“No. And don’t bring it up again.”
I couldn’t handle this. If they were making plans to be alone, I wasn’t sure if it was better to know or pretend it wasn’t happening.
Manning tensed in his seat. “Is that the guy from the fair?” he asked.
Tiffany and I followed his line of sight to Corbin Swenson, who looked as tall and swoony as ever in a sweatshirt, jeans, and skate shoes. Corbin walked toward us, his hood pulled over his head, hands shoved in the hoodie’s front pocket.
“Corbin!” Gary said. “You made it.”
Corbin opened his arms. “You wanted a baseball all-star, here I am.”
“I didn’t know you’d be here,” Tiffany said. “You weren’t at any of the meetings.”
“Lake knew.” Corbin winked at me, and Tiffany and Manning looked over.
“I asked him to drive up for a day to play some ball tomorrow,” Gary said.
“Maybe teach these boys a few things,” Corbin added.
“What’s wrong with just throwing the ball around?” Manning asked.
“Nothing.” Corbin shrugged as he and Manning locked eyes. “But when you have access to an all-star, might as well take advantage. I came here as a kid. Same as Lake.”
It was a weird sensation to hear a Swenson say my name at all, but to have him do it in front of everyone made me giddy.
“So proud of you, man,” Gary said. “Take a seat.”
Corbin grabbed two chairs, and everyone but Manning scooted to open the circle for him. Maybe because of that, Corbin set both seats down on the other side of Manning. “Looks like you could use one of your own,” he said to me, since Tiffany and I were sharing.
“I’m fine where I am,” Tiffany replied, putting her hand on Manning’s knee.
“I was talking to Lake,” Corbin said.
With all eyes on me, including Manning’s burning stare, I went to sit between Manning and Corbin.
Corbin took his hood down, ruffling a hand through his honey-colored hair. “How’s your summer been?” he asked.
“Fine.” Nobody spoke. I had the distinct feeling they were all listening to our conversation. “Keeping busy.”
“’Course you are. Every time I see you, you’re reading or with friends, or,” he clucked his tongue, “eating cotton candy.”
Oh, God. Corbin Swenson was flirting with me, and all I wanted to do was check to see if Manning was watching. Was he maybe just a little jealous? “You make it sound like I just screw around all day.”
“Don’t you?” he asked. “It’s summer.”
“No. My dad doesn’t let me. That’s why I was reading at the beach. For school.”
“Ahh.” He sat back in his seat, crossing an ankle over his knee. “Charles, right? That’s your dad? My old man works with him.”
“I know.”
“So you’re not screwing around here?”
“No. This is for my college apps. Just don’t tell my dad I enjoy it.”
We smiled at each other.
“I sense a love connection,” Gary said, waggling his eyebrows at me. He sat forward. “But listen, you two—”
“Leave that stuff at home,” everyone recited and before erupting in laughter.
“All right, all right,” Gary said. “I just expect you guys to set a good example for the kids. No alcohol, no sex.”
“Unless you’re the one having it?” Tiffany teased.
More giggling.
“You’re all a bunch of degenerates,” Gary said. He stood and stretched. “I need my beauty rest. Remember—Reflection is at seven tomorrow morning and not a minute later. Last cabin to show gets dining hall cleanup duty.”
Hannah and I exchanged looks. “It won’t be us.”
Corbin got up, too, and gently touched my shoulder. “I’ll be right back. I’ve got a few questions for Gary about tomorrow. Don’t go.”
I just nodded, watching him walk away.
“I’m bored,” Tiffany said.
“There’s a deck of cards,” Manning said. “We could play a game.”
“With alcohol?”
“Christ, Tiffany. I already told you no.”
“I said I was bored, not fifty. I don’t want to play cards.”
“You don’t have to.” Manning nodded at a group of counselors across the hall. “You know any of them?”
“No.”
“Why don’t you go introduce yourself? Part of this experience is meeting new people.”
“Because, I’d rather do other things, like . . .” Tiffany inched her chair closer to him and whispered in his ear.
Manning kept his eyes on the floor. “We can’t.”
“Why not?”
“You know why.” His eyes shifted to my feet but stayed down as he stammered, “We’re not . . . and I promised your mom.”
“She isn’t here.” She tugged on his arm. “Can we go for a walk?”
He blew out a sigh. “I’ll make you a deal. You go over and say hi, make some small talk, and then we can go for a walk.”
She rolled her eyes but stood. “Okay, fine. Will you come with me?”