It Starts With Summer: An M/M Summer Camp Romance: Camp Eagle Ridge, #2

By Ezra Dao

Working at Camp Eagle Ridge was amazing until my asshole ex showed up.

Parker

Camp Eagle Ridge is my safe space. It's where I first came out as gay, where I met my best friend, where I found home when there was no longer a home to return to. But this year, everything has changed. My best friend has a better job offer, the staff is full of people I don't even recognize. I'm getting too old for summer camp. And the worst part of all? My ex—the closeted athlete who refused to make our relationship official—is in our cabin and won't explain why. Dare I dream that he's here to chase me, to win me back?

But when Ravi, my nerdy new co-counselor confronts me about my troublesome crush on Sutton, it's him I can't stop thinking about. His gorgeous body, his dimples, and the way he studies everything in the most intense, detailed way—including me.

 

Ravi

Coming to this camp was the biggest mistake of my life. Everyone is so effortlessly cool, so comfortable in the great outdoors. It's the sort of place where I'll never fit in. No one has a proper appreciation for the value of checklists and spreadsheets. And to make matters worse, Parker, my co-counselor is a cheerful golden retriever of a man who is the exact opposite of everything I look for in a friend. He's perpetually disorganized, ridiculously impulsive, and never, ever on time.

But I can't stop staring at him. And when I let Parker do something very sexy with his pretty mouth, my orderly world spirals out of control. Now I'm driven by lust, bad decisions, and the dawning realization that I might not be quite as straight as I always thought I was.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ezra Dao
• Release date: Feb 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224604296

Book preview

It Starts With Summer

Ezra Dao

Copyright ©2024 by Ezra dao

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Find the author at https://ezradaoauthor.com/

Contents

1.Parker

2.Parker

3.Ravi

4.Parker

5.Ravi

6.Ravi

7.Parker

8.Ravi

9.Parker

10.Parker

11.Ravi

12.Parker

13.Ravi

14.Parker

15.Parker

16.Ravi

17.Ravi

18.Parker

19.Parker

20.Ravi

21.Parker

22.Ravi

23.Parker

24.Ravi

25.Parker

26.Parker

27.Ravi

28.Epilogue - Parker

Also by Ezra Dao

one

Parker

Camp Eagle Ridge was my favorite place on Earth. It was the place where I’d found myself, where I’d made friendships that lasted a lifetime, where I’d first come out as gay. And it was the place that had welcomed me with open arms during my darkest times.

But was there something magical about the camp — about the beautiful lake and scenic Cascade Mountain backdrop? Or was it the people that made the camp so special?

Standing in the circular grassy field outside the lodge, I started to doubt the magic of Eagle Ridge for the first time since I was twelve years old. It felt off, wrong. And I didn’t see a single person I recognized. I scanned the crowd of counselors and staff milling around, wondering if, at 22, I had aged out of being a camp counselor. My friends had moved on to bigger and better things, but I hadn’t.

And my heart ached a little as I thought about the group of counselors I’d worked with last year.

My gaze locked on to a familiar face in the crowd. Not exactly a friend, though. Matt Blackstone, the camp director, was an idol to me, and even, at one time, a crush. He’d changed my goddamn life when I was a pimply, sexually confused twelve-year-old. Matt had a way of finding me the people I needed and inserting them into my life, and that included my best friend, Aiden.

Right now, Matt was talking to a tallish, slightly nerdy-looking South Asian guy who I didn’t recognize. The stranger wore a pair of pristine dark wash jeans, rolled up at the cuffs, and a plain, light gray t-shirt. His thick, black hair was tucked under a forest green beanie, and there was a pair of dark-framed glasses perched on his nose and two enormous suitcases at his feet. His eyes darted around as Matt spoke.

Matt, on the other hand, was cheerful and gregarious; the sort of mountain man lumbersexual you expect to see wandering around the Pacific Northwest forest. I wasn’t sure Matt owned any shirts that weren’t flannel, unless you counted the beard pun t-shirts he wore under the flannels. Today’s said, I mustache you a question.

Matty! I yelled, and Matt glanced up and saw me, a broad smile spreading across his face. I threw myself into the hug he offered with a little too much enthusiasm, if the grunt he made when my chest hit his was any indication. But sometimes I needed a cuddle, and Matt was a mentor to me. He scooped me up in his thickly muscled arms and gave me a hard, welcoming hug.

Hey, Parker! Matt said, squeezing me close for a moment before stepping back and clapping me on the shoulder in the way that straight guys did. Fantastic to see you back at camp.

Sorry for the crazy hug. I’m realizing coming to Camp Eagle Ridge might not be the same without Aiden and Jay, and panic is setting in.

Matt shook his head, looking around. What? You’ll do fine without them. Everyone loves you, Parker. It always feels like this at the beginning of the session.

When you told Aiden to be my best friend when we were middle schoolers, I bet you didn’t expect us to become quite this attached to each other.

I didn’t tell Aiden to become your best friend, Matt said, cocking his head to the side as if searching for the memory. You two clicked.

Matty, I was standing right there. You were like, 'Aiden, those kids are bullying the gay kid. You know karate, right? Be his best friend.'

His eyes crinkled at the corners and his eyebrows raised in amusement as a laugh burst from him. I'd had a crush on Matt for a few years in my teens — he was a handsome bastard, if a bit of a hippie. That’s not how I remember it. Anyway, you’ll find new friends. We have a lot of new counselors this year, and a few guys who were campers last year. I expect you to take on a leadership role.

Yes, sir, I said with a mock salute.

I put my little brother in your cabin again, since you two got along well last time. He's around here somewhere. I bet he was in the middle of a chapter and read right through the bells.

I smiled as I thought of Ben, who was a decent guy, but always had his nose buried in a book. At least some things never change.

Matt grinned. Since you’re both experienced, I paired each of you up with one of the newbies. Matt turned to the guy he’d been talking to before I walked up. This is perfect timing, because I was talking to your new co-counselor in the Raven cabin, Ravi Chandra. Ravi, this is Parker Layton, the guy I was telling you about. You two will work together all summer.

Ravi was taller than me, with a lean build. I raised my hand in a greeting, but he quickly looked away, avoiding making eye contact with either of us. He shifted on the balls of his feet, looking uncomfortable. I stuck out a hand for a handshake.

Hey, I'm Parker.

Ravi stared at my hand as if it were a confusing foreign object and, after an awkward moment, I let my hand drop again.

Matt ignored the failed handshake and turned to Ravi. Ravi, trust Parker to show you around. He’s been coming to Eagle Ridge since he was twelve, and graduated to camp counselor when he turned 18. He spun back to me, making eye contact. Parker, Ravi hasn’t been to a summer camp before, so I'm trusting you to help him get settled in.

Never? What kind of person has never been to summer camp before? Camp had been such a big part of my life that it was inconceivable to me.

Some people can’t afford it, which you well know. Matt shot me a look. He knew I’d been a scholarship kid. Anyway, Ravi came with a sparkling letter of recommendation from Aiden, so I'm sure it'll be fine.

I studied Ravi. Aiden had met a new group of geeky but friendly people with his recent change of major, and I hadn't met a lot of them. Ravi, with his neatly pressed khakis and crisp white button-down shirt, didn’t exactly scream ‘outdoorsy’ to me, but I could see him fitting in with a group of biology majors.

Hi, he said, looking a little flustered. Sorry, I should have shaken your hand.

I chuckled. No worries. It's nice to meet you.

Likewise. Ravi gave me a small smile. His eyes darted around nervously. This place seems interesting.

Matt cleared his throat. Well, I’ll leave you two to bond. I need to talk to some of the other new counselors. He clapped me on the back. Parker, I’m thrilled to see you, as always. And Ravi, welcome to Eagle Ridge!

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Ravi and me to stare awkwardly at each other. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my shorts and stared down at my feet. Then his feet. I frowned, tilting my head. Those hiking boots look brand new.

Top of the line, Ravi said, lifting the edge of his jeans and showing me his boots. I did extensive research and found these to be the best.

You need to break them in before we do any long hikes, okay? It’ll help prevent blisters.

Well, the manufacturer said specifically that these won’t need to be broken in, Ravi said. But thank you for your advice.

I blinked at him, not entirely believing the manufacturer’s promise. Alright, well. I suppose I’ll show you around? Have you seen much of the camp?

No. I just arrived. Ravi reached for the handle of his two suitcases, which were enormous and had wheels. I only had enough time to talk to Matt.

All right, I said. Let’s drop our bags by our cabin and take a walk.

He narrowed his eyes at me. Are you trying to trick me into breaking in my boots?

Nah, never. Why would I do that? I winked at him, and he somehow managed to look even crankier. Our cabin was a short walk from the green where we'd run into Matt, though it was made longer by Ravi's two suitcases. I wondered what he even had in it — I traveled with a backpack and an efficiently packed duffel, but I didn't have much stuff. Ben and our other roommate weren't around when we got to the cabin, which was basic but clean, the same one I'd stayed in the year before. There were two bunk beds, a small sitting area with a couch that had seen better days, and a door that led to a bathroom.

We’ll be looking after twelve middle school-aged boys. They arrive two days’ time. Camp is quiet now, but it changes a lot once the kids get here… so enjoy the peace while you can. We won’t have more of it until the session break in three weeks.

I have a big family. I'm accustomed to noise. Ravi was staring up at a towering, red-barked ponderosa pine as he spoke, and tripped on a root, barely catching himself before face-planting on the trail. I barely held back a laugh.

As I unlocked the cabin and surveyed the familiar space, I thought of all the fun pranks and adventures from last year. Even the light, musty scent of the old wood structure made memories come rushing back.

What do we do until campers arrive? Ravi asked.

We need to clean and set up our cabin, plus set up the Raven cabin. We’ll make welcome messages and make the beds in the campers' cabin today and tomorrow. I’ll show you the ropes.

Ravi was staring down at the dusty dresser. He swallowed. I’m not sure I brought enough Lysol wipes.

This is summer camp! There’s going to be some dirt.

I threw my duffel on a bottom bunk, the same one I'd slept on the summer before. Ravi stared at the beds for a long moment. There was a pile of books on the top bunk of the bed across the room — surely Ben's, since I knew I was rooming with him again. The bottom bunk that Ben had claimed was still empty, and I could see Ravi weighing his options before taking the bed above mine, carefully unpacking a pillow and comforter from one of his bags and arranging them on top of the scratchy summer camp blanket. Feeling restless, I paced to the door, then turned back to Ravi.

He was cleaning the inside of the dresser drawers with a disinfecting wipe.

Hey man, it’s a beautiful day. Let me show you around camp.

Um… He eyed the bed, then his container of disinfecting wipes. Shouldn’t we get settled in?

We’ll be here all summer — plenty of time to get settled in. Don’t you want to get the lay of the land?

He pushed his glasses up on his nose, eying the cabin as if it might jump out and attack him at any moment. The lay of the land.

Yeah, I mean, you know Aiden, right? He’s my best friend. I was hoping like hell Aiden recommended this guy for a good reason, because right now, he seemed a little odd.

Ravi nodded. He recently started in the same biology program I’m in.

Fantastic! So you go to Stanford too? I’m a psychology major. Anyway, I'm sure you've heard how incredible this place is. It'd be worthwhile to see all the sights, not spend all day indoors. He did not look convinced, and I was considering going for a walk without him. You should know where all the buildings are, in case there’s an emergency.

Ravi hesitated, looking longingly at his second bag. I’d have bet my entire camp salary that everything inside was neatly folded and organized by color. But after a moment, he nodded. Okay. I can unpack later. Show me what to do in an emergency.

I completely forgot about the emergency thing the moment we got outside. Ravi didn’t talk much as we walked, and I let the conversation fall off, going first to the beautiful Eagle Lake, my favorite part of camp. A dense pine forest surrounded the high mountain lake and a sandy beach and boat dock sat on the east side, facing camp. To the west, the dramatic snow-capped peaks of the cascades rose behind the trees, reflecting in the clear waters.

I took a deep breath, taking in the familiar beauty. When I glanced at Ravi, he was staring down at a weed on the ground, frowning. Weird. I kept the conversation to a minimum as I turned and showed him the activity area, which included an arts and crafts cabin and an archery range. I pointed out the historic lodge, which held the dining hall, and the shower building, then led him down the path to the Raven Cabin.

How do you know Aiden? I asked.

We’ve been working together on a research project in conservation ecology this past year. Ravi’s voice was calm and measured, and I could tell he took his studies seriously. My focus is plant biology, and he’s interested in conservation biology, so we’ve been studying invasive plant species. He thought spending some time here might give me a better understanding of the impact of the invasive species we’ve been studying.

Ah. I wasn’t entirely sure what to say to that.

It’s fascinating stuff. Ravi paused for a moment. I already spotted some reed canary grass down by the lake.

Is that bad?

It's a non-native species and is a threat to wetlands. So I'll get to investigate it in person, and perhaps even help Matt find a solution. He cleared his throat, visibly calming his excited demeanor. Sorry, I will try to restrain myself from lecturing you. I’ve been told I have that tendency. Aiden told me to try not to info-dump at camp.

I smiled at the thought of my friend. I'm sure Aiden meant well, but I don’t mind the occasional lecture. By the way, how much experience do you have in the outdoors?

Ravi shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans, kicking at the dirt for a moment before answering. I hope you’re not angry, but truthfully, I enjoy nature more in theory than in practice. My focus is on the study of plants, but I haven’t spent much time in nature itself.

What? How? I couldn’t imagine a childhood that wasn’t full of hikes and adventures in the wilderness.

He shrugged. I grew up in San Francisco. In the city. I’ve been to the parks around the bay, and we lived close to the San Francisco botanical gardens. That’s where I became fascinated with plants. But my parents didn’t have money for vacations until recently, so we rarely traveled, and never to wilderness areas, only to visit family in India.

This might be a problem, but I rubbed my hands together and smiled at him, determined to make the best of it. There’s nothing quite like being immersed in the great outdoors, surrounded by the beauty of nature. You’ll love it, I promise.

Let’s hope so. Ravi adjusted his glasses once more. His expression was cautious, but not closed off to the idea.

Trust me, I assured him as we reached our sleeping cabin. This summer is going to be one you’ll never forget.

Is that a good thing? he asked, tilting his head.

two

Parker

Ipushed open the door to the counselors’ cabin and immediately spotted my co-counselor from last summer. Ben set down his book and smiled, his eyes darting to the other man in the room. As my eyes adjusted to the dimmer light in the cabin, I froze, my heart stopping.

Ravi was following me and he crashed into my back. I tripped, flying forward, until Ravi somehow caught me, setting me back on my feet, his hands firm and reassuring for a beat before he let me go and walked over to his suitcase. I would have thanked him had I not been in a state of shock.

Because standing across from me was the guy who’d shattered my heart into a million pieces only five weeks ago: Sutton Holm. And Sutton was staring at me, his steel-gray eyes wide. He looked stunned to see me. Was he faking it? I narrowed my eyes, not sure.

Parker? Sutton laughed nervously, glancing from me to Ben, as if Ben could confirm something.

Why are you here? I blurted, not able to connect the dots. Was this a ploy to win me back?

Sutton scratched the back of his head, a blush rising to his cheeks. Small world, huh? Who’d have thought two Stanford students would run into each other at some Podunk summer camp in the middle of nowhere?

Technically, I go to Stanford, too, Ravi interjected.

I widened my eyes at Ben, who frowned. Podunk summer camp. I repeated, shock turning me into an idiot. You can’t be here. This is my camp.

Sutton laughed, rolling his eyes. You can’t own a goddamn summer camp, Parker.

Ben made a weird snorting sound, then started laughing.

What? Sutton asked.

My parents own the camp, Ben said. So yes, you can own a camp. It’s a business. But Parker doesn’t own it.

That’s not what I meant, dork, Sutton grumped.

Ben shot him a hard stare, his jaw setting. I knew from experience that you didn’t want to see that expression on Ben’s face. He