by Nina West
I feel my face turn bright red.
“Oh, you thought people wouldn’t find out about that?” Tillie laughs. “Darlin’, there are no secrets within these walls.”
I’m guessing that’s not entirely true, because if they knew what was going on within the walls of Cabin One, Tillie would flat-out say it. But still... this is what Connor meant when he said I was above the law. Oh my God! Do they know that Katie gave me a Brazilian wax?
I turn to gaze out the window at the peaceful water and empty dock, taking a moment to let my face cool. I’m going to murder Katie if she told people!
Clearing my voice, I offer, “I didn’t get off with nothing. I got written up.”
“Did you get put on a boat and shipped off after spending a pile of money on a plane ticket to get here?”
Point taken. It isn’t fair that I got off, and the only reason I got off is because I’m sleeping with Henry. This is why Tillie’s not entirely friendly with me today. I guess I can’t blame her.
“So, is someone actually staying here?” Bell asks, fussing with the eyelet lace on the duvet.
I offer her a smile, a silent thanks for changing the topic. “No. It’s all for the media this weekend. They want to see the history behind Wolf Cove and why Mr. Wolf chose this location to build the hotel.”
“There are a lot of them comin’ in. Talk about a dog and pony show. I guess with William and Scott Wolf coming in, too, it’s only expected.”
“What do you know about Scott Wolf, anyway?” I ask, faking mild curiosity. If anyone knows anything, it’ll be the queen of gossip, Tillie.
“Oh, he’s a real piece of work. Has a major Henry Wolf complex. He’s older than Henry and yet his baby brother gets all the love. Rumor has it Scott lost his everlovin’ mind when their father told them that Henry would be takin’ over the hotel chain. I guess he’d rather have that than the gold mine and thinks he should have first dibs. Spoiled brat, if you ask me.”
Bell snorts. “Wow.”
“Wonder why their father is handing it over. I saw him earlier. He doesn’t look very old.”
“Who knows. Doesn’t want the headache, maybe?”
So Tillie doesn’t know about the cancer. The only reason for that would be that they’ve kept it secret.
And yet Henry divulged it to me.
Tillie straightens the end table, eyeballing it against the other one. She’s suddenly more chipper, which usually happens when she’s dishing out gossip. “Either way, Scott has not taken it well. He owns a stake just like his brother, and I hear he’s been fighting against Wolf Cove the entire time. Probably out of spite because his brother inherited all the land. Then again, I also heard that the strife is more about Scott’s wife than it is about any mine or hotel.”
“Scott’s married?”
“Was. She’s an ex now, and apparently Henry helped with that, if you know what I mean.” She waggles her eyebrows.
Ugh. Please tell me that’s wrong.
Tillie grabs the bucket of cleaning supplies, her sinewy arm flexing under the weight. “Come on. I think we’re done up here.”
I trail her down the rustic stairs—the steps made from logs split in half—that overlook the grand room, doing my best to push away the uncomfortable conversation from upstairs. The crackling fire in the massive stone hearth helps.
“So? What do you think, boss?” Connor asks, stooped over to shift the burning log with an antique iron poker, his back muscles shifting beneath his t-shirt.
I think that, though I was drunk and it was dark the first night I met him, the weeks of outdoor work in Alaska have honed his body even more. But I don’t say that. “It looks like it’s actually usable.” Everything is clean, the wood polished, the furniture rearranged. Once they close the windows that have been sitting open all day to air it out, and let the fire warm the place, it’ll be cozy.
“Yeah?” Connor’s eyes dip down to my blouse. “Here, you should come by the fire and warm yourself. You look cold.”
Only five minutes after my last embarrassing moment, I find my cheeks flushing again. I cross my arms over my chest, silently cursing the lack of any padding in this bra. Had I thought ahead, I would have run back and changed, or at least grabbed a sweater. Thankfully I found a safety pin to secure my shirt, so I’m not flashing anyone anymore.
I wander over to stand next to him, holding my hands in front of the flame, because I am cold and I do need to warm myself up.
“We’re done here, Connor,” Tillie calls out. “Let’s wrap it up.”
“Yeah, well, you’re gonna have to wait. Paige asked me to burn a fire for a few minutes. She wanted to give it that freshly used look and smell.” He turns back to the fire. “We’ve got two trucks here. You and Bell go ahead with Ronan. I’ll drive Abbi back with me.”
Tillie’s eyes narrow for just a moment before a wide smile stretches across her beautiful face. “No, that’s okay. I can stick around for a bit. Abbi’s the one who’s starving, right, Abbi?” There’s something decidedly insincere in her manner, something disingenuous behind those eyes.
“It’s okay. I can wait. I’m supposed to leave with the last crew,” I explain. “Mr. Wolf’s orders.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want to anger Mr. Wolf. Connor, can you help me get these things into the truck?”
“Ronan’s out there.”
With a glare and a small huff, she spins on her heels and heads out the door. She’s obviously pissed about something.
Connor seems oblivious or unfazed. To me, he says, “Pretty amazing, don’t you think? It’s kind of cool that the old man built—”
My work phone chirps with a text. It’s an instant reaction, lifting the phone to my face. It’s also incredibly rude. I smile an apology to Connor as I read the text from Henry:
Take the morning off and meet Belinda in the lobby at 11. She’ll prep you.
I frown. Of all days to give me the morning off, I would think it wouldn’t be on the day of the grand opening. I quickly type out a response:
Are you sure? It’s going to be really busy. I can be there early to help.
I’ll be tied up with my father and Scott all morning.
Ugh. I think I’m okay with not facing either of them again, especially after today’s introductions.
K.
I hesitate, but then I quickly punch out:
Do you want to review the schedule one more time, tonight? I know you’re stressed about it J
On second thought, I erase the smiley face before sending. That screams “code for sex” if someone were to read this.
I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow, Abbi.
My shoulders sag with frustration at his refusal. I really wanted to see him tonight. But then I remind myself that he’s been with his father and Scott all night. I don’t blame him for not being in the mood.
“Trouble in paradise?” Connor asks, earning my wide eyes of panic.
“What are you talking about?”
He shrugs. “Just that look on your face. You look disappointed about something.”
“It’s nothing. I’m just... I can’t seem to do anything right,” I lie.
“Yeah. I’ve heard that about him.”
Man, does Henry have a bad rep. How much worse is it going to get if people hear about Kiera’s claims?
A horn blasts several times outside, followed by Tillie’s, “Come on! We’re waiting!”
Suddenly, I’m exhausted. Today has been a long day. Tomorrow is going to be even longer. “We should get going. I think this looks plenty used for Paige.” I push the glass door shut and pull the lever to close off the chimney, cutting off the air circulation and effectively smothering the fire.
“Where’d you learn how to do that?” Connor eyes me curiously.
“Years of fires in the wood-burning stove at my family’s farmhouse.”
He stands taller, looming over me. “Damn, I sure do like a woman who knows how to handle a fire.”
Af
ter an afternoon of overt flirting, I’m somewhat more comfortable around Connor. Enough to joke with him, at least. “Well, I just put your fire out for you.”
Deep dimples mark his cheeks as he laughs. “You heading back to the staff lodge for dinner? I heard you were starving.”
“Actually, I think I’m more tired than I am hungry. I need a good night’s sleep.” Something I haven’t done since the day I stepped foot in Wolf Cove.
We hit all the lights and lock up—in case of who out here in the wild, I don’t know—and head out the back door to find both trucks rumbling.
Ronan is waiting on the stoop. “Tillie’s waiting for you, C. And you’re coming with me and Bell. We’ll have to come back in the morning to drop some plywood down over the mud for people to get across.” I hold my breath as Ronan scoops me up without warning, carrying me across the thick mud to the flatbed truck in much the same way Connor did earlier. I’m forced to settle my hands on his firm, broad shoulders to keep myself upright.
“See you back at home!” Tillie calls out in that sweet drawl, already sitting in Connor’s truck.
As luck would have it, I’m in the middle again, only the interior of the flatbed is much less comfortable and narrower. There’s a giant gearshift jutting up from the floor that I can’t really avoid straddling.
“It’s so dark,” Bell whispers from the passenger side as we move slowly along the laneway. “Do you think there’s bears and stuff out here?”
Ronan reaches over to shift gears with his big, work-worn hand. Even without touching me, the simple motion somehow feels sexual, the gear sliding closer toward me. “Bears, wolves, cougars.” Bell slams her hand over the pop-up lock, earning Ronan’s deep laughter. “Don’t worry. Nothing’s going to get us in here.”
I bite my tongue against the urge to tell them about the grizzly bear we saw. That would mean telling them that I was out with Henry cutting firewood, and there’s enough gossip around here, clearly.
I breathe a sigh of relief as we turn onto the main dirt road, a road built to truck wood to and from the clearing site. I can’t even fathom how all this property is Henry’s. I’m sure part of the tension between him and his brother has to do with his grandparents leaving this all to him. If I were Scott, I can’t say I wouldn’t harbor at least a bit of resentment.
Then again, he was handed a gold mine to run. He’s not exactly hard done by.
We turn right onto the main road, toward the hotel. I expect to see the headlights that have been trailing us all this time come into view in the rearview mirror appear again. When they don’t, I look over my shoulder to find the truck sitting idly, the distance between us growing. I frown. “Something’s wrong. You should turn around.”
“Nah. They’re fine. They’ll catch up with us in bit.” There’s just enough light in the truck to allow me to catch the sly grin on Ronan’s face as he peers down at me, his gaze flickering to my mouth.
And it clicks.
Tillie’s sleeping with Connor.
And he’s been blatantly flirting with me all afternoon. No wonder she’s been so pissy. My head falls back against the rear window and I chuckle at myself for not seeing it sooner. “Oh...”
“You’re quick, red.” Ronan changes gears again, his fingers doing a split-second graze along the inside of my knee on his way past.
It could easily have been an accident, but something about Ronan tells me it wasn’t.
Chapter Seven
It takes me a few moments to recognize the scent of Katie’s spicy floral perfume.
And another few moments to realize that she’s lying in my bed, next to me.
“Do you think I should talk to him about her?” she hisses, and I’m hit with a wave of alcohol off her breath.
I groan, reaching for my phone to check the time. It’s 2:00 a.m. “What?”
“About Rachel. She’s still in Homer. She hasn’t been able to get a flight out yet, so she’s just been touring around. When’s the next time she’s going to be in Alaska, right? But what if she manages to get a flight home tomorrow? So I was thinking, if I go to Mr. Wolf and ask him really nicely, and promise that nothing like this will ever happen, would he change his mind?”
I groan, finally clueing in. “I doubt it.”
Her body tenses next to me.
“I’m sorry, Katie. But he can be a real asshole, you know that.” He can also be very, very generous and giving, but in ways I never want anyone to experience. Anyone except me.
“I know. I was just thinking...” She burrows into my side. “What if you asked?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. I should have been fired too, but he didn’t fire me because of you. So maybe he’ll listen to you if you ask.”
I sigh. “I don’t know, Katie.”
“Please? Can you just try?” Her voice has taken on that really whiny tone. She must be really drunk. “I can’t imagine the entire summer here without Rachel.”
Just like I couldn’t imagine the summer here without Henry. But... I drop my voice to a whisper in case someone isn’t wearing their earplugs. “She slept with someone else, Katie. She cheated on you. Don’t you care?” I’m not sure how many people know about Rachel and Katie, besides me. And Henry, because I told him. And I only know because I saw them firsthand and, well, they’re definitely together.
“What? No.” Katie laughs. “Oh, you’re so adorable and innocent. I know it doesn’t make much sense to you. We’re best friends first, and Rachel likes guys as much as girls, so I’m not going to tell her she can’t be with them. That’ll never work. She’ll end up miserable and I don’t want that. So we’re open about things.”
Open? “So you mean you’re okay with her messing around on you?” People actually make those kinds of arrangements?
“We don’t look at it like that. We’re just enjoying life and our bodies while we’re young and we can, you know?”
Not really, but I’m learning quickly.
“So, can you please just try?”
I sigh. Firing Rachel was definitely a big mar on Henry’s reputation with his staff. “I’ll ask him tomorrow.”
She gasps. “Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You’re the best!” Before I know what’s happening, her mouth is planted on mine in a hard kiss, the taste of alcohol lingering on her lips.
Pushing her off with an embarrassed chuckle, I warn her, “I can’t promise anything, so don’t get your hopes up.”
“Too late! They’re up!”
She’s about to roll away when I grab her. “Hey, did you tell anyone about the other day? About giving me a you-know-what?”
“No? I don’t think so?” A pause, and though it’s dark, I picture her pretty face scrunched up in thought. “Well, I may have mentioned it when I was trying to convince Darian from over in cabin eight to do hers, because have you seen her in the shower? It’s nowhere as wild as yours was but it definitely could use some tidying. Why?”
I sigh. No, I didn’t notice Darian from over in cabin eight, but I don’t have the obsession with ripping hair from bodies that Katie does. “No reason. Just something Tillie said.”
She snorts out loud. “Tillie’s got lots to say. So... how does it look?”
I hesitate, but then remind myself that there’s no point in being modest around Katie. “Good. I guess?”
“Ha! Told you so. We’ll have to buy a kit in Homer and do it here next time, so we don’t get into trouble with the boss again.”
“Yay. Can’t wait,” I mutter, though I have to admit I am happy that we went through with it, given how acquainted Henry has gotten with that part of me.
She rolls away and stumbles from my bed—the bottom bunk in a cabin of three sets—and into hers.
And now I’m wide awake, with the taste of liquor coating my lips, staring at the bottom of the bunk on top of me where Autumn snores softly. I learned her secret to undisturbed sleeping: a face mask and earplugs. Apparently everyone around here sleeps with plugs an
d face masks. Everyone except me.
Not that either of those would help with my spinning thoughts.
What is Henry doing right now?
Sleeping, I’m sure. I wish I were lying next to him in bed. But that will never happen, not as long as I’m working for him here.
I sigh. How am I even going to broach this subject with him? And tomorrow, when he’s already got so much on his plate. I could lie and tell Katie that I asked about Rachel and he said no, but I’d rather know that I genuinely tried.
If I can just get him alone for fifteen minutes, I could make sure he’s in a really good mood before asking.
Turning onto my side, I close my eyes and let myself drift off with a smile of anticipation.
~ ~ ~
I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Maybe it’s because my relationship—both work and otherwise—with Henry has been pretty clear-cut so far: Henry says “jump” and I say “how high?” It’s not the other way around: me, asking him for things. Me, telling him what I want. Outside of the bedroom, that is. Though, even in the bedroom, he’s pretty demanding.
After an hour of staring at my phone, contemplating my best strategy, I remind myself that while, yes, he’s intimidating and we’ve barely scratched the surface of knowing each other, in some respects I probably know him better than anyone else here. With a deep breath, I open up a text thread to him.
I have a very important but quick question. Can I come by?
I close my eyes and set my phone on my chest, my heart rate speeding up as I wait.
I jump at the vibration a minute later.
Not a good time.
My stomach sinks. He must be wrapped up with work. Or maybe he thinks “I have a question” is code for sex? Swallowing my unease, I try again.
Seriously. Just a question. It’s important, and brief. I promise.