But enough speculation. If he didn’t get them started on their food, she’d reiterate her previous excuse and decide to take off.

No way. He wasn’t having any of that.

“Let’s go out and eat.” He gestured to the back door leading to his deck. “What’s your soda of choice?” He turned back to the fridge and opened it up.

“Orange, please,” she said. “Unless you want that one. I got an assortment, but there’s only a single bottle of each flavor.”

“Nope. You bought cream soda, and that’s my favorite.” He snagged two bottles and walked back toward her, following behind as she went outside. Taking a chair opposite hers at his small, bistro table, he opened both sodas and placed the orange in front of her.

She thanked him, took the top off her salad, and poured on the packet of dressing that had come with it. She forked up her first bite, chewing thoughtfully. “So, you haven’t said how you’re actually feeling, and whether you think you’ll be up for coming out to camp in two days.”

Cisco grunted. His chest burned like a mother-fucker, and he’d downplayed that to her when she’d asked before. But if he wanted to make any inroads into furthering her trust with him, he needed to come clean. “I’ll admit, I’ve been better,” he huffed. “It’s not that terrible right now, but I foresee it itching and pulling like a bitch as it heals.”

“Which means we should put you off a few weeks,” she replied evenly, meeting his eyes with her compelling blue ones.

He didn’t want to wait that long to see her again.

“I have a better idea. How about I start my regularly scheduled hours on Tuesday, but instead of doing anything on the mats, myself, I set up situations between the kids while my body’s mending?”

“You think that’s safe? Letting them loose on each other while you’re not able to get physical?” Her upturned nose crinkled again, and Cisco found that he really liked the cute gesture. He was going to have to find other things to say that would have her making that move some more.

“Who says I can’t get a little physical?” He resisted the urge to wink at the would-be double entendre, but it took all his fortitude. “I’ll still be the one orchestrating. I just won’t be throwing my body around like I normally would.”

Was there a tell-tale blush on her cheeks again? Cisco couldn’t be sure. But the mention of getting physical seemed to have triggered some kind of response.

Awesome. Hilly was far from being as disinterested as she’d espoused.

“Well, if you think you can teach while you’re still under the weather…” She shrugged as Cisco took an appreciative bite of his sausage sub; making a yummy moan as the meat, onion, and pepper combination hit his tongue.

Her eyes widened and she seemed to choke a little on her salad, watching him in fascination.

Did he have drool on his face?

“What?” he asked. “It’s good.”

“Nothing.” She waved him off. “Nothing at all.”

But she seemed flustered, and he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. Had she just surreptitiously licked her lips?

Maybe she was one of those people who craved a sub, but got a salad instead because of some fucked-up body image shit.

Not on his watch.

“You want a bite of my sausage?” he questioned.

Hilly went into a paroxysm of coughing, reaching for her soda and taking a long pull to clear whatever bit of lettuce had gone down the wrong way. “No,” she rasped. “My salad is just fine, thanks.”

Cisco didn’t understand what had just happened, but to give her a break, he let it go and opened up another—hopefully neutral—topic of conversation.

“So, where’s your dog today?”

Hilly’s shoulders relaxed.

“Remember I said that there’s a pretty brunette at camp?”

“Mmm, hmm,” Cisco agreed as he took another bite.

“Well, Buffy is my best friend. She was also my college roommate, but instead of studying marketing and business like me, she got her degree and eventually her license to practice psychology, so she’s our new camp therapist this season.”

Hilly sounded more than pleased that her friend would be with her at camp for the entire summer.

“Sounds like the two of you will have fun,” he said, trying hard not to be jealous that he wouldn’t be her “bestie” on premise, which was ridiculous. He had no claim on Hilly.

“We sure will. And she’s the one taking care of Nel right now, although it’s no hardship for either of them. They love each other to pieces, having hung out together at my apartment and hers any number of times since she came into my life.”

“Your apartment?” Cisco countered, finding himself a little surprised. “You mean you don’t live at camp?”

Hilly laughed again, the sound becoming addicting. “Not year-round, no,” she snorted. “First of all, there’s no heat in my cabin, but even if there was, can you see me sequestered that far out of town for the entire winter with the kind of snow we get around here? Doesn’t it seem like it would be too reminiscent of The Shining; me using a snowcat to get to and from my remote location?” She shook her head. “I don’t think I’d be okay with Jack Nickleson showing up.”

Cisco grinned. “I love that movie, but I agree. Being trapped out there, alone or with Jack, wouldn’t be a smart move. So…your apartment? Why did I have the idea you might sometimes stay with your Mom and Dad.”

“Maybe because they’re local?” she pondered. “Papa-J and Mom have their own house just outside of Orono. I actually did live with them for a few years once I was out of college and working freelance jobs from home. But when I inherited the camp from my grandmother, I moved out.”

Cisco nodded. Hilly hadn’t mentioned that she might have also inherited money, but he got the idea that she had, and that’s what had allowed her to move out from under her parents and be more independent.

Good for Hilly.

“Why do you call your father, Papa-J?” he asked, continuing what he considered to be light conversation.

When her entire demeanor changed on a dime and her face slammed shut—just like back at camp when he’d asked her a family question—Cisco winced. What was it that had her closing up faster than a clam when he questioned her about certain aspects of her life? She’d obviously adored her father.

Had someone hurt her in the past?

Was Hilly in some kind of trouble?

Cisco didn’t like how one minute Hilly would be so open and smiling, and in the next, tortured and troubled.

Screw that.

Cisco made up his mind then and there to find out what the hell was going on with her to make her so conflicted.

And if she needed help, of any kind, he’d be there.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Hilly knew she should tell Cisco who she was; that she’d known him many years ago. But she was afraid. Afraid he’d remember her as the pathetic fat girl in middle school, and the appreciative light she believed she saw in his eyes when he looked at her now, would be snuffed out.

She gave an internal sigh. There would, no doubt, come a time over the summer where her past would come to light, but she was determined to hold onto anonymity for as long as she could, not spilling anytime soon when there was still the possibility she might continue to garner Cisco’s admiration.