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right, you’re not mad and you’re not swimming. What are you doing?”
    “Reading.”
    He made a face. “Don’t you get enough of that in school? I sure do.”
    “I love to read.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “Especially poetry.”
    “Roses are red, violets are blue—” he began.
    She interrupted. “Real poetry.”
    He looked thoughtful, then said, “I think Megan’s cute, don’t you?” He flashed her another grin. “That’s poetry.”
    She had to laugh. Eric’s style
was
disarming. “Do you always charm your way into people’s lives?”
    “Naw, sometimes I barge right in uninvited.” He gazed at her with half-closed eyes, as if sizing her up. “I’ve been thinking, why don’t you and I go for a moonlight ride in one of the canoes some night?”
    Canoeing was the alternate activity for the campers who couldn’t go swimming for various medical reasons. Meg had paddled a girl around the lake in a canoe just the day before. Still, Eric’s offer caught her off guard. “You want to take
me?”
    “Yes, you. What’s so strange about that?”
    “Nothing, I guess.”
    “Then you’ll go?”
    “Um—sure.”
    He sat straight up. “Terrific. So how about tomorrow night?”
    She ran through her obligations mentally. She was supposed to take her girls to Lacey’s cabin for board games, but she was certain Lacey could handle twelve girls on her own. “All right,” she told Eric. “Tomorrow will be fine if it’s all right with Lacey.”
    “Cool. Why don’t I meet you down here about eight-thirty? I’ll have the canoe ready to go.”
    “You’re sure you won’t tip the canoe over and drown me, now?” she joked.
    “Not in my game plan,” he said with a wink. “I like to think I’m not that klutzy.” He sprang to his feet. “Got to run right now. Almost snack time for the hordes.”
    Meg watched him lope away, feeling pretty good about herself. It had been easy to say yes to Eric. Why couldn’t she be that way with Morgan? What was it about him that made her heart beat faster and her tongue tie in knots whenever she was around him? It didn’t make sense to her.
    Chelsea dropped to her knees on the blanket and began to towel dry her hair. “I saw you talking to Eric.”
    “He just came over to say hi.”
    Chelsea sighed and sat back on her haunches. “I’d give anything if he’d stop long enough to say hi to me.”
    Meg started. “You would?”
    “I think he’s so cute.”
    Meg just nodded. She thought it best not to mention her upcoming canoe ride with him. She knew what it felt like to long for somebody to notice you and never to have him even so much as look yourway. It hurt, and she wouldn’t hurt Chelsea’s feelings for anything in the world. Certainly not for Eric Lawrence. He was nice to her, but he didn’t make her pulse flutter and her heart beat faster. No way.

SEVEN

    M eg met Eric on the shore of the lake the next evening. In the failing light, the water was the color of pale emeralds and smooth as silk. A canoe had been pulled up out of the water onto the damp ground.
    “You made it,” he said, looking pleased.
    “No problems at all,” she said. “I told Lacey I’d do double duty for her whenever she wanted it.” When Meg had asked Lacey if she could step out for the evening, Lacey hadn’t peppered her with questions. It was understood that counselors needed some “alone” time because of the intensity of their job.
    “Your yacht awaits,” Eric joked, shoving the canoe into the water and helping her into her seat. Meg looked at Eric’s broad shoulders as they started paddling across the smooth lake.
    A whippoorwill called out, and two snow-white herons lifted gracefully off the bank when the canoe glided near. Tree branches dipped low over the water, brushing the surface with lazy, leafy fingers. Tree frogs began their evening symphonies, fireflies dotted the shoreline, and overhead, stars winked on.
    “It certainly is peaceful out here.” Meg