Page 60 of You Know You Wanna

I laughed, doubling over until the amusement subsided, but at least the seriousness of the moment was now nicely broken. “It’s Baker. Birdie Baker.”

“Well, then, thanks for the perspective, Ms. Baker. I’m not sure I ever would’ve gotten there if you hadn’t pointed it out to me.”

“I guess the only question is what are you going to do about it?” I asked. “You’ve got a new perspective and you’ve realized money isn’t everything, but what now?”

“I don’t know,” he said after hesitating briefly. “Focusing on spending more time with Laurene. That’s one thing I’m absolutely sure of after all this. Spending more time outdoors as well. I need to just do it. Even when I get back to the city, I need to make a point of getting out more.”

“Both of those sound like good places to start,” I said.

He nudged me in the ribs with his elbow. “What about you? Has knowing me given you any new dreams or perspectives?”

I bit my lip as I thought it over. Then I nodded. “Yeah, actually. I think it has. I’m going to get out of town more often. This place will always be my home, but that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t ever leave it, even if just for a little while.”

“Good for you,” he said.

I edged closer to him. We kept talking about everything that came to mind, including this crazy summer we were having together.

“I do still kind of like you,” I said after a moment.

His eyes lit with a boyish, teasing gleam. “You only kind of liked me to begin with?”

I nudged him with my shoulder and he nudged back, nearly knocking me over. He quickly reached out to catch me and we both laughed. “Shit. I’m sorry, Birdie. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

As my laughter subsided, I tucked my hair behind my ears. When I turned back to him, I found his face only inches away from my own. My heart skipped and my eyes immediately dropped to his lips. A smile curved on them, and he leaned in, his hand moving up to cup my face. I melted into his touch.

Just before we kissed, cracking sticks behind us alerted us that we weren’t alone anymore. I stiffened and he sighed.

“It’s the girls,” he murmured softly. “I overheard them plotting to scare us sometime tonight.”

Showing a playful side I hadn’t known was there—and I doubted his own daughter had either, for that matter—he got them back by jumping up, turning on them, and thundering into the woods. Giggles and screeches filled the quiet night air, and I turned back to the stars once more, wondering how I was supposed to go back to my normal, mundane life after this summer.

If I ever could. It sure wouldn’t be easy.

Right now, that was all I knew for sure.

31

REMINGTON

Since I’d driven to the campground in my car, I went back to the resort by myself, separately from Birdie and the girls who were on the bus. They were also planning a short drive through the park before they headed home, so I made it back way before they would.

Parking in front of the main resort, I was on cloud nine. It was a feeling unlike any other I’d ever had, but it was elating. I’d just spent two nights in the woods, away from work, technology, all the drama with Jacqueline, and completely off the radar of any cameras.

Most importantly though, I’d spent those two days with Birdie and my daughter, and I’d fucking loved every minute of it. Birdie wasn’t pissed at me anymore, Laurene had hugged me more in the last three days than she ever had, and overall, it had just been a great fucking trip.

I climbed out of my car, planning on riding this wave for at least a few more days. As it turned out, it didn’t even last a few more minutes. I strode into the lobby, all smiles, but it all came crashing down around me when I saw Declan in animated conversation with Alan at the front desk.

Alan’s uncharacteristic smile vanished the second I came into view and I slammed back into reality, reminded that life wasn’t one big camping trip. I glared right back at the old man before shooting a questioning look at Dec.

“Do you have a minute?”

“Sure,” he said, smiling widely as he waved goodbye to Alan. “I’ll talk to you again soon, old timer. Thanks for the chat.”

Alan nodded at him, his expression considerably warmer when he focused on my business partner than it had ever been when he looked at me. “No problem, Dec. See you around. Good luck with him.”

He jerked his head in my direction but didn’t look at me. He busied himself as always with something behind the desk instead. Cloud nine had darkened into a thundercloud, and I sighed heavily as I trudged toward the elevator with Declan in tow.

“Remi! Man, I almost didn’t even recognize you in your grubby, camping getup with that unshaven face and unruly hair. You look like a mountain man.”