Page 36 of You Know You Wanna

The short answer was that I couldn’t. Not as easily as I’d thought anyway. As I let her go and watched her lope back out of the lobby toward the Kids Camp, I knew I had to do something about the boarding school. I just didn’t know what yet.

18

BIRDIE

During Gracie’s shift at the bar, I sat opposite from her and thanked my lucky stars that it was a slow night. After the storm, most of the guests were outside this evening, choosing to eat and have their drinks under the stars after being cooped up.

Gracie filled orders for the waiters as they came in, but mercifully, she wasn’t so busy that she didn’t have time to listen to me. As I finished telling her about what had happened between Remington and me, she held up her hand for a high-five and grinned at me.

“You are my hero,” she said triumphantly. “I knew something was going to happen between you two. Didn’t I tell you that very first day that he was checking you out?”

“You did.” I laughed as I shook my head at her. “I don’t know how you knew and I didn’t, but still, I can’t go for it. He’s leaving in a few weeks. What happens then?”

“It’s called a summer fling, babe, and you picked a seriously hot man to fling you around all summer. It could be fun and it’s got the added benefit that you don’t have to worry about breaking up or running into him all the time once it’s over. As long as you go in with eyes open and your heart closed, it’ll be fine.”

“What happened to the girl who was warning him last week about too many tourists sweeping through here, breaking our hearts and dashing our spirits?”

She chuckled and lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I just told you to keep your heart closed, didn’t I? Look, there’s nothing wrong with a summer of fun with a tourist. Just don’t let him make you any false promises or give you hope that it’s more than it really is.”

I propped my chin on my open palm, and my elbow slid along the counter until I was almost lying down. “How sure are you that’ll work? Even if my brain knows it’s just for the summer, how am I supposed to make sure he doesn’t crawl into my heart?”

“Easy,” she said with a knowing smile. “You focus on the physical and not the emotions. Whenever he tries to get deep with you instead of deep into you, you shut that shit down and climb him like a greasy tree.”

“What kind of tree?” Remington asked from behind me. His voice made me sit up straight and my head swung in his direction.

I searched his eyes for any sign that he’d heard what we were talking about, but there was no amusement shimmering in them or any kind of realization at all. I flashed him a smile and pulled out the stool beside mine with my foot.

“Doesn’t matter,” I said hastily, nodding at the vacant spot. “Do you want to sit with us or ask silly questions?”

“I’m sitting, I’m sitting.” He held my gaze as he sat down, looking like he wanted to talk about something else but deciding against it when he realized Gracie was hovering like my guardian angel.

“What can I get you tonight?” she asked. “Whiskey or beer? Shot of tequila.”

“Let’s go with whiskey,” he said. “Laurene’s spending the night with some friends she made at camp, so I’ve got tonight off.”

Gracie chuckled. “I love how parents talk about free time like it’s a vacation. I’m never having kids.”

“It is a vacation.” He laughed, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair, staring absently into the middle distance for a moment before he refocused on me. “Not so much in my case, I suppose, but it’s been a couple weeks since she got out of school for the summer, so let’s just say it’s nice to have twelve hours where I don’t have to worry about her.”

Before I could think better of it, I reached out and squeezed his forearm. “You’re allowed to appreciate twelve hours of not worrying. I’ve heard parent guilt is the worst kind of guilt there is, but don’t beat yourself up over one night. She’s having fun with a friend. It’s not like you sent her away.”

“Not yet,” he said glumly. Then he glanced at my hand still lingering on his forearm. He didn’t pull away though. His eyes came slowly back up to me and a smile ghosted across his lips. “She asked me today if she could go on some camp out with you? She’s super excited, but how safe is it? I’ve already said yes, but the more I think about what could go wrong out there, the more I’m wondering if I should retract my consent. Talk me down from the ledge, Birdie.”

Reluctantly, I dropped my hand from his arm but gave him a smile. “Look who’s shifted into protective dad mode. It’s safe. Trust me. I’ve done it nearly two dozen times and I know that area like you know how to be grumpy. The kids love it and I promise, you won’t regret sending her.”

“They love it? Really? I can’t imagine Laurene being happy in a sleeping bag and without running water.”

I waved him off. “It’s good old-fashioned outdoor fun. Kids need to eat some dirt every so often. Get some mosquito bites. Wait, she’s not allergic, is she?”

He shook his head. “No, although I might dip her in bug spray before she leaves anyway.”

“She’ll be fine, and if she’s not, I’ll get word to you to come get her. We’ve never had a kid ask to come back to the resort, though. Except for Billy G. But that kid just kind of sucked in general.”

He laughed. “Let’s hope you don’t end up describing my daughter that way.”

“I would never. And it’s a good opportunity for her to get out there and let her hair down. It’s a real confidence booster for a kid. London boarding school doesn’t seem so scary once you sleep out in the woods for a night, I bet.”

He breathed out slowly through his nostrils, apparently not yet convinced. “From a safety aspect, you’re sure there’s no risk?”