“Here’s to new friends,” Haley said.
“Here’s to what happens at camp stays at camp.” Kyle looked straight at Kayla, and she raised an eyebrow before lifting her cup. They toasted again.
Marti toasted silently to Grandma. Grandma made up for Marti’s absentee parents. She always found a way to make Marti’s dreams come true. Not that Grandma had any idea Marti would be drinking her first night at camp. She felt a teeny bit guilty, but brushed it away.
She leaned back on her hands and gazed at the night sky. The moon rose, illuminating the clearing. Stars twinkled as if telling her she was in for the time of her life.
* * *
“Nice view.” Adam leaned back next to Marti and looked up. He liked how the treetops framed the edge of the playing field and the stars above.
“Sure is. At home the stars don’t look like this. Or if they do, I guess I just don’t take the time to look.” Marti sighed.
“I hear you. Plus, the lights of the city block out half of the stars.” Adam rarely thought about looking at the night sky. But here, away from big cities, bright lights, and a full schedule of appearances, he already found himself looking at the world with fresh eyes. He took a deep breath of the woodsy air.
“I wish I had my camera. I’d love to capture this,” Marti said.
“I know what you mean. I’ve been dying to break mine out, but I didn’t want to look too eager.” He glanced over to see her reaction, hoping he didn’t sound like a total loser.
“That’s funny. I think you’re in the right place to be a photography nerd.” She laughed and it sounded like a melody.
“Nerd! Where’d that come from?” He rubbed his head and wondered if the short hair had changed him so much he’d lost his cool factor.
“Come on, anyone who goes to an arts camp has got to be totally obsessed and kind of nerdy.”
“I can honestly say I’ve never been called a nerd in my life. At least not to my face.” And not in any of the fan magazines either.
“My, my, a little sensitive there, aren’t you?” Marti teased.
“Hey, you’re attacking my coolness. I’ve got a reputation to defend here. I can’t let word get out that some hot girl thinks I’m a nerd.” He hoped the compliment would impress her.
“Hot girl? You’re trying hard. Trouble getting dates back home?” She sipped her drink.
He shook his head. He saw her smirk in the moonlight and wouldn’t mind shocking it off of her with a kiss, but he didn’t know if she even liked him.
“What? Did I hit too close to home?” She bumped his shoulder with hers.
“You have no idea.” Her words made him want to laugh at the irony. Marti didn’t know about all the girls who screamed his name at concerts. How many were dying to get close and talk to him, get a hug, and pose for pictures. And how he was the one who turned the girls down. Now here he was hanging out next to a beautiful girl with gorgeous eyes and a smile that made him want to follow her like a love-sick pup. He finally had the perfect opportunity to get close to a girl, and she seemed totally immune to his chick magnetism. He gulped his drink.
“That game tonight was totally lame,” Justin said.
“No kidding. All that stuff about, I don’t like oranges, and I’ve never been to a baseball game. Stupid!” Kayla said.
“I wanted to say something that mattered, like my mom’s having an affair with my best friend’s dad,” Ryan said.
“Ouch,” Kyle said.
“It gives a whole new meaning to sleepovers.” Ryan tipped his cup back.
“I know, let’s go around and everyone has to say something totally scandalous that’s true.” Kayla leaned forward as she explained her plan.
“I don’t have anything scandalous,” said Haley.
“Okay, something you’d never say on-line.”
“I’m going first,” Justin said. “But wait, I need a refill.” He handed his glass to AJ who poured him another Brandy and coke and passed it back.
More cups were passed for refills. Marti and AJ worked in tandem to complete the requests and then refilled their own.
“Ready?” Justin leaned forward and looked at each of them. “I stole my principal’s name plate off his desk while he was writing out my suspension papers.”
“That’s priceless,” Kayla said.
“You’ve got some balls!” Kyle leaned over and fist bumped him.
“Me next,” Brooke said. “Once when I was little, I knew I was going to be sick so I went right for my dad’s open brief case.”
“Eww!” Marti scrunched up her face.
“My parents never forced me to eat tomatoes after that.” She shrugged with satisfaction.
“Hey Haley, you’ve been quiet all night. You must have something good to dish. You know what they say, still waters run deep,” Ryan said.
“Me?” She gripped her half-empty-cup, practically squeezing it in half.
“Yeah, you’re up,” Brooke said.
“Well, my oldest sister…” She paused and looked around as if her sister would be hiding in the woods listening. “She’s had two abortions.”
“Wow,” Kayla said.
And then the group was kind of silent. Adam wondered how to follow up after that, but Justin spoke up.
“My Grandpa walked out on his first wife and four little kids and then married my grandma, and started another family. My grandma never even knew about the first family until after he died.”
Adam thought about what outrageous thing he could share. He couldn’t really tell them about trying to sneak into the Oval Office when they sang at the White House for a special event. Or the time his brother Garrett hooked him up to the fly lines at Madison Square Garden and flew him around the stage. His dad had a fit because they were breaking union rules, and his mom had a fit because Garrett crashed him into the rigging and almost broke Adam’s arm. It hurt so bad he could barely play guitar the next night, but the show had to go on. His dad blew a gasket on that one.
Adam wanted to enjoy the anonymity of being a regular guy while he was here. He didn’t want them to know his true identity, because it would be so far from their reality. He took another drag of his drink. He savored the cool booze as it burned a little going down.
“My dad was so drunk one time he drove through the garage door,” Justin said, raising his cup in the air.
“I can top that one,” Marti spoke up. “When I was little, my dad made me drive him places when he had too much to drink.”
“So. I used to drive before I had my license,” Justin said.
Marti shook her head. “Well, I was ten years old.” She slurred her words a little.
“No way.” Adam looked at her dumbfounded. “That’s criminal.”
“That’s when I went to live with my Grandma.”
“Where was your mom?” Haley asked
“In rehab. Who’s next?” Marti looked around the circle and Adam wondered if she wished she hadn’t revealed her family dirt.
He watched her tear the lip of her cup creating little rips around the edge. He wanted to reach over and squeeze her hand or do something to let her know he cared. But his head felt a little fuzzy, and he wasn’t sure what to do, so he did nothing. He was used to guys, like his brothers and the road crew. He wasn’t sure what to do about a pretty girl who talked tough but looked soft and smelled good.
“My grandma used to design naughty lingerie,” Brooke said.
“Please tell me she asked you to model it and you’ve got pictures.” Kyle rubbed his hands together.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Brooke lowered her head and gave Kyle a steamy look.
“AJ, what have you got?” Kayla asked.
Adam didn’t know what to say. Anything worth telling would reveal that his life was a whole lot bigger than anyone expected. He’d rather play it close to the chest. He’d like to see if he could hit it off with a girl who wasn’t fawning over the fact he was Adam Jamieson, lead guitarist for his ba
nd. But if they learned his identity before getting to know him, he knew they’d treat him like a celebrity or a spoiled, entitled kid who got everything he wanted. Either way, he wasn’t ready to spill it. Plus, anything scandalous he said, whether it was true or a lie, could end up in the tabloids. If there was one thing his father hated, it was bad publicity.
“Geez, can’t really think of anything to top those stories.” He hid behind another long drag on his beverage.
“Aw, come on man,” Kyle urged.
Marti watched him with narrowed eyes. “He’s holding back. He’s got secrets, he just doesn’t want to share.”
“Coward!” Brooke threw her empty cup at him.
“I don’t.” He laughed. “I’m an open book.” He considered telling them that his brother Peter held up a sold-out concert by forty-five minutes because he was upset about a girl named Libby. Probably not a good idea.
Adam lifted his cup and drained the contents. “Okay, I’ve got one. My oldest brother called my other brother’s girlfriend and told her he didn’t want to go out with her any more.”
“Huh?” Ryan looked confused. “I don’t get it.”
“You’re saying, one brother called up the other brother’s girlfriend and broke them up?” Brooke said.
Adam nodded.
“Damn, that’s seriously messed up,” Justin said.
“That’s terrible! What did your brother do when he found out? The one who lost his girlfriend?” Marti looked shocked.
“Let me just say I’ve never seen him so pissed in all my life. Broken furniture and blood were involved.”
“Did he get his girlfriend back?” Haley asked.
“Eventually, but it took a while.” Adam wished he could share the long sordid tale about Peter losing Libby and the national search Peter created to track her down, but knew he couldn’t. Peter and Garrett wouldn’t appreciate the details of their lives being told to total strangers. Enough of their lives were already in the tabloids on a regular basis.
“That reminds me, I’ve got another one,” Kyle said.
While Kyle confessed his next story, Marti scooted closer to Adam and whispered. “There’s something about you that seems really familiar.”
Adam leaned in and noticed the floral scent of her hair. It blended perfectly with the woodsy air. “Really?”
“Yes. It keeps nagging at me. I know you said you were from Iowa, but have you ever lived in Madison?”
“No.” But he’d cruised by the city on the Interstate many times while touring the Midwest.
“You never lived there?”
He could see her trying to puzzle it out. “Nope. But I hear that all the time. I guess I have one of those common faces. I probably remind you of someone you go to school with.”
“Maybe, but I don’t think so.” She tilted her head and scrutinized him in the moonlight.
Adam needed to get her mind off why she thought he looked familiar. Maybe she was a fan. That would be both good and bad. Good to get to know her better, but bad, because she would be all wrapped up in his on-stage persona.
“What you said earlier about your Dad. That’s unbelievable.”
“Yeah.” Marti turned away and stared at the ground. “He’s a piece of work.”
“How were you able to drive? Did you crash? I mean, how did you get caught?”
“My dad would bring a couple of phone books for me to sit on and scooch the seat up really close to the steering wheel so I could reach the pedals. I never hit anything, probably because I was so terrified that I drove super slow. That’s why we got pulled over, because I was driving so slow.”
Adam shook his head. “That is so messed up. Why would your dad be so stupid and put you behind the wheel at that age?”
“The short answer is that he’s a coke-head, alcoholic musician who thinks he’s entitled to whatever he wants and laws aren’t meant for him.”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” Dumbstruck by her words, Adam tipped his cup back only to find it empty. He fumbled with the cooler for a refill, enjoying his full-on buzz.
“No, it’s fine. I don’t usually talk about him. He’s a washed-up rocker with absolutely no sense of reality or responsibility. I guess the juice here made me talk too much.” She lifted her cup.
Her dad was a musician, a rocker! Adam wondered if it was someone from the industry he’d heard of or just a small time musician who’d never hit it big. “I’m glad you live with your Grandma and don’t have to see him.” He moved closer and could see a light sprinkle of freckles on her nose. He liked Marti and how direct she was with her opinions. She didn’t flutter around and try to be someone she wasn’t.
“I don’t plan on ever seeing him again. He’s so fucked up.” She peeked at Adam and smiled. “Sorry.”
“No problem.” He liked the cute way she grinned.
“You guys, everybody quiet!” Kayla whispered. “I see lights coming up the path.”
“Shit!”
“Quick. Hide! Maybe they won’t see us.”
“Crap, the flashlight!” Justin dove for Brooke’s flashlight and blocked the dim light with his body. He quickly turned it off.
They all scrambled out of the clearing in different directions, leaving the evidence of their party behind. Adam and Marti hid behind a large tree. Getting busted for drinking the first night at camp wasn’t how he planned things to go, but it sure was a hell of a lot of fun.
Marti faced him with her back against the tree. He held her shoulders and peeked around to check on the intruders, enjoying their close proximity.
“Are they gone?” she breathed in his ear. Her sweet breath warmed his neck.
“Shh,” he whispered. She giggled, so he gently pressed his finger against her lips. “Shh.”
She made a funny face like a guilty child getting caught being naughty. He tried not to laugh.
“I can still see the flashlights.” He took advantage of their close proximity and gazed into her eyes. The dappled light from the moon beamed through the tree branches onto her face. She watched him, so innocent and inviting. Did she know how pretty she was?
Her long lashes waved as they locked eyes. His thumbs caressed her shoulders through her light sweatshirt. She felt so delicate and real and smelled like paradise. Her lips parted. Adam hesitated no longer. He dipped his head, felt her soft intake of breath and then her beautiful lips met his. She tasted like citrusy booze. With her sweet kisses he discovered an amazing new world.
He kissed her slow and soft, and then, like magic, the tip of her tongue brushed his and his body went on high alert as the kiss deepened. He slipped one hand behind her neck, the other around her waist and pulled her snug to him. Marti didn’t seem to mind as she trailed her fingers over his back. Her other arm was pressed against his chest.
Adam didn’t know if the alcohol made Marti so willing, or something else. Either way, he didn’t care. She nestled in his arms all warm and soft. He fought to control himself. He wanted to mold her body to his and let his hands linger over every inch of her. Instead, he lost himself in her kisses, the softness of her hair and how the touch of her body tortured his senses. After too short a time, their mouths parted. Marti’s eyes reflected dark and glassy in the low light. She sighed and a shy smile greeted him. He gave her another kiss, this one quick, like a period at the end of sentence.
They heard rustling in the woods and discovered the others emerging from their hiding spots.
“Damn, I would have liked to stay hidden out here a lot longer,” Adam breathed in her ear.
Marti watched the others and looked disappointed. “Me too.”
“It’s only the first night. Lots more nights ahead of us,” he offered, tilting his head at an angle to catch her eye. Her smile brightened.
He leaned down and kissed her again, not quite ready to give up his new discovery. He held her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb. Marti curved into him for a last kiss before they joined the others.
; “I think we’re clear. Whoever it was took some trail further into the woods. I don’t think they were looking for us.” Kyle said.
“Oh my god! I’ve never been so scared in my life! I just about wet my pants,” Haley said, swaying on her feet, and they all laughed.
“I guess we better get back,” Kayla said.
Adam snuck a peek at Marti and found her watching him too.
“Make sure we grab all the bottles and cups. We don’t want to leave any sign we were here.” Justin flipped open the cooler and started tossing things in.
They packed up and headed back to the cabins. Clouds drifted in front of the moon, darkening their way. Brooke led with a single flashlight beam. Kyle and Ryan carried the cooler. The rest followed.
Marti stumbled on a root sticking out of the ground. “I can barely see. I’m going to break my neck out here.”
Adam caught her arm and held her upright as they fumbled their way along. “I’ve got you. I won’t let you get hurt.”
“Is that so?” she slurred in a sassy tone that made him smile.
Adam leaned close to her ear. “Promise.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and tucked her in close.
Back at the cabins, Haley hightailed it inside. Brooke and Justin flirted while the others went inside.
Adam and Marti stopped at a large oak tree anchored between the two cabins. Small solar lights illuminated the walkway.
“That was fun tonight.” She leaned against the tree.
“Sure was. I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow.” Adam wanted to kiss her again, but not in front of the others.
“So I guess I’ll see you at breakfast,” she said.
“Sounds good.” He smiled, looking forward to more time alone with her.
“Goodnight, AJ.” Marti pushed away from the tree and brushed her hand against his before she disappeared into her cabin.
Adam took a quick look around at his new surroundings, his home for the next couple weeks, and broke into a quick air guitar riff. Oh yeah!
Chapter 3
The clang of the wake-up bell woke Marti way too early the next morning. She squirmed further under the soft covers.
Snapshot (The Jamieson Collection) Page 3
