by Cora Seton
“Of course I do,” Avery said. “Sometimes it gets a little old being the only single one around here.”
“What’s the deal with you and Walker?” Eve had been curious since she got here.
“Ugh. Go ask him. Anyway, there’s a New Year’s Eve bash in town we’re all going to. You can come along and dance the night away with Anders.”
New Year’s Eve. A big bash. Eve tried to picture it. Could she arrange things to expose Hansen Oil there—in front of the whole town? That would sure grab headlines. It would take an awful lot of planning—and a lot of guts, too. Her heart quailed at the thought of disrupting an evening like that and upending everyone’s lives here at Base Camp, including Avery’s. She had been so kind.
She was here to do a job, though, she told herself firmly, turning her back so Avery could help her with her gown. She had to follow through with it one way or another.
Later that night, back in the bathroom after everyone else had turned in, she checked her phone.
Clem’s right; Anders doesn’t exist before he’s 18, Melissa had texted.
Are you sure?
I’ll keep looking.
I think I know when and where to call out Hansen Oil, Eve texted back. More tomorrow when I’ve had a chance to think it through.
Looking forward to hearing your plan. Night.
Night.
Sleep didn’t come easy that night. Avery had asked her to stay until New Year’s, and she didn’t think Anders would object—or Clem, as long as she kept kissing Anders—but things were about to get complicated. She’d quizzed Avery about the show’s schedule and had learned that Christmas Eve would mark the end of one week of filming. Avery had explained that behind the scenes, crew members compiled the show’s footage as they went, and episodes aired quickly, part of Fulsom’s plan to make the show seem immediate to the viewers. This week’s footage would make up next Friday night’s show. New Year’s Eve was three days later, when she planned to spill what she knew about Hansen Oil. Her boss watched Base Camp regularly; it was fodder for water cooler chitchat at AltaVista. As soon as he saw her on next week’s episode, he’d guess what she was doing. He knew all about her past working for NGOs. Knew she was a sucker for environmental causes. Knew she thought he should have blown the whistle on Hansen. He could put two and two together.
Would he tell Johannes Hansen? Would Hansen believe him? What would happen next? She could only hope that three days was too short a time for anyone to come after her. Of course, even if she ran and hid the moment she did her big reveal, it would be a week before the episode was aired. A week for Johannes Hansen to come after Clem, Renata—and Fulsom—to try to stop them.
Would Clem include her in the episode? Would Fulsom back him up?
There was no way to know.
Then there was the question of Anders’s mystery childhood. Under cover of her sleeping bag, she did some internet searches and found Melissa was right; there was no trace of Anders Olsen on the internet until he was eighteen. Then came proof that he’d joined the Navy and received several commendations during his service. Most of the entries on him were from Base Camp, most of them fawning fan messages that left her cringing.
When she heard someone turning over in their sleeping bag across the room, her thoughts shifted to the way Anders had kissed her tonight. The way he was making his interest known.
She could fall for him, she admitted to herself.
Maybe she’d fallen for him already.
Did he have something to hide?
She supposed that put them on equal footing.
She finally fell asleep and had some hot and heavy dreams about Anders. When she woke, she was thick-headed and flushed with thwarted passion. She wished she could get him alone, but the bunkhouse was already full of men and women passing through on their way to do their chores or wait for breakfast.
Eve liked the communal meals, but she wasn’t sorry not to be in charge of cooking for a crowd like that. That had never been her thing. Kai and Addison managed it quite well, even though she knew Base Camp had been robbed of many of its stored vegetables a few months earlier.
“We’re doing okay for now,” Kai told her when she asked about the problem during one of her first passes through his food line. “It’s next month I’m really worried about. We’re going to be heavy on meat and dairy, and light on veggies and fruit by then. Not ideal, but there are worse things that could happen.”
Eve had been impressed with his can-do attitude, but then everyone here was like that.
She hurried to find Avery to help her dress in her Regency clothes. After a quick breakfast, she presented herself to Anders.
“I want to help with your chores.”
It was time to get to know Anders better. Those three days between when next week’s episode aired and when she outed Hansen Oil at the New Year’s bash were going to be critical, and she needed to figure out what would happen if Hansen came after her. Could she count on Anders to help? Or would he push her out of Base Camp?
“I’d be glad to have your help,” Anders said. “Dress warm. It’s cold out there today.”
As far as Eve was concerned, it was cold out there every day, but she’d spent a lot of time in unfamiliar climates and figured she was tough enough to deal with it. They were trailed outside by a small camera crew, par for the course around here. That was good, she told herself. More chances to make herself an integral part of the show. At the barn they met up with Avery and Walker. Eve had finally put it together that Avery had been neglecting her chores to keep her company—or maybe out of trouble—in the mornings. There was no reason for that. She would be glad to learn more about the bison and other critters the three of them managed. Glad to spend more time with Anders, too.
“The bison don’t need much tending,” Anders explained. “We make sure they’re all accounted for and that none of the animals have gotten sick or injured, but mostly they take care of themselves. One of us rides out each morning just to check. Want to come along?”
“On a horse?” She wasn’t sure about that.
“Don’t you ride?”
“Not since I was eight.” She’d taken lessons for two years, then gotten involved in swim club at the local pool, before softball and track had taken over her life.
“It’s like riding a bike. You won’t have forgotten.”
“I can’t ride in this.” She plucked at her gown.
Anders’s face fell. “No, I suppose not.” He glanced at the sun. “Time’s passing. I’d better get to it. Why don’t you wear pants tomorrow and we’ll try it then.”
“You can help me with the goats and chickens in the meantime,” Avery told her.
Eve glanced at Walker, who had just lifted a saddle down. Evidently, he’d ride with Anders this morning, and no one would get any time alone with the person they were lusting after. Avery didn’t seem to expect anything else, and Eve remembered their prior conversation.
“Walker, what’s up with you and Avery?” she asked.
She didn’t think she’d ever seen the big man stumble before, either in person or on the show. He set the saddle down awkwardly on a sawhorse as the camera crew swiveled to get his reaction and considered her for a long moment before nodding at Avery. “Ask her.”
Avery threw her arms up in the air and stalked out of the barn.
Eve quickly followed her. “Sorry,” she said when she caught up. “I shouldn’t have pried into your affairs.”
“I’m not sorry. Did you see him? He nearly tripped over his own feet. That was worth it if nothing else.”
“So… what is up with you two?”
“Oh, my God, stop it!” Avery stalked on toward another outbuilding. “Walker’s got some stupid obligation he needs to sort out. He won’t tell me anything more than that. When I get pissed off, he asks me to wait. That’s what he says. ‘Wait.’ It’s driving me crazy.”
“But you’re waiting,” Eve pointed out.
“What el
se can I do? That… man… I don’t know. He’s got me. Right here.” She put a hand over her heart. “If I don’t end up with him, I think I’ll just die. I’m not even the melodramatic type, but—okay, fine. I am the melodramatic type. But still, can you blame me?”
“No.” Anyone could see Avery’s desire for Walker. Given her own budding, impractical, impossible infatuation with Anders, she couldn’t blame Avery for anything. At least Avery had a chance of a happy ending. Although—
Eve stumbled herself, seeing the future with sudden clarity. She was going to bring a nightmare down on all these people if she tried to expose Hansen Oil on air. If she pulled it off and showed the whole world the way Hansen Oil was poisoning North Run’s water supply, the company would surely retaliate against Base Camp, and these people were already struggling to pursue their dream. They were low on food stores, and every forty days someone had to marry. Then there was the requirement for babies.
Heat washed through her. Why on earth was she thinking about the requirement for babies?
She’d never thought of it before.
Another lie, she admitted to herself. In her most private fantasies about meeting and marrying Anders, she had thought of it.
Someday she wanted a family.
“Eve? You okay?”
“No.” Heck, she hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “I mean—”
Avery nodded sympathetically. “You had no idea what you were getting into when you landed here, did you?”
She was so wrong—and so right. “I don’t think this is going to work,” she admitted. “And… I want it to.”
“Why can’t it work?”
Eve wasn’t sure how to talk about it without exposing herself. “Have you ever had to choose between your own happiness—and what’s right?”
Avery nodded slowly. “Sort of. Coming here was a big risk. Riley, Nora, Savannah and I had no idea what would happen when we decided to sell everything and take six months to give our dream careers a whirl. We could have ended up broke, homeless, jobless—but it worked out.” She waved a hand to encompass Base Camp and the manor. “In ways I never could have dreamed of. Maybe you have to have a little faith.”
“Maybe.”
Avery studied her. “When you’re ready to talk about it—whatever it is—I’m here. And I’m willing to help.”
Eve felt a rush of gratitude. “You’re a really good friend.” She had a feeling Avery would want to help her take down Hansen Oil if they’d met anywhere else, which made her feel even worse about keeping the information from her.
“I hope so.” Avery smiled a little wryly. “It seems to be my job around here: befriending single women who get swept up into Base Camp’s insanity. Then they marry, and I have to start all over again.”
“Whether or not I marry, you and I will stay friends,” Eve said. Impulsively, she reached out and hugged Avery. “It’s all going to work out in the end with you and Walker.”
“God, I hope so. Here are the goats.” She led the way to a little pen.
Eve allowed Avery to change the subject and helped her tend the funny animals. They checked their enclosure to make sure it hadn’t been compromised, made sure they had enough food. Avery told her they were all female, most of them pregnant. “We keep the billy goat separate. He’s a troublemaker.”
They tended the billy goat, too. Moved on to the chickens, where they gathered eggs in a basket and fed them scraps from the kitchen.
“They eat anything,” Avery said. “They’d eat us if they could figure out how to do it. They look innocent, but they’re not.”
Eve knew what she meant; she’d already been pecked. Twice.
“Have you decided to stay? At least until New Year’s?” Avery asked as they made their way back to the barn.
It looked like Anders and Walker were back, too, just dismounting near the stables.
Eve found her footsteps speeding up to meet them.
“Yes. At least until New Year’s.” Which meant she needed to contact Kevin and extend her vacation—without tipping him off to what she planned to do.
Chapter Eight
‡
“Get her a ring,” Greg said later that morning. “Time’s passing, man. Get on with the main event.”
“It’s way too soon to propose,” Anders told him. They were in the bunkhouse waiting for lunch. Anders wasn’t sure where Eve was. She’d said something about meeting up with Renata.
“Maybe, but Christmas is coming fast. How can you not propose on Christmas?”
Anders knew what he meant; it would certainly be a romantic gesture, but it was far too soon. He needed to handle this right or he’d lose her in an instant, which meant he needed to come up with something else to give her as a Christmas present. Something that didn’t presume too much but said enough about what he felt for her.
“Give her a bit of this,” Clem said from behind the cameramen who were capturing this conversation. He clutched his groin with one hand and thrust his hips suggestively. “It’s what she came here for,” he taunted Anders. “She wants some celebrity ass. Your ass.”
Anders ignored him, although as far as he was concerned, Eve could have his ass—and the rest of him—any time she wanted.
“I don’t know. Some other kind of jewelry?” Greg suggested. “Clothing? Books?”
“Books,” Clem jeered.
“What’s wrong with books?” Riley said, passing by them. “I like books.”
“Eve doesn’t want books. She wants your co—”
“Watch your mouth,” Anders snapped at Clem.
“Ask Renata what to give her,” Greg suggested. “Those two spend a lot of time together. Maybe she’ll know.”
“Better ask quick, while she’s still here.” Clem smirked.
Anders stilled. Was Clem supposed to replace Renata altogether? He met Greg’s gaze. The other man shook his head.
“Is Renata leaving soon?” Anders asked, keeping his voice even.
“If she doesn’t get her act together. Fulsom wants spectacular. Renata hasn’t been delivering.” Clem spotted Curtis and Hope entering the bunkhouse. “Let’s go torture the newlyweds,” he said to the cameramen.
“Be back in a minute,” Anders told Greg.
He slipped out of the bunkhouse and spotted Renata with Eve trudging toward him from the direction of the manor. Anders hurried to meet them. “Renata? Can I talk to you a minute? See you in the bunkhouse,” he added to Eve.
Eve nodded and kept going. He’d been afraid she’d be curious, but she seemed lost in her own thoughts. He wondered what those thoughts were.
“What’s up?” Renata asked sharply. “I’m hungry, so make it fast.”
Anders waited until Eve was too far away to overhear them. “I need to get something for Eve for Christmas. Thought you might have an idea.”
“You’re not getting her a ring?”
“I don’t think we’re quite there yet. I want to be ready when we are, so I’ll get a ring soon, but I don’t want to blow it by proposing too early.”
Renata opened her mouth to deliver what looked to be a snappy answer, then closed it again. Thought a moment.
“I actually do have an idea,” she said wryly. She pulled out her phone and tapped on it a moment. “She’d be interested in one of these.” She held up the phone, and Anders moved to see the screen more clearly.
“A video camera? Why doesn’t she use her phone if she wants to get footage of something?”
“Now that she’s had a taste for a real video camera, a cell phone isn’t going to cut it. This will do the trick. For now.” Renata pocketed her phone again and started walking.
Anders came after her. “If I order one, it won’t get here on time.”
“I can get you one—today. We keep extra equipment on hand. You pay me for the replacement, and you can have it. I’ll order a new one for us.”
He stopped in his tracks, then sped up to catch her. “You’d do that?”
�
�Why not?”
Because she’d never done anything for him before. He didn’t say that, though. Instead, he found himself telling her about what Clem had said in the bunkhouse.
“I’d watch your back if I were you,” he finished. “And figure out how you can get better footage than he’s getting. Sounds like Fulsom is looking for a reason to can you.”
He didn’t think he’d ever seen Renata truly upset before. Angry, yes, but not… shaken. She stood rigid, her mouth set in a thin line.
“I guess he is. I knew that, but there’s knowing and… knowing.”
Anders watched her worriedly. “None of us wants Clem to replace you. How can we help?”
She lifted her hands helplessly. “Get me better footage, I guess.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Meanwhile, it was time to get that ring. He wasn’t under any illusions that Eve was ready to commit to him, but they’d definitely made progress.
An hour later, he opened the door to Thayer’s Jewelers and made his way inside. The small store boasted a variety of glassed-in cases. In one corner was an office, where Mia Matheson ran her event-planning service.
Rose Johnson, wife of Cab, the sheriff, presided over the rest of the store. He knew she was the artist who’d created the beautiful landscape paintings that hung gallery-style over one wall. Anders stopped to look at them, his gaze arrested by one that depicted a ranch at sunrise, the silhouette of a bison far in the distance.
“That’s Alice.” Rose smiled. “Hannah Matheson rescued her a few years back. Now she and her husband raise a herd of them.”