The Lewis Cousins: the complete series

Chapter Three ~ Gabe

Chapter Three ~ Gabe

I fell behind the group as we made our way back to the cabins. Jasmine was talking Zoey’s ear off as they trailed after Reardon and Dillon, who were chatting and laughing as they led the pack.

I’d been surprised when Reardon invited Zoey to stay the week with us, rather than allowing her to head into town. We’d always had a strict policy about bringing dates with us to camp – we didn’t do it. This was the only time we got to be away from our hectic lives and enjoy catching up, and we’d all agreed that until we met the people we wanted to marry, we’d enjoy our time together solo.

Not that having Zoey around would be a hardship. She wasn’t classically beautiful, her face was a little too long, her mouth a little too wide, and the way she kept muttering under her breath and talking to herself made her come off a little zany, but somehow, it all worked for her. And when we’d touched … Bam, I’d felt the sizzle of chemistry run through me.

I usually had a hands-off rule about anyone involved with the camp. Being an ex-pro ballplayer, and the owner of the camp, I’d had plenty of counselors, and mothers, make a play over the years. I wasn’t naïve enough to think their advances had anything to do with me, or the man that I was; all they were worried about was status and dollar signs.

In the past, I’d had no problem taking women up on their offers and showing them a good time, but I didn’t want anything like that touching my camp. This place meant a great deal to me, and I wasn’t going to do anything that would take away from what I was trying to do with the kids.

Technically, however, camp wasn’t in session until next week. And Zoey didn’t seem to have any idea who I was, which was a nice bonus for someone who lived the bulk of their adult life in the spotlight.

I wasn’t sure if anything would happen between us or not, but I needed to have a talk with my cousins and let them know that she was off-limits. We had that spark, and I’d felt a flash of jealousy when I’d seen her laughing with Dillon, so I needed to lay it out in a way that they’d understand.

Besides … I saw her first.

“Do you want to put Zoey in with Serena and I?” Jasmine asked when we got to the cabin she and our cousin always shared, preferring to be together.

I noticed a flash of concern pass over Zoey’s face, and figured she’d been hoping to have a spot to herself, so that she could get her work done. Assuming she wouldn’t want to chance hurting Jasmine’s feelings, I decided to save her by answering, “No, she can have number five. She mentioned needing to get some stuff done, and would probably have a better chance of that without dealing with yours and Serena’s all-night gossip sessions.” I turned to her and felt my chest tighten at her answering smile. “If that’s all right with you…”

“That would be perfect, thanks,” she responded in that sexy, throaty voice, then turned to Jasmine and added, “But I’d love to hang out when I’m not working.”

“Sounds good,” Jasmine responded, not offended in the least. “I can drive you back to your car so that you can bring it over here and get yourself unpacked.”

“Perfect.”

I watched the women walk off toward Dillon’s SUV, then drive away.

“How does it feel, living a charmed life?”

I turned my head toward Dillon and c****d an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“Only you, Mr. NFL, MVP, Super Bowl Champion, turned upstanding citizen with a camp for teens, would have a woman like that stumble across your path.”

I felt the grin take over my face.

“Just lucky I guess…”

“My ass,” Dillon grumbled good-naturedly. “I’m going to spend the rest of the week scanning the woods, hoping for a buxom blonde to come trampling out.”

“She’s here for her nephew,” I explained. “Got her weeks mixed up.”

“That’s what Rear said,” he replied, following me around back to the grill. “You gonna make a play, or what?”

I pulled the cover off and crouched down to turn the gas on, then straightened and looked into his green eyes.

“I’m taking it into consideration, and I’d appreciate if both you and Reardon kept things on a strictly friendly level.”

“Yeah, I kinda figured that when you nearly shot daggers out of your eyes when I did nothing more than introduce myself to the woman,” he said with a chuckle.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I replied, although I was pretty sure he was accurate on that account. “You want to start on the potatoes while I season the meat?”

“I can do that.”

“I was also hoping I could talk you into making your beans. I think I remembered everything for them.”

“Anything else? An amuse bouche perhaps?” Dillon asked sarcastically.

“Nah, I think we’ll go a little more rustic tonight, but thanks,” I replied with a chuckle, then asked. “Where’d Reardon disappear to?”

“He said he had to check in with the office real quick.”

“Well tell him work is off-limits, and to get his ass out here and help if he wants to eat.”

“Aye, aye, captain.”