Disclaimer: I don't (but I really, really wish I was the genius behind it!) own Hamtaro. Out.

Author's Note: Well, this one isn't the best one I've written, but the idea popped into my head and I just worked with it. Haha. It's just been sooooo terribly long since I've updated pretty much everything, so I worked tirelessly all weekend since I had a snow day to add new installments to all of my in-progress works. Really hope you all still like it! Thank you so much for still reading even though this thing is so long and it's been nearly a year since I last wrote for this!

Chapter 45- Old Love, New Like

Boss sprayed on some cologne half-heartedly. It was the very same he had on his last night with Josie. He should have thrown it out by now, or gone to the store and bought a different kind today, but he had to lead his and Howdy's group to the river to go canoing, help Pashmina take hers on a hike, and cook lunch because one of the chefs was ill.

He still should have squeezed in the time, though. He had promised himself that summer and all the summers before since their falling out that he would let go of her, yet it never seemed to completely happen. Part of his heart (a large portion, actually) would always love her. Even if all he had left was a few old photos and that bottle of cologne he'd worn on their final date, their last few hours together.

A lump began to form in Boss' throat as he thought of that evening.

Josie.

How sexy she'd looked in his old button-up shirt. He felt his heart sink at how this cologne would no longer belong to that last night with her, but rather a first night with Brittany.

The young man sighed. Of course Brittany was a lovely girl, but the connection between she and him seemed rather shallow. The only thing they had in common was that they both were two very lonely souls who needed each other's companionship. It wouldn't last, he knew. This was just something to get him through the says and over the heartache of losing Josie.

Josie.

Ah, he should have asked her to marry him, but he didn't. They were too young back then anyway. But, maybe it would have given them a reason to stay with each other… Keep her near…

Boss finished this thought when he finished combing out his jet black hair and promptly walked out the door. His footsteps were almost as loud as the slamming screen door with their heaviness. He wanted to run back to it and lay in his bunk, but he had an obligation. He left the camp the shortest way he could. Everywhere he went in this place had something that reminded him of her, some bittersweet memory, and he couldn't bear to remember anything like that that evening.

When he had finally left the campgrounds, he took his time to get to the plaza down the road because he figured she would get lost on the way , being a fellow non-native. To his surprise though, a rental car pulled into the parking lot at the same time he walked up the hill to the expanse of asphalt by the strip of buildings. When he looked closely enough, he could see a brunette lady driving with very big sunglasses which covered nearly half of her somber face and behind her, a giddy redhead he identified right away as Brittany, hopping around in the back seat.

She stepped half-way out of the car when it came to a stop and waved him over.

"Boss! Come on! Let's go have some fun!" the girl yelled. "You can sit with me in the back!" she added.

Her cutesy smile was almost too happy and Boss' mouth mimicked it varyingly as to not make hers fade away. He slowly walked over to the other side of the car and opened the door, sliding in next to the petite redhead. All the while the woman in the front kept facing straight ahead.

"Hi," Boss said shyly, clearing his throat.

"Hey!" the girl replied and the car started up again without hesitation.

The woman in the front never once turned around to greet him or say anything. Now that he was nearer, Boss could see she had dark red stripes in her hair and at her tips as well. He thought it was definitely interesting. Something told him he knew her, but by the looks of it, he'd never seen this person before. His thoughts were broken by a small tap on his wrist by the girl next to him.

Brittany giggled at seeing his startled face and said: "Boss, before we go, I would like to introduce you to our chauffeur for the evening, my captain… Josie Myrede."

Josie...