Summer Nights

by Sanders, Jill

  “She’s moving? You’re moving?” Hannah sat up straighter.

  “We’re thinking about it,” Zoey added. She’d run the numbers over in her head on the long flight back to the States. Now, with her injury, there was no way she’d be able to go back to work at the sports center she’d been employed at for the past few years. She had been working part time with the director of teen sports before the Olympic tryouts. She’d quit when she’d made the team, since she would have to travel a lot. She had been in charge of everything from softball to volleyball to gymnastics. She loved her work, but with the injury . . . she glanced down at her swollen knee, which was frozen under the ice pack. Surely Brian, the owner of the center, would hire her back if she asked him?

  Her sister was working at a local dance studio as well as at a local stable, where she exercised the animals and taught disabled kids to ride. With Zoey’s busy Olympic schedule, Scarlett had filled in the hours by helping their mother a lot around the house and fixing things up around the older home she’d purchased after the messy divorce.

  “Where would you go?” Elle asked, biting her bottom lip.

  “Somewhere cheaper,” Zoey answered quickly.

  The room fell silent for a moment. “Let’s clean up and move into the living room,” Elle suggested as she stood up, then glanced down at her watch. “Actually, scratch that. I have a better idea. Why don’t we leave this mess for tomorrow and head over to the camp? The main swimming pool is still in working order. We can take a dip and watch the sun set.”

  Zoey looked down at her leg and thought about taking off the brace and enjoying a swim.

  “I’m in.” She stood up and grabbed her crutches.

  Less than half an hour later, she was floating in the chilled water while everyone else swam around her. Taking turns diving into the water or doing backflips.

  Two empty bottles of wine sat on the edge, while a third was being passed around. Since Zoey wasn’t able to drink, she was the designated driver. She’d been thankful it had been her left knee, so she wouldn’t have to be chauffeured around until she healed.

  It was fun to watch her friends and sister joke with one another as the wine flowed.

  Somehow, they had all decided to forgo the swimsuits, and she didn’t mind. Floating in the water naked somehow put her more at ease than wearing the one-piece swimsuit she’d packed. It was the most relaxing thing she’d done since before she’d hurt her knee.

  The last time the five of them had gone skinny-dipping, they had almost been caught and had to scramble to cover themselves. This time was different; there wasn’t a soul around the massive campground. Not to mention that the five of them were way more comfortable with their bodies than before.

  “Are you still seeing that mechanic?” Zoey asked Hannah.

  Hannah frowned and kicked her legs to keep her head above the water. “No, he was a cheater.”

  “Who would he cheat on? I mean, with a body like yours?” Elle broke in and shook her head, her wet, long blonde hair falling in her eyes. “Stupid man.”

  Zoey grinned. “I agree. You easily have the best ass in the pool.”

  “Hey! No, she doesn’t,” Aubrey said from the shallow end. “Do you know how many squats and lunges I have done over the years to get this ass?” Aubrey stood up and did a quick turn, then shivered and ducked back under the water.

  “And it is a beautiful ass. Thank you so much for sharing.” Zoey laughed.

  Aubrey chuckled and splashed water at her.

  “What about you?” Hannah turned to Elle.

  “I’m not showing you my ass, pervert.” Elle laughed too.

  Zoey smiled and changed the subject now that Elle was lighthearted. “Why did you break things off with Jeff? I thought he was the one. I mean, he proposed and everything.” She’d been dying to get more details on the breakup.

  Elle glanced around as the five of them drew together in a tight circle, each one kicking to keep her head above the deep water.

  “He turned out to be a jerk.” Elle shrugged.

  “Nope.” Zoey shook her head. “Wildflowers don’t keep secrets. Spill.”

  Elle sighed, then swam over so her feet could at least reach the bottom. “We got into a fight about how much time I was spending with Grandpa Joe.”

  “And?” Scarlett asked as they all moved to shallower water.

  Zoey sat on the stairs, propping her leg up on the side of the pool. Elle moved over next to her, tucking her legs up to her chest.

  “I caught him slipping his number to our waitress one night,” Elle finally said. “She dropped the napkin, and I picked it up and saw his number on it.”

  “What an ass,” Scarlett said easily.

  “What is wrong with him?” Zoey asked, getting everyone’s attention. “What? We’ve all been jealous of Elle’s boobs since the day we met. I mean, what eleven-year-old has a rack? Then you went and grew them bigger. I swear, I followed you around one summer, eating and doing everything you did, just to see if you had some sort of magic formula to make them grow. It’s unnatural.” She nodded to Elle, who chuckled.

  “Maybe it wasn’t about the size of my boobs?” Elle said, a hint of sadness entering her voice.

  “Jeff was a jerk. I never did like him. His eyes were too close together. Your babies would have looked cross-eyed.”

  Elle laughed. “Thank you.” She smiled, and Zoey watched her wipe a tear away from her eyes. “I really thought he was the one.”

  “When you find him,” Aubrey said, moving closer, “when we each find our own Mr. Right, we’ll all know.”

  “And if any of us don’t agree”—Zoey put her hand in the middle of them, letting it float on top of the water—“we each promise to not keep it to ourselves. Wildflowers first.”

  “Wildflowers first,” they each said, placing their hands over hers.

  They all smiled at one another.

  “I’m going to miss this place,” Zoey said out of the blue.

  “What is going to happen to the camp?” Hannah asked, glancing around.

  Most of the buildings were in major disrepair; the other swimming pool had been drained, and all the horses must have been moved or sold, because the massive barn sat empty. Even the boats and other watercraft had been sold off over the past few years or were in such a state that they would probably sink immediately if ever put back in the water.

  Elle swam toward her. Earlier she’d done a fine cannonball, and she and Scarlett had taken turns doing flips off the diving board.

  Now, all of them sat along the stairs or hung along the wall of the shallow end as the dark water around them stilled.

  “That’s kind of why I wanted us to be here.” Elle glanced around, then nodded toward the sunset. “Remember our first night together here?”

  “She’s changing the subject,” Zoey muttered. “That’s never a good sign.”

  Elle chuckled nervously.

  “We almost got caught naked in this very pool,” Scarlett replied.

  “Who’s going to come around now and catch us?” Zoey said, motioning.

  Elle looked around, and Zoey could see the sadness in her eyes, even in the darkness.

  It was too dark to see much, since the sky was filled with the aftermath of a beautiful sunset and the pool lights were no longer powered.

  “You’re still stalling,” Zoey said when it grew quiet again. She was worried that Elle had bad news; after all, her friend wasn’t a “rip the Band-Aid off quickly” kind of person.

  “What do you think of opening the camp again?” Elle finally blurted out.

  “What?” Four voices rang out at the same time, causing an echo to bounce off the pool house’s walls.

  “You’re going to open the camp back up to young girls?” Scarlett asked.

  “N . . . no.” Elle shook her head and scanned her friends’ faces. “I’m thinking of turning it into a camp for adults. You know . . . snowbirds, retired couples. So, it would be open year round, not
just in the summer.”

  Everyone was silent; the sound of crickets and frogs singing filled the night instead.

  “Well?” Elle finally said. “Any thoughts?”

  “You want to sink a bunch of money into this”—Zoey motioned around them—“what was once a summer camp for privileged girls, and turn it into a . . .”

  “Getaway camp,” Elle said with a smile as her chin rose slightly.

  Again, the night grew silent.

  “The land alone is probably worth a fortune in today’s market,” Hannah suggested. “You could always sell it?”

  “I know, but I just can’t see myself getting rid of it. Besides, Grandpa Joe wouldn’t want that.” Elle sighed.

  “Would they all pile in ten people to a cabin?” Aubrey asked.

  “Sounds more like a swingers’ camp,” Zoey added with a chuckle, trying to break the tension. “Isn’t there one of those in South Florida?”

  “No.” Elle shook her head and rolled her eyes at Zoey. “I’ve been working with a local handyman, Aiden Stark. Grandpa Joe hired him a while back to fix up some things around here. He turned out to be an architecture student too and has a few great ideas about turning each cabin from sleeping ten preteen girls into housing one couple with their own bathroom and small kitchenette.” Her voice grew with excitement. “Then, we’ll turn the old dining hall into a game or sports room with a bar and grill off the back patio. We’ll add a screening room for movies and turn the old meeting rooms in the main building into a formal restaurant-style dining room with the back patio for outside dining.” She took a breath after her huge list and then sighed. “There’s more, but”—she paused—“I can see I’m overwhelming you guys.”

  “So twenty couples, then? How will you make your money back? Charge them an arm and a leg per night? It will take forever to make any real money,” Hannah pointed out.

  “With the initial investment, Aiden can have more cabins built before opening day, so that we’d have thirty cabins to begin with. Then, if everything goes well, we’ll keep building more. We have plenty of land,” Elle said.

  “We?” Zoey had picked up on the moment Elle had changed from I to we.

  Elle swallowed and wrapped her arms around herself. “I was hoping, that is—”

  “I’m in.” Aubrey shocked everyone by jumping in. She’d even raised her hand, and when everyone looked at her, she tilted her head. “What? It beats freezing my ass off in New York. Besides, I’ve grown to hate that Big Stupid Rotten Apple.” She chuckled and turned to Elle. “That is what you were stumbling toward, right?”

  Elle nodded and looked around. “I crunched some numbers. If I’m correct, with all of us, we have just enough to open the doors of River Camp next fall. With the money Grandpa Joe left me, plus another sixty thousand—”

  “Sixty!” Zoey gasped.

  “Twenty each—I figured you and Scarlett would split it, since I know . . .” She trailed off and shook her head. “What was left to you. I’ll be throwing everything I have into it.”

  Zoey glanced over at Scarlett as she calculated.

  “What about our mother? Can she stay at our old cabin?” Zoey asked.

  “Yes.” Elle smiled. “I had counted on that.”

  “What about us? Where are we expected to live?” Aubrey asked.

  “The entire third floor of the main building where my grandpa Joe lived has enough rooms for all of us. The second floor would be updated with rooms for any employees who need to stay on campus.”

  “Other employees?” Scarlett asked.

  “We’ll need some help, and I figured most of them would be like us, also needing a place to stay. There are apartments in Pelican Point, but not near enough for the number of people I’m thinking we’ll need. Most will drive in from other towns, since I plan on hiring local first, but—”

  “With adults in the cabins, there’s no need for camp counselors who stay in each cabin too,” Hannah said softly.

  “Adults are easier than kids.” Elle smiled. “My main reason for the change. Anyway, the counselors, employees, and any others that want to stay during the week will all be housed in the main building along with us. There’s plenty of room, even if we have to take up some of the first floor.”

  “I’m in,” Hannah said, gaining everyone’s attention. “Like Aubrey said, it beats what I have planned. Besides, I can’t wait to see the look on my parents’ faces when I tell them.” Hannah’s smile grew.

  Elle’s eyes turned toward Zoey, who said, “We were going to sell our mother’s place anyway. Then we’ll have to see if she is okay with moving here . . .” She flicked a look at Scarlett. “Well, what do you think?”

  Her sister shrugged. “You’ve been in charge of all of this. I trust your judgment.”

  Zoey closed her eyes and mentally counted how much money was left in their joint savings account. By the time she opened her eyes, the last slivers of the sun’s rays had disappeared over the water, leaving them in total darkness.

  Her knee pain was minimal at this point; the cool water had alleviated some of the swelling, relieving her mind of the overwhelming pain, so she could work on calculations instead of focusing on the aches.

  Deciding quickly before she could come to her senses, she blurted out, “Why the hell not—count us in.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Over a year later . . .

  Zoey stood and watched as an older silver truck stopped at the bottom of the stairs near the main building. She squinted her eyes from the bright sunlight overhead to see who was in it and watched not one but three almost identical men step out of the vehicle.

  All of them were tall and dark haired and as muscular as Chris Hemsworth. Zoey took a deep breath and appreciated them for a moment as they walked toward her.

  “Hi,” the tallest of the three said. It was hard to tell at this point, but she imagined he was the eldest as well.

  “Evening.” She dropped her hand from shielding the sunlight, since they had stepped into the shade.

  “Are you Elle Saunders?” the taller one said. There was no doubt, looking at the three of them, that they were brothers: they were all tall and curly haired, with deep-brown eyes and olive skin.

  “No, Elle ran into town for a few supplies. Is there something I can help you men with?”

  “We hope so. I’m Owen—these are my brothers, Dylan and Liam. We heard you are looking for workers?” he said as his eyes took in the freshly painted building behind her.

  Zoey nodded quickly. “Yes.” She’d helped Elle and a handful of others paint the massive building. So far, they had hired almost three full-time employees: head chef Isaac Andrew, head waiter Kevin, and full-time front desk manager Julie. There were also a few part-time employees who would fill multiple roles around the camp. They were still looking for employees to fill the camp-counselor role as well as others around the place. Employees who would oversee activities and keep guests entertained with fun events that they had planned.

  She was officially filling the sports-coordinator role, while Elle had taken over as camp manager. Hannah had taken on the events-coordinator spot, Scarlett was going to help Zoey out with the athletics and equestrian events, and Aubrey had ended up being the director of counselors.

  “You’ll want to talk to Aubrey—she’s the director of counselors.” She started to motion to where they could find Aubrey but stopped when Dylan, the man with the widest chest, stepped forward and spoke.

  “We have plenty of other skills. I’m sure there’s plenty else we can do around here.” His dark eyes scanned hers, and she felt her entire body heat. It was the way he was looking at her that stirred something deep inside her.

  His hair was cut the shortest of the three, and she detected streaks of blonde. She doubted he’d had it bleached, since it appeared natural—too much time in the sun. Kind of like her own hair was at the moment. He had skin a shade darker than the other two as well, hinting that he spent more of his time outdoors than his b
rothers did.

  She had been in the process of heading down toward the stables to take an early-evening ride on Duke, one of the horses they had gotten over the last year from a rescue facility nearby for the stables.

  She and Scarlett had overseen the acquisition of each adopted animal to make sure they were of the right temperament. Elle had asked Carter, the official vet at the Alaqua Animal Refuge, to stop by a few times each day and act as caregiver to the beasts. Scarlett would fill the full-time role of caregiver once they officially moved their mother in to the small cabin on site. Carter had assured her that all the animals were perfectly fit, but Zoey liked having the excuse to ride them each night while she still could, before the guests started arriving.

  The place was already booked solid for the first three months after they opened their doors. The handful of ads that Elle had running in travel magazines and websites had obviously done their job. There were a few articles about their background that had drawn a lot of hype.

  “I’m sure Aubrey can . . .” She had started to wave them off when her walkie-talkie bleated.

  “Zoey, whoever they are, deal with them. I’m stuck helping Hannah for the next hour,” Aubrey’s voice squawked over the radio.

  Zoey held in a groan and gave up the thoughts of a peaceful ride before nightfall.

  “Come on this way.” She motioned toward the front door and glanced up at the windows on the third floor of the building. She thought she saw Aubrey and Hannah duck behind the curtains in one of the private rooms they all shared. The top floor used to be a private residence for Elle’s grandfather, so there hadn’t been the need to change much for the girls to take over up there. They had all moved in shortly after that first night, with the exception of Scarlett, who had gone back to finish helping their mother fix up the house and sell it. Zoey was excited that they had a buyer for the house, but it wouldn’t close until the end of next month. But after waiting this long to sell her mother’s place, the monthlong wait seemed doable.

  The three men followed her back into the main lobby area, where Julie, their newly hired front desk manager, stood behind the countertop working on the computer system that would check guests in.