Ellen would, no doubt at some point, make some innocent comment like, “didn’t you two go to school together?”, then Hilly’s entire cloak of anonymity would be yanked off.

Maybe she could nip the potential problem in the bud by swearing Ellen to secrecy. She’d have to share some of her story—which she hated to do—but it probably would be the only way to see if Ellen would be amenable to keeping her secret.

Cisco was watching her closely as she thought things through, and she finally answered his question with a partial truth.

“I’ve had more than my share of run-ins with bossy men,” Hilly began, remembering that just this morning she’d had another dust-up with that pesky developer. “And this being my camp, I don’t have any wish to be mansplained to, or micromanaged on my own turf. And no offense, but you seem like a man who likes to be in charge.”

Cisco held up both hands as if in surrender. “Not a problem. I promise I won’t try to take over, nor will I go outside any boundaries you set up regarding my participation here. I’m completely at your mercy when I’m on site.”

Hilly quickly dismissed the erotic picture that conjured, but concentrated on the real meaning behind his declaration. And really? What more could Hilly ask for?

Ummm. One thing. A middle-school do-over. But that obviously couldn’t happen, and any current awkwardness between them now was all on her. Try as she might to dismiss it, Cisco’s presence reminded her of the pudgy, graceless kid she’d once been; worshipping him from afar and dreaming he’d be the knight in shining armor who’d one day keep her bullies at bay.

That hadn’t happened…except for a time or two that had seemed random.

Still, she’d survived.

Now she had to remember the confident woman she’d become, let the past go, and accept Cisco onto her camp team.

She sucked up a breath. “I owe you an apology,” she managed. “I’ve been judging you…unfairly. If it’s okay, I’d like to start over.”

She put on her brightest smile. Even though it was somewhat forced, there was part of it, down deep, that felt sincere, and maybe he’d recognize that. “Hi Cisco. I’m Hilly. I’m so glad you could help out this year at Camp Venture. I just know you’re going to be a wonderful addition to our curriculum.” She stuck out her hand.

Was that appreciation in Cisco’s eyes as he returned her smile and took her offered palm in a warm shake?

“Pleased to meet you, Hilly. I’m Cisco, and I look forward to spending time here and helping in any way I can to make a positive impact on your campers’ lives.”

He said it so sincerely, Hilly could do nothing but believe him. Even though, as a clueless young teen, he hadn’t saved her from all the bullies, it looked like he’d grown up with his heart and his head in the right place, ready to champion her fearful campers.

Hilly’s gut, however, was screaming “danger, danger”; that the man looking oh-so-fine in front of her, would upend all her hard-won nonchalance where the opposite sex was concerned. But that same roiling region of her belly was also doing excited flip-flops, knowing that she’d be seeing a lot of Cisco and his lusciousness over the next two months.

He interrupted her semi-inappropriate musings, which was a good thing.

“Now that I’m here, can I help you with anything? More set-up of any kind?” Cisco asked, looking around, and thank God, clueless to what she’d been thinking.

Nope. Not happening. Hilly needed at least a few days to come up with the bland face she’d have to don around Cisco. Having him up close and in her space this very afternoon wouldn’t give her any time to conjure a calm visage

“Thanks, but I⁠—”

A scrabbling noise and a fast-approaching blur brought her up short before she squealed and knelt down.

“Nel!” She opened her arms wide, and forty pounds of fur jumped into them, flattening her to her back while she laughed and hugged. “Hi, baby. Hi,” she repeated, rolling on the ground and scruffing her pup like it had been far more that two days since she’d last seen her. “Who’s a good girl? Mama missed you,” she crooned.

Once the licking and wagging had settled down, Hilly blinked up at her audience which had increased by one. “Papa-J. What are you doing here? I didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”

“Your Nel was becoming inconsolable,” he laughed, “and knowing you, I knew you’d almost be finished with your set-up and deliveries, so I decided to bring her early and put her out of her missing-Hilly-misery.”

Her stepfather, who was in construction and always helping her with projects around the camp, turned his smile toward Cisco and offered his hand. “Hi. I’m Hilly’s Dad, Jenson Duncan.”

“Nice to meet you, sir,” Cisco returned the greeting and the shake. “I’m Cisco Andera. I’ll be running self-defense courses here for Hilly’s campers. She was just giving me the tour.”

Looking up at the two men, Hilly wondered how rude it would be if she continued to lay there hugging her dog while appreciating the hell out of her step-father, and ogling Cisco’s tall form from below. With the sun positioned just behind the younger man’s head, his imposing silhouette made all her girly-parts clench.

“I’m sure you’ll be a great addition to her program,” Papa-J rejoindered. “Hilly works hard to make everything here, perfect.” Her dad eyed her amusedly where she lay. “Hey Munchkin, you want a hand up?” he asked.

Hilly rolled her eyes at his nickname for her, but before she could tell him she could find her own two feet, Cisco moved close.

“Allow me.” He sent a hand down to her, and not wanting to appear rude, she gave an internal sigh, and took it.

A nibble of something tingled between them, and by the look on Cisco’s face, he must have felt it too, but instead of either of them commenting on whatever it was—perhaps excusing it as a bug caught in-between their palms—he tugged her upright with ease, then cleared his throat, breaking the spell of whatever had bitten them both.

“So, this handsome girl is Nel?” Cisco asked, quickly letting Hilly go, hunching over to pat her dog.

Funny. If she didn’t know better, she’d say that the uber-confident officer was looking flustered as he scruffed Nel’s head.

“She is,” Hilly confirmed, using her prickling palm to brush the dirt off the back of her shorts while she regrouped. “She’s four years old. I got her as a rescue when she was one, and we’ve been almost inseparable ever since.”

“An Australian sheepdog?” Cisco continued to pat Nel, and the dog almost turned herself inside-out with pleasure.

Hilly eyes would be rolling back in her head, too, if those gorgeous fingers were on her, too.

Shit. What had Cisco asked? Oh yeah.

“Yup. She’s mostly that, but the rest? A blender-special. A little of this, a little of that. I sent her DNA off to see what exactly her concoction was, and it came back Australian shepherd, Border collie, and Kelpie. In other words, all the good stuff.”

“Sweet,” Cisco was getting a hand-lick, but that wasn’t unusual. Nel loved anyone who was friendly to her. “And she helps out around camp?”

“She does. Nel cut her teeth with me my first year here two seasons ago, and she’s proven to be invaluable. Not only does she tend to herd the kids who have a propensity to wander, she’s taken on the role of comfort-dog with a lot of our shyer campers.” Which was the truth. Nel tended to know, instinctively, who needed a little extra love.

“I’ve always wanted a dog,” Cisco added wistfully.

“No animals growing up?” Hilly asked, patting Nel’s rump while Cisco continued to commandeer her head.

“Nope. My mom has really bad asthma, so we couldn’t have any animal dander in the house.”

“But you no longer live with your mother, right?” Hilly asked, making an assumption. “Couldn’t you have a pet now, as an adult?”

Cisco shook his head a little sadly. “I live alone, and I work a lot of hours. I didn’t think it would be fair to have a dog who was inside by themselves for a lot of the day.”

“Makes sense,” Hilly’s Papa-J spoke up, reminding Hilly he was there. “You’ll just have to spend a lot of time with Nel while you’re here, Cisco.”

“If she’ll have me,” the man demurred.

Hilly laughed, for real this time as she looked at the silly, infatuated face her dog was giving Cisco. “Are you kidding me? She’s already smitten. I wouldn’t be surprised if she hitches a ride back to town with you on your bike.”

“Now that’s something I’d like to see,” Cisco chuckled. “One of those bike-riding dogs with goggles and a scarf?”

Nel’s nose suddenly went up in the air, no longer basking in the human attention. She sniffed several times, then took off like a shot into the woods.