Family Camp (Daddy Dearest, #1)(8)

“Yeah! Come on, Jayden!” the older one said. “It’s really cool. Have you been to the lake yet?”

Jayden shook his head.

“It’s sick! You can go out to this float in the water, and there are canoes and stuff. Come on!”

Without looking at Geo to see if it was okay, Jayden took off after them, doing his tough-guy slink, like he wanted to impress them. But probably because he was feeling out of his element.

Geo swallowed. Please God, let Jayden relax and have fun this week. I’ll give up my Twilight Blu-rays.

“Don’t go in the water yet!” Van called to the boys. “We’ve got orientation in a few minutes.”

“We won’t!” the older boy called back.

Lucy hid her face in the side of Geo’s shorts, as if feeling overwhelmed. He wanted to pick her up, but so far, she’d been resistant to being held. He didn’t want to risk her rejection while Bridget and Van were looking on. So, he just stroked her dark hair.

“Are you divorced?” Bridget asked. “Most of the single dads who show up at Family Camp are divorced.” She licked her lips and her eyes were warm. They dropped down his body momentarily.

Geo hesitated only a second because, yeah, that needed to be nipped in the bud. “Never been married. Um… I’m gay.”

Bridget’s face fell. “Oh. Well, shit.”

Van laughed, and Bridget shoved her arm. “Shut up.”

Geo smiled at their horsing around. “Sorry. If I wasn’t gay, you’d totally be my type. I—” Whatever he’d been about to say vanished from his head when he glanced at the lodge and saw a guy standing on the porch. A super-hot guy. He squinted. Was that…? No. No, it couldn’t be.

“Ooh look! Travis is here. Thank God,” Van said. “My boys’ll be so excited. I swear, he’s all Stryker talks about. And damn, how does that man get better-looking every year?”

Geo glanced at Van and Bridget and, yes, they were both looking at the guy on the porch too. Travis. That’s what Gas-Can Man had said his name was. It had to be him.

A frisson went through Geo—part disbelief, part surprise, and part oh shit. Travis looked a little different today. He was wearing a green Camp Evermore T-shirt, matching green sport shorts, white athletic socks, and Nikes. But the uber-cool shades were the same, as were that thick black hair, smooth black beard, broad shoulders, and that tall, super-fit physique.

Travis ran a hand through his hair before settling a green Camp Evermore baseball cap on his head. He stood looking over the crowd, hands on his hips. The screen door behind him opened and a woman came out. She joined Travis and said something that made him smile. Was that his wife?

“He works here?” Geo asked.

“Oooh yeah,” Bridget said, her voice silky. “That, my friend, is Travis Mayhew.”

“As in the Mayhews,” Van said. “His dad runs this camp. A bunch of the Mayhews work here.”

Bridget snorted. “No, Van. As in the Travis Mayhew, pitcher for the San Diego Padres.”

“Seriously?” Geo asked in surprise. Geo was not exactly a sports fan, but even he’d heard of the Padres.

“Yup. And isn’t he fine.” Bridget sounded like she wanted to eat the guy.

Which, fair enough.

“He’s here every year,” Van said. “He’s great with the kids. Though he’s not as accommodating with the moms.” She snickered.

“It’s gonna happen this year,” Bridget vowed. She ran her hand over her stomach. “I’ve lost twenty pounds, started yoga, and boned up on baseball stats. I am so ready.”

“Hon, I’ll be the first one at your wedding.” Van gave Geo a look that said she wasn’t holding her breath.

“So…” Geo said. “I’m getting the feeling this is a thing. Hooking up at Family Camp? Really?”

He glanced down at Lucy, worrying about little ears. But she had the dolls in her hands, moving them around like she was playing with them silently. She wasn’t paying any attention to the adults.

Bridget laughed. “Oh, honey. We’re parents, not dead.”

“It happens.” Van shrugged. “Especially on Parent Party night.”

“Let’s just say we don’t get a lot of chances to let our hair down in real life. So when we do—watch out.” Bridget grinned. “Can’t say as I’ve scoped out the gay scene here, but I bet your—” She glanced down at Lucy. “—buns there is one.”

“Not me, of course,” Van said. “I’ve got a hubby at home. July is just the worst time of year for him to get away from work, unfortunately.”

“Oh, don’t rub it in,” said Bridget. “Her husband is a super-nice guy too. And oh shit, here he comes.”

Sure enough, Travis was walking straight in their direction. Geo felt a cowardly urge to skip away with Lucy. She could have to go to the bathroom, right? That totally could happen. Butterflies swarmed in his stomach.

But he was being ridiculous. So what if Travis had iced him out yesterday? Geo hadn’t done anything wrong. Embarrassingly stupid maybe, running out of gas, but not wrong. And apparently, they were going to be around each other all week. Whatever Travis’s problem had been before he’d driven off yesterday, he’d still given them gas and he’d calmed Lucy. Geo owed him.