue and serene in the morning light. Cute little cabins marched away in the distance to the right, and to the left was a parking lot, what looked like a ball field, tether ball, and more outbuildings. Tall pine trees stood all over the camp, thickening to woods behind the cabins. It was an idyllic mountain camp, like something from an old movie. Geo happily followed a few other cars to the gravel parking lot which was already half-filled with excited families.

“Just remember, you promised I don’t hafta hike,” Jayden said stiffly. “Or swim. Or go to a stupid campfire.” He stared out the window, tongue poking his cheek. Lucy gave Geo a doubtful look in the rearview mirror, her upper lip curling in distaste. It was the same look she gave him when he put peas on her plate.

“Yay! So much fun!” Geo repeated doggedly. “And guys? Don’t listen to all those stories about bears eating campers. There’s nothing to that. Swear ta God.” Geo crossed his chest.

Jayden rolled his eyes. “Ha ha. Funny, D— Geo.”

Geo’s heart skipped a beat. Had that been a “dad” about to emerge? No, knowing Jayden, it had probably been “dork” or “dick,” instead.

“Besides,” Geo continued gamely. “Bears only eat middle school teachers, so we’ve got nothing to worry abo—” He widened his eyes. “Uh-oh!”

“Your jokes are so lame,” Jayden said, but he grinned nonetheless. He perked up and pointed out the window. “Is that lake part of the camp too, Geo?”

“Sure is.”

“Cool! There are a lot of kids.”

“Right? So you won’t have to spend all your time with an ancient guy like me. Hey, maybe you’ll meet a cute girl.”