Beneath the Palisade

by Joel Skelton

  “Holy shit! Who’s that from?” Ian flew into the office. On the edge of the front desk was a gargantuan floral arrangement.

  Alex held up his finger, indicating he’d be a minute. “Your card number, please? Let me repeat that back to you.”

  The morning was out of control. This was the fourth reservation he’d taken, and it wasn’t even nine yet. Was it all because of the article? An earlier caller had mentioned a glowing review in the travel section of a Twin Cities magazine. The caller had offered to send it to him via e-mail. He’d tell Ian about it when he got off the phone.

  “Okay, well, that’s all I need. We’ll look for you on the twenty-seventh. If you have any questions, give us a call. Thanks again for choosing the Palisade Beach Cabins.”

  “You sound great on the phone, Alex. Keep up the good work. This, this is one of the most incredible arrangements I’ve ever seen. Oh wait, I missed the card.”

  “It’s from Andy and Emmett. Someone woke me up this morning with it.” Alex stapled a receipt to a piece of paper from the printer. “They’re friends of Andy’s who are headed up the shore for a few days. It’s so cool. The guy told me Emmett made it. He’s been selling them at the garden center.”

  “Who were they? Did they say?”

  “Yeah, but I forgot. Sorry, it’s been crazy here.”

  “Dear Ian, Harper, and Alex,” Ian read aloud. “Sorry Em and I can’t be there with you knuckleheads on this very important weekend. We wish you the greatest success, and as soon as the season slows down, we’ll be back up to see you. All our love, Em and Andy.” Ian replaced the card in the arrangement. “Looks like Emmett has a real talent for arranging. Wow!”

  “Ian, come here and look at this. It’s an article on the cabins. A lady told me about it this morning when I made her reservation. She e-mailed it to us. Take a look at the guy in the picture.”

  Ian walked behind the desk and looked over Alex’s shoulder. “It’s the older guy we put in Cabin 4, the week we soft opened. He’s a travel writer.” Alex moved over to the side so Ian could see the entire article.

  “It is that guy. Did you read what he wrote?”

  “Not all of it. I’ve been on the phone nonstop.”

  You can imagine my surprise when I turned off the busy highway and drove toward the lake. Nestled right up against the dramatic backdrop of the palisade on the North Shore of Lake Superior, you’ll find the Palisade Beach Cabins. Nothing too out of the ordinary here, the cabins are updated, comfortable, and spotless. What’s so wonderfully magical about this place is the gardens, speckled in and amongst the towering pines and birch. Co-owner Ian Burke, of Burke Landscaping, is the culprit. He and his partner, Harper Callahan (yes, he’s that attorney), have restored these little gems that date back to the 50s in marvelous fashion. If you’re looking to get out of the city this summer, I strongly encourage you to check this place out. Burke, Callahan, and their friendly staff will ensure your visit is perfect in every way. PS: Make sure you ask for the complimentary s’more kits. A sweet treat to compliment a sweet stay.

  Ian stepped away from the computer. “Who knew? That’s awesome! What’s his name… Leonard Milling. Leonard is our new best friend. I can’t wait to tell Harper. Where is he, by the way?”

  “He stopped in earlier for a second, but I was on the—” Alex smiled over at the ringing phone. “Palisade Beach Cabins, can I help you? Oh hi, Audrey. Hmm, not sure. Ian’s right here, let me ask him. Now that the rain is out of the forecast, Audrey wants to know if we still want Bud to drop off the tent.”

  “Tell her yes, if it’s not too much trouble. I’m sure we’ll find a use for it somewhere.” Ian was back to admiring Em’s floral work.

  “He said yes, if it’s not too much trouble. Okay, yep. Yep, sure. Thanks, Audrey. We’ll see you then. Bye.” Alex made a note on the legal pad he had parked by the phone. “She’s having Bud drop the tent by now, and she said she’d be over tomorrow about eleven with the pies.”

  “That’s so nice of her. Hey, Harper told me all the cabins are rented through the weekend. That’s pretty cool. Oh man, I never thought of this, but Saturday is going to be a madhouse around here. Are you ready?”

  “We have a few parties coming in tonight, so that should help spread it out. But yeah, most of the cabins are rented Saturday through Monday. You know Brent, Harper’s assistant, right? Harper has him in Cabin 3 beginning tomorrow.”

  “Oh great, it will be nice to have him around.”

  “Can you cover for me a minute? I have to pee.”

  “Go pee. I have to get back to my own projects. Alex, plan on being up at the house for dinner tonight. We’ll put the sign out on the desk. Harper and I want to have a little kickoff meeting before the weekend gets nuts. Spencer and Allison will be here.”

  “THE arrangement, can we talk about how spectacular that is? I loved how Emmett used herbs and actual plants instead of flowers. The best part, it fits exactly with the setting up here.” Allison expertly twisted a wad of pasta around her fork.

  “He’s such a little sweetheart,” Harper added. “He and Andy make a great pair.”

  “I’m kind of freaked, to be honest with you.” Ian stabbed a leaf of lettuce. “I’ve never seen Andy fall this hard. The man’s out of control.”

  “They’re soul mates, like a few others I know.” Allison helped herself to seconds. “Harper, this pasta is wunderbar.”

  “Thanks. I was watching the cooking channel the other night, and they tried something like this. It’s super easy. I think I’ll have a little more too.”

  Spencer took the bowl of shrimp linguini from his wife and passed it across the table. “Last week when I stopped by Jungle Gems to see Andy, Emmett had a few arrangements on display. Both were really different, and talk about sticker shock, they were priced over a hundred bucks each. I grabbed Andy and asked what was up with that. He told me they were priced low compared to what some of the florists charged for pieces half as nice. He said he could probably double the price and they’d still go out the door.”

  “Amazing. Anyone for more bread?” Ian held up the basket after taking a piece for himself.

  “Me.” Alex took the basket off Ian’s hands.

  “Have you guys met Alex, the bottomless pit?” Harper socked his young friend in the arm. “You should’ve seen the size of the steak this dude inhaled. Seriously, it was impressive.”

  Alex blushed, shaking his head innocently.

  “Before we get too relaxed, let’s talk about tomorrow. Hang on.” Harper got up from the table for a minute, returning with his clipboard.

  “Ah, the clipboard.” Ian snickered. “I’m going to talk to Dr. Monroe about having it surgically removed.”

  “I’m choosing to ignore that. Okay, so here’s how tomorrow is staffed. Alex and I will be taking turns in the office. When we’re not there, we’ll be helping with the food and stuff.”

  “Oh, that sucks. I’ll sit in the office if you guys want to be outside.” Allison looked over to Alex and frowned. “It’s supposed to be so nice tomorrow.”

  “Nope. It’s fine. I have you and Spencer greeting people in front of the office. We plan to have sodas and bottled water you can hand out. The food will be available down toward the lake. The barbecue outfit will be here early in the morning to start cooking and setting up.”

  “It’s going to be yummy. Pulled pork and beef brisket sandwiches.” Ian reached for the wine. “Audrey’s bringing over a slew of her pies. Oh, that’s one thing we have to make sure to do. The world needs to know the pies come from the Lip Smacker. Even if people don’t ask, tell them that. There’ll be little Smacker menus on the food table. Try to hand those out too whenever you get a chance. Sorry, that wasn’t on the clipboard, was it?” Ian looked over with a bucketload of sass.

  “No, it certainly wasn’t. But it was an appropriate addition, and the table thanks you for your contribution.” Harper took a minute to write down Ian’s point.

  “Gees
h!” Allison grabbed the wine from in front of Ian and filled her glass. “Wake me when this is over.”

  “Ian and I are in charge of breakfast tomorrow morning. Alex, you’re invited to help if you feel yourself so inclined.”

  “Got it.” Alex laughed at Harper.

  “Wait, how come Ian doesn’t have a special task?” Spencer, who up to then had been quietly annoying his wife with pokes and inappropriate hand gestures, sat up in his chair. “Sounds like after breakfast, he’s free to fuck off.”

  “I’ll be at the casino. Smoking and spending money we don’t have. I’ll check back with you guys on Sunday to see how it all went. We need more wine.” Ian got up and left the table.

  “See? What did I tell ya?” Spencer crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

  “Ian will be giving garden tours. Why, you might ask?” Harper paused until his partner had returned to the table.

  “Yeah, why is that?” Ian filled Spencer’s glass before sitting back down.

  “It’s simple. You’re the only one here that knows what any of that shit is.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “So there you have it. Does anyone have any questions?” Harper looked around for a response. “Very well then, meeting adjourned.”

  “Wait,” Ian protested. “You forgot the most important thing of all.”

  “He’s right, I did. Damn it. Does everyone have a full glass? Alex, how’s the Dew? You in good shape?”

  “I’m good, thanks.”

  “Okay, firstly, I’d like to thank our dear friends, Allison and Spencer, and even though they aren’t here right now, Andy and Emmett, for everything you’ve done to make tomorrow a reality. You’re better friends than I deserve, I know that. Ian?” Harper paused and sipped his wine.

  “They’re lucky to have me.”

  “There you have it. Thank you, Ian, for your heartfelt sincerity. Anyway, from the bottom of our hearts, please know how much we love and appreciate you in our lives. Okay, next up, lady and gentlemen, friends and country folk… and Ian, I’d like to introduce Burke Callahan’s first full-time employee. We are very pleased to announce to you that Mr. Alex Stevens has accepted the full-time position of office manager, which includes benefits and a substantial retirement package, I might add. Please give him a warm round of applause.”

  “Harper, you blew it again.” Ian stood and raised his glass.

  “What’d I blow?”

  “At least he didn’t say who’d I blow,” Spencer added smugly.

  “He didn’t have to, honey, because he knew you’d say it for him. Go on, Ian.” Allison waved her hand for Ian to continue.

  “Alex, as the newest employee of Burke Callahan, is there anything you’d like to say?”

  All eyes were on Alex. Harper sat poised for a rescue. This was a pretty intimidating group to have been thrust into. After all, who would know better than himself? Harper watched carefully for any cracks in Alex’s surface. Alex was visibly surprised to have the evening’s focus turned in his direction, but he was doing admirably.

  “Wow! I suppose I should say something.” Alex began to fidget.

  “Or not,” Spencer added. He’d also begun to fidget.

  Harper couldn’t stand watching him suffer. “Alex, sorry to put you on the spot like this. But we love ya, dude, and want you to hang around here for a long time. Whattaya say?”

  “How many vacation days do I get?”

  Harper tried to look appalled while everyone else at the table exploded in laughter. “See? He’s a perfect match!”

  ARMED with a can of Dew, Alex headed back up the trail to the main house. He’d thought about smoking some of the weed Colin had left him but decided he didn’t need it. He was on a natural high tonight, and he wanted to be fresh for tomorrow. Before reaching the house, he exited onto a side trail leading down to the lake. The almost full moon was bright enough to help lead the way. When he’d almost reached his destination, a pair of Adirondack chairs Ian and Harper had placed in a spot giving themselves a prime view of the lake and the palisade, he stopped. Voices from the house weaved their way through the trees and shrubs. “Anyone here?” he asked. Only the waves crashing up onto the rocks answered back. Ah great! I’ve got the place to myself. He continued a few more feet until he came upon a clearing. Brushing off one of the chairs, he sat.

  The reflection of the moon, positioned directly behind him, shimmered on the water. It was the only source of light visible from where he sat, and it took several minutes for his vision to acclimate to his surroundings. A cool, gentle breeze blew off the lake, rustling the early spring leaves on the bushes and trees. He was glad he’d put on a coat.

  Never in a million years would he have guessed he’d be working for two gay dudes right here, where he grew up. Amazing. It had changed him. Plans to head west had mysteriously disappeared. Where did they go? It was all I thought about for so long. Those dreams seemed so distant. They had been replaced with new friendships, a reservation system, office duties, and a million other new distractions.

  Sipping his soda, he looked up to the sky. A bank of clouds moved like a starship above him. The sound of a boat motor brought his focus back to the lake. It took him a few seconds to locate the source of the dim buzzing, and then he had it. A tiny white light skipped across the water toward Duluth. I wonder where they’re coming from? Someday, if things worked out like he’d planned, that would be him. He’d be on the boat with a bunch of his friends coming back from one of the Apostle Islands where they’d spent the day relaxing and soaking in the warm summer sun. Yep, and with the way things were going here, that dream didn’t seem too far off. He was a good saver.

  Tilting his head back to enjoy some star watching, he was surprised to see the beginnings of Northern Lights. The bank of clouds he’d noticed earlier had moved out onto the water. In its place he watched eerie, supernatural pools of fluorescent green light pulsate in columns toward the water. The light twisted and danced, intensifying with each passing minute.

  Alex thought for a second about running up to the house and informing the others so they could enjoy them too, but a burst of laughter from the house changed his mind. They were having a great time, and there would be plenty of opportunities in the future. The exotic light show made frequent visits to the North Shore. Most often they appeared, like tonight, in shades of green. Rarer were the instances when the display included brilliant reds, blues, and purples. I’ll definitely go get the others if I see some other colors.

  Downing the last of his soda, he brought his feet up onto the edge of the chair and hugged his knees. What was the summer going to be like? he wondered. Would he tire of it? Probably not. It will be fun to meet all the people who spend time here. He laughed out loud at the thought of a handsome dude, maybe someone like Mike, staying in the cabins. It would be fun to flirt, knowing that at least here, he could be himself. Nobody would hassle him for being gay, and if they did, they’d sure as hell wish they hadn’t if he made it known to Ian or Harper.

  A huge yawn caught him by surprise. It was hard to say goodnight to the sky, but it had been a full day. Picking up his empty can, he got up and started for home. As he neared the house, he could hear Allison shriek. Alex giggled. Everyone was so cool.

  Reaching the end of the path, he spotted a figure open the office door and walk in. There hadn’t been much time to catch a glimpse, but he was pretty sure it was a man. Brent? A few couples had checked in. Maybe someone needed ice. That reminded him to talk to the guys about putting a small freezer somewhere where guests could grab ice whenever they needed it. For now, he had to go back into his apartment and grab a bag for them. No big deal.

  When he reached the office, he threw his soda can in the trash bin located on the side of the building. Stepping through the door, he was stopped in his tracks.

  “Alex.”

  “What are you doing here?” Alex wasn’t sure what to do. This was the first time he’d seen his dad since the bastard had stolen his
savings.

  “I wanted to come by earlier, but I thought I’d better go to my meeting. Getting off the juice isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I’ve had a few setbacks, but for the most part, I’m stayin’ off it pretty good.”

  Alex waited until his dad had moved away from the desk to make his move. He made a beeline to behind it before he lost the opportunity. He’d always envisioned going off on the old man if they crossed paths. With the opportunity staring him in the face, he was surprised not to feel anger. On some level, the guy still scared him. He couldn’t be trusted, and that made Alex feel uncomfortable. Standing behind the desk felt safer.

  “You look good, boy. I ran into that dishwasher you worked with at the Lip Smacker, and he told me you were working here. I can’t remember his name.”

  “Louie.” That dumbass.

  “Yeah, Louie, that’s right. Anyway, he didn’t know what you did. Just that you worked here. What do you do here, anyway? You mind if I take a load off?” His old man pointed to the chair.

  “I’m supposed to shut down the office in a few minutes,” Alex lied.

  “Well, I don’t want to get you into trouble.”

  “There’s no money here. It’s in the bank,” Alex lied again.

  “Hey, that was the booze that made me do that. As soon as I get back to work, I’m going to pay you back. I promise.” His dad took a step forward.

  “I don’t want your money. You should leave.” Alex pretended he had work to do, shifting through some papers.

  “You know, your mom and I stayed here one time. Jesus, I haven’t thought about that for years.”

  Alex stared down at the desk. He didn’t want to hear this. He didn’t want this asshole talking about his mother. To his horror, his dad stepped up to the desk and leaned in.