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That curious voice prompted a silent groan. Casey Fuller, the barn’s assistant manager and one of her best friends, was gonna love this one. She turned to discover his wife Jayne was also at his side. As she offered them both hugs after the long winter, Mark caught them up to the point where they’d walked in.
At the mention of Joel Morgan, a frown crossed Casey’s brow.
“Which leads us back to the question of why didn’t you tell him who you are?” her boss concluded.
“I did tell him my name and that I was camping, I just didn’t tell him I work here.” She shrugged, wishing she was still in the stall brushing Paelo so she could avoid their speculative gazes. “He was a real jerk. I was…well…he made some smartass remarks about my new camping gear and how rich people think they don’t need permits and can do whatever they like. The gear was a graduation present from my sister and brother-in-law.”
“Did you tell him that?” Jayne asked.
“No.” Now she was beginning to feel like an idiot. But they weren’t there, she justified silently. After Joel had ordered her to leave in the morning, she hadn’t expected to see him again, much less have him show up and insist she share her tent. She hadn’t exactly lied to him, but she hadn’t given him all the relevant information, either.
Her cheeks warmed as she added, “He made all these assumptions without letting me explain, so…I let him. It’s his own fault, really.”
“I’d have to agree with Britt,” Casey said. “I wasn’t impressed with the guy the one time we met.”
Mark ignored him and pinned her with a hard look. “What’d you do when he left you here?” You didn’t pretend to be a guest, did you?”
“No.” She avoided his gaze. “Um…long story short, one of the park helicopters did a fly-by, my horses got spooked, and when Joel got off his to help, the packhorse and his gelding took off. He blamed me, I rode ahead to catch the horses, planning to tie his to a tree for him, but…” She trailed off, suddenly wishing she could go back in time a few hours.
“But?” Mark urged.
“As I rode away, he muttered not to do him any favors, so…I led his gelding all the way to his trailer in the parking lot.”
Casey chuckled, but the look on Jayne and Mark’s faces made her feel bad. Even she had to admit now, saying it out loud, it sounded bad.
Mark shook his head and pointed his finger at her. “You, young lady, are going to get yourself into trouble.”
His stern voice came across like a father scolding his daughter, though he was only about twelve years older than her. Her guilt doubled. He frowned, then waved a hand and sighed in resignation as he turned away.
“Since you’re back early, you might as well attend the staff meeting in ten minutes.”
Though worded like a suggestion, clearly she didn’t have a choice. Why didn’t his orders rub her the wrong way like Joel Morgan’s did?
“How far did you make him walk?”
Casey’s smile said he enjoyed the thought of the ranger’s discomfort, but she cringed inside. “About nine miles.”
“You’d better hope you don’t meet up with him anytime soon,” Jayne warned.
“She’s got—”
“Let’s go, Casey,” Mark barked from the office door. The two exchanged a look and Mark gave a barely perceptible shake of his head as Casey headed in his direction.
Britt’s stomach took a nose dive as she wondered what the heck that was about, but Jayne distracted her.
“You too tired for a game of racquetball after the meeting? Then Gina’s meeting us for a soak in the hot tub.”
“Racquetball sounds great. I’ll meet you at the Sports Center.”
They parted ways at the stable’s combination employee lounge/guest check-in area, and she slid into the empty chair next to Mitch Levins, a year-round employee, and Jon Taylor, a seasonal wrangler returning from the previous summer.
“Britt!” Mitch greeted her with a one armed hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Gorgeous as ever. When are you going to come to your senses and go out with me?”
She laughed, considering she’d spent two days on the trail and needed a shower. “Next summer.”
“You won’t be here next summer.”
/> She mirrored his cheeky grin. “Precisely.”
