I couldn’t make out his expression, but I didn’t think he saw me. He stared out the window for a time before walking closer to it and pressing his palms to the window ledge. He dropped his head between his shoulders. He almost appeared sad, and I couldn’t help but wonder what this privileged boy had to be sad about.
After a time, Fitz stepped away from the window, and the light was extinguished. I wasn’t sure what compelled me to head toward the barn in the first place. My worries were silly. Everything was fine. Feeling guilty, I stepped away from the shadows and turned toward home. Dahlia followed alongside me, prancing happily when she found a stick on the pathway.
“No, girl. No more fetch. It’s time for bed.” She whined for a moment, but she knew the rules. As I took the stick from her mouth, she began to growl. “Dahlia! Don’t you dare growl at me!”
Then I heard the snapping of a twig to my left, and I realized she wasn’t growling at me at all. A warning flapped through my insides, as if it were carried on wings. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and goosebumps prickled down my arms.
It’s probably just another rabbit.
Another twig snapped, and I knew I wasn’t alone. Someone was within the thick trees that lined the pathway. I tried to peer through the darkness, but the lush canopy of the overhead leaves blocked the moonlight and made it difficult to see.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” I called out. No one responded. Dahlia continued to growl in a low rumble while images of every horror film I’d ever seen came to mind. I was currently playing the role of the stupid person in the movie–the one who went out into the dark all alone, only to be captured and eaten by a team of zombies.
“It’s not polite to spy on people, sweetheart,” said a voice from behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin, the words making my pulse pound violently in my ears. I knew the voice repeating my words from a few hours ago. It wasn’t a flesh-eating zombie at all. Zombies didn’t call people ‘sweetheart’.
It was Fitz.
5
CADENCE
With my heart racing from a mixture of paranoia and embarrassment, I slowly turned to face Fitz.
“Don’t call me that. And I wasn’t spying. Dahlia went after a rabbit. I had to chase after her.” It was true. Sort of. I just didn’t add that instead of heading home after I caught her, I continued to walk toward the light in the barn, concerned he might have befallen some sort of tragic accident. I’d be damned if I’d admit that to him though. Instead, I tilted my chin up and retorted with a question. “What are you doing out and about this time of night? You should be in bed.”
My tone sounded more accusatory and mother hen-ish than I had intended, but he didn’t seem ruffled. Nor did he answer me. He just took a step closer, then another. I willed my feet to back away from him, but I couldn’t move. As much as I didn’t understand it, he affected me. From the very first time I looked into his gray eyes, the attraction was instant. It was like the kind you see in movies or read about in books, and it made me feel all sorts of strange things.
But I knew better. He was a boy, and boys were a distraction I didn’t need. Still, I couldn’t deny the mysterious magnetic pull I felt toward him. I saw the arrogant and possessive way he looked at me. It wasn’t my imagination. I could tell Fitzgerald Quinn was used to having his way with every girl who crossed his path. That just gave me more of a reason to stay away.
“It’s not safe to wander around alone at night,” Fitz warned.
“I’m not wandering,” I said a little too quickly. My voice sounded breathy and slightly high pitched. I cleared my throat and tried to sound more confident. “I know my way around here. It’s my second home. I’ve spent every summer here since I was born. Besides, I’m not alone. Dahlia is with me.”
He looked down at Dahlia. She was no longer growling and held another stick in her mouth. I had no idea when she picked that one up. With her tail wagging expectantly, she was forever relentless in the pursuit to play fetch.
“For some reason, I don’t think she’s much of a guard dog,” he chuckled. It was a low, throaty sound that made me a little weak in the knees.
When his eyes moved from Dahlia to me, he trailed the line of my body and stopped on my chest. I followed his gaze. I was dressed for bed, wearing nothing but a pair of white short-shorts and a pink tank that didn’t leave much to the imagination. Now, with him standing mere inches from me, I found my breath becoming shallower with every moment that passed. I felt my nipples pebble under his scrutiny, poking visibly through the thin cotton material.
Mortified, I crossed my arms over my chest and found the strength to take a step back. Fitz at least had the decency to look embarrassed over being caught. He averted his eyes, cleared his throat, and mumbled an apology. I took another step back, very conscious of the way my traitorous breasts pressed through my shirt. Fitz reached out a hand to me.
“Cadence, wait.”
“I need to get home and go to bed, Fitz. You should do the same.”
“No, I….” he trailed off, seeming confused. “I meant it when I said you shouldn’t be out here alone. Let me walk you home.”
Walk me home? What’s with this guy and his savior complex?
At the lake, he seemed genuinely worried for my safety. Just like he was now.
“I’m fine, really. I know these woods. I don’t live far,” I insisted.
“Cadence, I am going to walk you home.” His tone was assertive, not giving me a choice.
Cocking my head to the side curiously, I stared at him. Both his words and actions made me pause. Perhaps I judged him too harshly. My mother’s words of advice about not judging a book by its cover came to mind. Still, the way Fitz had come on to me after he disembarked from the bus, no one could blame me for assuming he was nothing but arrogance and trouble. But maybe–just maybe–there was more to him than I originally thought.
I looked around. The cottage I shared with my parents was off the beaten path, placed between Creator Hall and the barn. I always felt safe at the camp despite the fact that it was full of newly arrived strangers. For all I knew, one of them was an axe murderer in disguise. I doubted it, but still. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so naïve and heed a bit of caution.
“Alright, Fitz. My cottage just up and around the bend.”
He nodded, and we began to walk in awkward silence.
“So,” he said after a few minutes, interrupting the weird quiet that settled between us. “That lake spot is pretty amazing.”
“Yeah, it is,” I agreed.
“Do you go there often?”
“I usually go in the evenings with Dahlia. Sometimes, I just want to go for a quick swim or to listen to music. It’s the one place I can crank up the volume without my momma telling me to turn it down. Other times, it’s a quiet place for me to study.”
“Study? Didn’t you just say you only spend summers here?” he asked, sounding surprised.
“I’m taking a few homeschool college courses through American University over the summer to get a jump on things. I’d like to get my master’s in social work within five years if I can.”
“That’s ambitious. Social work, huh? Not a lot of money to be made there.”
“Money isn’t everything, and I want to help people,” I responded with a shrug.
“Ambitious and noble,” he mused.
I frowned. Fitz was saying the same things my parents had said to me. My mother would have loved to see me follow in her footsteps and pursue the arts, but it wasn’t for me. My father just wanted me to be happy but was concerned about the student loan debt I’d be strapped with. While they were supportive of my choices, they worried. I understood why, but they didn’t understand my drive. I wanted to go out and make a difference in the world. I could stress about the loans later.
I almost voiced my thoughts but thought better of it. Fitz came from a wealthy family. He couldn’t possibly understand the meaning of financial burden. I pursed my lips tightly together, feeling m
ildly annoyed. A change of subject, one that wasn’t about me, was in order. I was normally a very private person, yet in just a few short minutes, this boy had me revealing way too much about myself.
“What about you? What’s your major?” I asked.
“I had a double major in political science and public relations. I graduated this past May with dual bachelor’s degrees.”
“Are you going on for your master’s?”
“Me? Yeah, right,” he stated dismissively. Then he laughed like he found the idea of continuing education absolutely absurd. “More school isn’t in the cards for me.”
“Why are you making it sound like a joke? There’s nothing funny with trying to better yourself, Fitz.”
He slowed his pace and I glanced over at him. The look he gave me was grim. When he spoke again, his voice was hesitant.
“It’s not about trying to better myself. It’s just that, even if I wanted to continue with my education, I can’t. I don’t really have a choice in the matter. My father….” He trailed off, and I waited expectantly for him to finish. “Let’s just say he has other plans for me.”
I wanted to ask what those plans were, but there was something in his tone that stopped my questions. He seemed bitter almost, and I thought it best not to pry. We just met twelve hours ago after all. It wasn’t any of my business.
“So, what do you think about Camp Riley so far?” I asked, deliberately changing the topic to something a little less awkward. We were almost to my cottage, and I was grateful to only have to keep up the small talk for another minute or two.
“It’s not bad. It’s a little too quaint and village-like to be called a camp in my opinion. When I found I out I was coming here, I was picturing tents and shit like that. The lake spot is cool though,” he said nonchalantly. “If you don’t mind, I may pop over there in the evening once in a while. I like it there.”
I thought about his statement and what it could mean–what it could possibly lead to. The thought of him coming to my spot, intruding on my space, immediately upset me, and I responded without thinking.
“Actually, I do mind. That place is private to me, Fitz. If you start showing up, students or camp leaders could find it and think it’s okay for them to go there too.”
“Okay, okay. No need to snap,” he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
Had I snapped?
If I did, I didn’t mean to. I smiled sheepishly.
“I’m sorry. It’s just…okay, I’ll think about it,” I conceded. “But if I give you the go ahead, you can’t tell anyone else about it.
Did I really just agree to think about it? Have I gone mad?
I glanced in his direction only to see a slow smile spread across his face. There was no denying he was celebrating a small victory as a result of my concession.
Jerk.
Still, I didn’t take back what I said. I stayed silent, not sure what to make of this mysterious boy who had tried to be my knight in shining armor twice in one night. I could feel his eyes on me as we walked. Something strange shot between the two of us that I couldn’t quite explain. It was as if he were hooking me with something unseen with every glance he stole. My heart fluttered, and my skin coated with a sticky sheen of sweat – only this time, it wasn’t from the humid air.
When we came upon my cottage, Dahlia pranced up the steps.
“This must be your place,” Fitz observed.
“Yeah, this is it.”
“Okay, well…um.” He hesitated. “I guess this is where I tell you to have a good night.”
It was strange. It almost felt like he had just walked me home from a first date, and this was that weird moment where you weren’t sure if the boy was going to kiss you. I studied his face–he was most definitely looking at my mouth.
Oh, hell no. No kissing allowed, buddy!
I quickly sidestepped away, just in case.
“Thanks, Fitz. Same to you. And thank you for walking me back.”
“Sure. No problem. I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, maybe.” I shrugged in a noncommittal way. Unable to make actual sustained eye contact, I turned away and tossed a wave over my shoulder. “Goodnight, Fitz.”
Once I was safely inside the cottage, I closed the front door a little too quickly, the wood making a loud bang against the frame. Another day, I may have worried about the noise waking my parents–today was not that day. I was too busy relishing in the relief I felt from being able to put some space between Fitz and me. The run-in at the lake, the unexpected walk, and those piercing gray eyes… Fitz and his bad boy charm were just too hard to resist. I leaned against the back of the door and exhaled with a sigh. I needed to put up a barrier to stop that magnetic pull. No good would come out of seeing more of Fitzgerald Quinn, of that I was sure.
6
FITZ
The first week at Camp Riley had gone by surprisingly fast. Mr. Jimmy was a slave driver, but there was something about him that made the work easy to endure. He had an easy-going way, yet still commanded sweat and blood from the laborious tasks he doled out to Devon and me. Today, our job was to split wood for the fire pits scattered all over the camp. Even though I thought it was too damn hot to sit around a campfire, the younger kids seemed immune. They spent their evenings roasting marshmallows, singing, and playing tunes for each other on their shiny instruments.
I, on the other hand, spent the evenings alone in the loft, patiently waiting for Cadence to invite me to her secret place by the lake. I tried to get her out of my head, but it was damn near impossible. That blond was now buried under my skin and she unknowingly had my head going to all kinds of places it shouldn’t.
The problem was, I barely saw her. I wondered if she was deliberately staying away from me or if she was just too busy with her own camp duties. If I saw her, it was usually in the cafeteria during the dinner hour, looking like she just stepped off the pages of For Him Magazine. The crazy thing about it was I knew she didn’t even try to look that damn good, it was just natural. However, the minute I spotted her, she seemed to vanish in the crowd of ravenous campers all vying to get their meals.
Tonight, I laid on the thin mattress that covered my bale of hay, staring absently at the wood rafters of the ceiling. I was bored out of my fucking mind. Devon had taken off more than an hour ago, having made plans with yet another chick working the camp. Of course, he gave me hell for not joining him. He said I was pussy-whipped for sitting here, pining over a girl who wanted nothing to do with me. If I heard him say one more time I needed to go out, find a random chick, and get laid, I thought I would knock his teeth out.
I told him to fuck off instead.
Seven nights here, and I think he’d shacked up with seven different girls. He was the one who was the fool. The minute they all started talking to one another, the shit was bound to blow up in his face. I was tired of that sort of drama.
My stomach growled. Lugging the chopped wood to all the cottages had taken longer than expected and caused Devon and me to get to Creator Hall late. By the time we arrived, there wasn’t much food left. I needed more to eat than just the small bowl of cold pasta salad I managed to scrape up. I glanced at my watch and saw it was nearing eight. The students should have cleared out from the cafeteria by now.
My insides rumbled again. Sitting up, I swung my legs over the side of the makeshift bed and slipped into my leather Birkenstocks. There had to be something else in the kitchen I could grab. If not, I would grab a bag of chips from The Flourish. It wasn’t a very nutritious option, but it was better than nothing. Climbing down the ladder, I headed out to search for food.
Once I reached Creator Hall, I pulled open the heavy wood door. I halted in my tracks when I saw a familiar head of long blond waves. I’d recognize those golden strands that I itched to run my fingers through anywhere.
Cadence was seated at a table with her back to me. I smiled to myself as I proceeded forward in her direction. I forgot all about the food I came her
e in search of. Just seeing her again made me completely numb to any hunger pains I had been experiencing. She was wearing a tank top again tonight. It was a light purple one this time. But much to my disappointment, I could see white bra straps peeking out at her shoulders and knew I wouldn’t be getting the same show I received on the night I arrived.
Such a shame.
On closer inspection, I also noticed a tattoo on the back of her right shoulder. It was strange I hadn’t seen it before, but then again, she normally wore a short-sleeved t-shirt with the Camp Riley logo during the day. Seeing the ink on her was surprising. She didn’t seem like the type to have a tattoo. She was just too…reserved.
Maybe there’s a little rebel hiding in there somewhere after all.
I slowly walked a few steps toward her so I could get a closer look at her ink. It was a tattoo of a flower and a stark contrast against the creamy color of her skin. The petals were filled in with a pale blue. Leaves shaded in muted green, gray, and black poked out from behind the flower, flowing down into an intricate scroll that disappeared under the seam of her tank. The overall design was small and feminine–just like her.
She was hunched over and appeared to be writing in a notebook. She had headphones on with the cord extending to a Walkman that was resting on the table in front of her. The music in her ears must have muffled any sound I made when I came in. So intently focused on what she was doing, she also hadn’t seen me. I took another step closer and peered over her shoulder.
She wasn’t writing in a notebook like I originally thought. She was drawing on a sketchpad, creating an image of a flower, similar to the tat on her shoulder. I watched the tip of her pencil shade the edges of the petals, creating highlights where necessary to bring the drawing to life.
“That’s really good,” I observed.
Cadence jumped and quickly flipped over the sketchpad to hide the drawing. When she turned around, her eyes narrowed into a sharp glare when she saw I was the one standing behind her. She ripped the headphones from her head and tossed them on the table.
Cadence Untouched: A Dahlia Project Novel Page 5
