I may not know how—and if—Kyle can fit into my life today, but I sure as hell know I’m not willing to lose my chance to find out.

The elevator doors open and out comes Tripp, a satchel over his shoulder, looking ready to leave the building.

“Piper. That’s a lovely dress,” he offers in a patronizing voice, flashing me a smarmy smile.

“Off to sabotage the Marquee project some more?” I throw back before I can bite my tongue.

His bushy gray eyebrows arch. It takes him a moment to process my words. “Excuse me?”

“Jameson.”

His lips twist as if working out a bitter taste in his mouth. “He called you? What did he say?”

“Does my father know you’ve basically set dynamite under our bridge with them?”

“Jameson can’t beat the bid KDZ is going to come in at. Kieran will agree with me.”

You mean the one that lines your pockets with half a million dollars?

I grit my teeth to hold back from accusing him right then and there. He’ll just deny it and without more evidence, I will look like an incompetent asshole.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.” He sails past me, his head high as he strolls toward the security gate.

Where Kyle is now stealing glances my way, in between Renée’s chatter, his sharp eyes narrowing at Tripp as he passes.

As much as I’d like to interrupt whatever is going on over there, I have a project and a long-term business relationship to save.

With that, I take the next elevator up.

Hoping Kyle doesn’t fall for Renée’s charms too quickly.

Chapter 16

THEN

2006, Camp Wawa, End of Week Two

“Finally, some sun . . . I was so sick of being cooped up inside.” Kyle kicks off his shoes and then wanders over to stand on the edge of the cliff and gaze out over the dark blue waters below. The early afternoon sun glimmers off the surface.

I’m not sure which has made the second week of camp harder—the three days of steady rain that forced indoor activities and caused cabin fever for everyone or our ten P.M. lockdown, thanks to our probation. On the plus side, I’m well rested.

“Hate to break it to you, but it’s supposed to storm later. At least, that’s what Christa said.” Though there is nothing more than a few wispy white clouds streaking the sky at the moment.

“And Christa’s never wrong about anything,” he murmurs sarcastically.

A speedboat races past, towing a female wakeboarder behind. Upon closer scrutiny, I realize it’s Claire, the waterskiing and wakeboarding instructor.

“She’s really good.”

Kyle watches her cut through the waves with ease, her muscular legs flexing. “She’s got some serious goals, that one. Wouldn’t be surprised to see her standing on a podium with a medal around her neck one day.”

I hesitate. “What about you?”

“I’m not much into waterskiing.” He reaches over his head to pull off his Wawa T-shirt, revealing two weeks’ worth of T-shirt tan lines and a smooth, sculpted back.

“No, I meant what are you going to do after high school? Like, do you have any colleges picked out?” Where will Kyle end up next year, and how far away will it be from me?

“Yeah . . . I don’t think college is for me.” He empties his pockets, casting their contents onto his favorite boulder.

“Really?” I frown. “So, then what will you do?” He must have a goal, something to work toward?

“Dunno? Get a job, I guess.”

“Doing what?” What interests you, Kyle? Besides jumping off cliffs and racing golf carts at night. In the two weeks that we’ve been here, aside from the topic of his family, our conversations have been light, shallow.

Fun.

But do we even have anything in common?

He shrugs. “Working here, maybe? I can take over Darian’s job.”

“Seriously?”

“Nah . . . Construction, maybe.”

“What, like running your own company?”

He chuckles. “More like hammering nails into boards. I don’t really care. I just want to get away from my shitty family. Except for Jeremy. He’s cool.” He nods, more to himself. “You’d like him.”

I quietly absorb his indifference to his future. Is it because he’s never been pushed to consider it? Or are things really that bad at home that he can’t think beyond the goal of getting away?

“What about you?” he asks with a yawn and a stretch, as if the topic is of little interest to him.

“Brown, probably. It’s the Calloway way,” I add in a mocking manner.

“Huh . . .” He frowns thoughtfully. “I probably shouldn’t follow the Miller way.” A wry smile curls his lips as he runs a hand through his Fauxhawk, sending it into disarray. He shifts his focus back to the cliff. “You coming in or what?”

I guess that’s the end of any serious talk with Kyle.

“Of course.” I shrug my clothes off, stripping down to the teal string bikini I threw on earlier. “So is there anything to do in town?”

“There’s a great burger place on Main Street. And sometimes you can catch a good . . .” Kyle’s words fall off the moment he turns, his eyes dragging over my bare skin feeling like fingertips. “Is that a new one?”

“No, but I haven’t worn it here yet.” I adjust the narrow triangles over my chest and test the string ties on my hips, to make sure they’re secure. I packed the bikini knowing it’s far too skimpy for anything besides tanning in private. And enticing Kyle, apparently. My stomach stirs with butterflies as I stand there, allowing him to look. I’ve never felt confident being ogled by boys, but with Kyle, I feel a pleasing shiver run through my body. “What were you saying? Something about catching a good . . .”

“Movie,” he answers after a long pause, his voice a touch huskier than normal. “At the drive-in.”

“A drive-in? Really? I’ve never been. What’s it like?”

“It’s fun. Maybe we can check it out tonight.” I catch the smile curling his lips before he turns back to the lake, and the rise of his shoulders with a deep breath.

And the way he covertly tugs at his board shorts, trying to adjust himself.