Just Once (23 page)

I know Shane’s been…difficult…for the past several weeks, but he’s been better these last few days, and I can’t imagine him being a hypocrite. If he’s “blowing off steam” with me, why shouldn’t the guys have the same opportunity?

“I guess it’s none of my business,” I say, stepping off the porch and turning toward the lodge.

Brandon’s voice stops me, and I turn around. “Hey,” he says, too casually. “Who’s that new guy you hired?”

“Matt,” I answer. “We needed a worker and he showed up, so…”

He squints like the sun is too bright and adjusts his baseball hat on his forehead. “He doesn’t seem like he fits in here, does he?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. It’s only been a day. Everyone seems to like him.”

“Everyone?”

Maybe it’s mean, but I answer anyway, with emphasis. “Everyone.”

This time I succeed in walking away and hurry upstairs to my room where I switch into changeover-cleaning clothes—my rattiest, most bleach-stained jeans and an equally splotchy, formerly black tank top—and zip over to the kitchen. Alec and Mark leave out cold cereal for the staff on Sundays, and the remains of a loaf of bread sit by the toaster. I pop in two slices and pour myself a cup of coffee, staring out the window at the sunny morning while I wait.

The past few Sundays have been a stressful, unpleasant barrage of work. Changing over fifteen cabins is too much for four people, and while a few of the wranglers pitched in, helping us swap out towels and bed linens and running supplies, we were still barely able to finish in time. Today, however, I feel upbeat, optimistic, like everything will be okay.

“What was that?” a sharp voice demands.

I jump, hot coffee splashing over the rim of the mug and scalding my hand. “Ow! Shit!”

I turn to see Hailey standing just inside the door, hands on hips.

“What were you two talking about?” She jerks her chin toward the barn.

“I just burned myself,” I inform her. “Apologize.”

“Sorry.” She doesn’t sound sincere, but she does snatch an ice cube from the repaired ice maker and extend it like an olive branch. My hand hurts, so I accept it.

“He was telling me about Connor,” I say when she taps her toe impatiently. “And how Shane’s been rough on them all summer. Why? What’s got you so on edge?”

“Matt kissed me,” she says.

“What? When?”

“Last night. During all the dancing. He two-stepped me into the corner and kissed me. We’d only known each other for twelve hours!”

I stare at her. Her cheeks are flushed, but I’m not sure it’s righteous indignation that has her so worked up. “How was it?”

She covers her face with her hands. “Good.”

“Good-good?”

“Yeah. Good-good. Oh God. What am I thinking?”

“That you want to get laid, and Brandon’s not up to the job?”

A pause. “Yeah.”

“And Matt is?”

“But he just got here! And he turned up out of nowhere. And…and he’s not my type.”

“So—”

“Okay, fine, he is my type. He’s exactly my type. Add a couple more piercings and he’s my ex.”

“The one who dumped you at grad?”

“Yes.”

“Wait. Is this why you like Brandon? Because he’s so unlike your ex?”

“Because he’s not like Andy, because he’s incredibly beautiful, because…I don’t know. I do not know.” She fixes her gaze on me again. I’m still rubbing the rapidly melting ice cube on my pink hand, while simultaneously trying to eat a piece of toast. “So that’s all you two talked about? Connor and Shane?”

“And Matt.”

“Other men?”

“Okay, fine. I don’t want to make this harder on you. But he seemed jealous. Yesterday he saw you and Matt talking, and he looked jealous.”

Hailey covers her face with her hands. “I kissed him.”

“I know. You told me.”

“Not Matt. Brandon.”

“You told me that too.”

“No.
Again
.”

“When?”

“This morning.”

“What?” I’m starting to regret sleeping in.

“Despite my copious drinking last night, I woke up without a hang over. In fact, I had a million mega-bolts of energy zinging through me, so I decided to go for a run to burn some of it off. Then when I was coming back, who the hell did I pass on his morning run?”

“Brandon?”

“That’s right! It was just the two of us and nature, and I was sweating, and he said I looked so hot, and I was like, ‘What the fuck are you talking about?’ and he came really close, and I knew what he was going to do, and I knew what I should do, but I didn’t. I let him kiss me. And I liked it.”

My jaw is open. I have given up on eating the toast.

“This is not like me,” Hailey moans, staring at me desperately. “I’ve only been with two guys in my whole life: awful Andy and a rebound guy. I don’t know what I’m doing. For six years I thought I knew where everything was going, and now? Now I have no idea. How did ranch life get so complicated? It was supposed to be simple!”

“What are you going to do?”

“Beats me. I mean, odds are Brandon will stare right through me the next time we meet, acting like nothing happened, and I’ll be super strange and awkward around Matt, because if he actually likes me, I’ll feel like a monster for lusting after Brandon.”

“I don’t want to sound cold and mean,” I say, drying off my sore hand, “but don’t do anything to make Matt quit. We need him. Keep him happy.”

“What are you, a pimp?”

“Do whatever it takes,” I say seriously. “Nothing’s off limits.”

Hailey laughs. “You’re evil.”

A few minutes later we meet Pete, Lisa, and Matt in the laundry room and I hand out the changeover day cleaning assignments, purposely keeping Matt and Pete on one side of the ranch, Lisa and Hailey on the other, and myself in the middle.

“I’m going to inspect everything when we’re done,” I say. “So don’t cut corners or you’ll be back to clean them.”

“Aye-aye,” Pete says, saluting.

Lisa giggles, and I shake my head, following them out the door. Because the cabins form a semi-circle and I’m in the middle, I have the longest hike. Some guests love cabin eight for its seclusion, and others hate it for the same reason. There’s enough space between cabins that you can’t hear rowdy neighbors, but not so much that you don’t see them coming and going.

Fortunately for me, cabin eight housed a sweet elderly couple this week, and they haven’t left any nasty surprises. I strip the beds, collect the towels, and heft them back to the laundry room, tossing the dirty linens into a machine before gathering up new ones.

I’m about to make the return trip when I hear Mary’s voice coming from the kitchen. “…recently renovated…” she’s saying. “Totally modern, new wiring, equipped for everything.”

“Dining room seats eighty and holds twice as many…great acoustics…” This is from Hank.

Suspicious—and, fine, nosy—I set down the clean sheets and creep around to the kitchen entrance just in time to see Hank and Mary lead a couple into the dining room. Like the strangers from yesterday, these two are dressed in fancy suits.

I peek through the crack in the door and try to hear more, but they’re already halfway down the hall toward the offices and are soon out of earshot. If these people are guests, they’re about seven hours early. And I’ve never seen guests get a personal tour of the kitchen before. I don’t know what Hank and Mary are up to—and maybe it’s none of my business—but I can’t shake the feeling that despite their perplexingly chipper demeanor, something is not right.

Chapter Fourteen

T
WO
H
OURS
L
ATER
I’ve kicked Pete out of Lisa’s cabin, twice, and am putting the finishing touches on cabin eight. I’m in the bedroom, making sure I’ve crossed everything off my checklist, when I hear the door swing open and heavy footsteps cross the room. I’ve been fielding mostly work-related (and a few Hailey-related) questions from Matt all morning and anticipate another one.

“Shoes!” I call. “Take them off. I just vacuumed!”

There’s a pause, a rustling noise, then a well-used black work boot sails past me to crash into the wall. I jump and find Shane standing in the doorway, one booted foot, one socked.

“What the hell?” I demand, scrubbing off the scuff mark with a rag.

“Sorry about this morning,” he says, leaning against the doorjamb.

“It’s fine.” I toss back the boot. I’m in the far corner of the room and he’s near the foot of the bed, blocking the exit. Given our extracurricular activities—and his willingness to take off a boot—I’m pretty sure I know what he’s here for. Just like I know I don’t have time for any distractions.

“You heard about Connor?” he asks.

“Yeah. Brandon told me. How is he?”

“He’ll be fine.”

I pause, not sure if I should inquire further, but can’t bite my tongue. “And after the hospital?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, were you…did you…”

Shane arches that brow.

“Well, rumor has it you’re really tough on the guys. I’m just wondering if you were…mean…to Connor.”

“Mean?” He’s mocking me.

I square my shoulders. “Yes. Mean.”

“Me?”

“Shane.”

“Mm-hmm?”

“If you’re not going to answer my question, I really have to get back to work. I have two more cabins to clean and barely enough time to finish.”

“I wasn’t
mean
, Kate.”

“Okay. Good. Glad to hear it.” I push past him out the door. He could refuse to budge if he wanted to, but after some effort—and more than a little friction—he lets me by.

“You’re sure you’re not mad about this morning?” he asks.

“Yes, I’m sure. You had an emergency. No big deal. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. It won’t happen again.”

Shane hasn’t made a move to put his boot back on. I watch him out the corner of my eye as I collect my array of cleaning products and stuff them back in the basket.

“I don’t care that you fell asleep.”

“Well, I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I had to get back to the lodge unnoticed this morning!”

“Did anyone see you?”

“Just Brandon. But he thought I was coming, not going.”

“If only he’d stopped by earlier.”

I’m not easily embarrassed, but my cheeks flush red. “
Shane
.”

“What?”

I’m so not getting into this right now. “I have a lot of work to do. What are you doing here?”

“I just got back from town with Connor. So after I kissed him on the forehead and put him to bed—”

“Ha ha.”

“I thought I’d find you before I had to get back to work.”

“Well, you found me, but I’m very busy.”

“You’re sure you’re not pissed?”

“I’m definitely not.”

“Because you’re acting that way.”

“I’m just busy! Plus, you threw a shoe at me.”

“Not at you. Past you.”

“Because you missed.”

“I never miss.”

I turn to pick up a fallen rag and next thing I know, a boot hits me in the ass. I whip around, jaw dropped in disbelief, and stare at the boot on the floor at my feet. “You did
not
just do that.”

Shane smiles, daring me to do…something.

I pick up the boot, march to the door, and hurl it outside. “You need to leave,” I say. “Go get your boot.”

He glances at his watch. “I have three hours before I leave to pick up the guests. Take off your clothes.”

Again, my mouth opens in shock. “You can’t be serious.”

Shane keeps his eyes on mine as he reaches down to unlace his boot.

I hold up a hand. “If you throw that at me, you’ll regret it.”

“I regret leaving this morning,” he says, stepping out of his boot. “I regret having Brandon pound on my door at five o’clock telling me I needed to drive Connor to town. What I do
not
regret is finding you alone in a cabin without your cleaning posse around to interfere.”

“Shane…” I say in weak protest. “I don’t have time for this. I have so much to do.”

He comes forward, unbuckling his belt. “I’ll help you,” he promises.

“You’ll help me clean cabins?”

“Yes.”

I press a hand against his chest to prevent him from coming any closer, biting my lip when I feel the heat from his skin through his shirt. But back to business. I’ve had plenty of experience bartering in foreign countries with merchants more devious than Shane. I need help, and if he’s offering, I’m accepting. “Fine,” I say.

“Fine?”