Page 218 of Promise Not to Fall for the Rich & Famous

Nash sucked in a deep breath as he shut off the truck engine. They were supposed to meet at the stables two hours from now, which meant she wasn't expecting to see him yet, and she definitely wasn't expecting to have him show up at her door.

Nash grabbed the invitation, along with the brown paper package he'd also tied with string, and stepped out of the truck.

He rolled his shoulders back as he stared at the cabin’s front door. Then, with the package and invite in one hand, he reached up and knocked.

"Did you seriously order room service again?" came a female voice, probably Geneva, Ellie's assistant. Nash hadn't met her yet, but he'd heard a lot about her.

"Well,Ididn't order anything,” the woman came again. Suddenly, the door flung open, and Nash's eyes widened as he took a step back.

It was none other than the middle-aged woman he'd seen thumbing through the tabloid at the main office. A misplaced dose of guilty heat flushed over his face.

"Why, helloo, cowboy," the woman said in a singsong voice. She eyed him up and down with an accusatory grin on her face. "I'm going to assume you're here for Ellie."

"You assume correctly. How are you, ma'am?" He tugged the brim of his hat and lowered his chin.

"Good, though not as good as Ellie’s going to be when she gets a load of you." The woman turned her head over her shoulder. "Ellie? You’ve got a package here, and it’s too big for me to carry in."

Nash's eyes widened as his face went hot with another round of embarrassment.

Ellie came trailing into the entry room behind Geneva, wearing no more than a towel. Make thattwotowels—one holding her hair on top of her head and the other wrapped around her slender frame.

Nash watched her face as she spotted him, amusement working his mouth into a grin. He gave her a gentlemanly nod while pinching the brim of his hat, playing off what Geneva had said about their guest.

"Special delivery."

Ellie stared at the sight of Nash on the front porch. She couldn't remember a time that any guy had just shown up to her door. She hadn't connected with a lot of kids in her youth or teen years, and by the time she was old enough to date, she was already living in gated communities with guarded entrances. Nobody ever justdropped bylike they did in the movies or on TV.

"Well, are you going to invite him in or just stare at him all day?"

Geneva’s comment snapped Ellie out of her stupor.

"Yes, of course, come on in." She was glad she'd reached for the cover-up towel after her shower, the one with an elastic band above and below the bust to secure it. She never did have any luck making towels stay in place for long.

Nash stepped inside, and Geneva closed the door, craning her neck to observe him from behind.

"Should we go into the kitchen, and so I can pour you some iced tea?"

Behind Nash, Geneva shook out her hand like it was burning hot.

Ellie shot her a glare and mouthed the wordcougar.

Geneva laughed.

"Actually,” Nash said, “I just came to give you this." He handed her the roll of paper that was tied with string. "Go ahead and open that first," he said, keeping hold of the package in his hand.

Ellie untied the string, glad Geneva was giving them their privacy. Not that the nosy woman would go any farther than the kitchen, where she could still hear everything.

Ellie unrolled the paper and read.

“You are formally invited to Wild Buck’s summer camp trip, an abbreviated simulation to give you the true summer camp experience in a fraction of the time.

Join your leader, Nash, for a night of hobo dinners, roasted marshmallows, exhaustive camp songs, and a night spent in a pup tent (separate tents, I promise)."

Ellie's insides erupted with chaos. A thrill of excitement quickened her pulse while an appreciative pool of warmth buoyed her heart. Her delight was showing on her face, she knew it.

Nash eyed her tentatively as he lightly bounced the package in his grip.

"Is that for me, too?” she asked.