AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think you and Darian will find plenty to do in your hotel room alone,” I teased. “But seriously. What are you doing with all of my camping gear?”
Blake looked back at the pile of equipment sprawled out around her. “This is my thanks to you for pushing me to go to Houston. I’m packing up the Jeep for your trip today, so you don’t have to.” She looked back up and tucked a stray strand of dark blond hair away from her face.
“You don’t have to do that.” I lifted my mug of hot coffee and took another sip. Sweet Jesus, I needed this jolt to wake me up.
“I insist,” she said. “When I left the party last night I saw you with that cute guy, and it looked like you two were having such a good time. So I figured you might have had a late one. Like I said, thanks for the push to go to Houston.”
“Anytime,” I said, holding up my mug in acceptance, and turning back to the office. Ohmygod. Blake came back to the bonfire
last night. I hope she didn’t see my debacle on the picnic table as Ali had. Embarrassment fluttered in my gut. I didn’t need my friends to see my sad-ass attempts at romance.
I grabbed my clipboard took a seat at the front counter and started looking through my notes for the trip with Gavin and his staff. I was surprised when I learned he had three staff members, not realizing his business consisted of more than Gavin and a delivery guy. Now that Jacques was gone, he wouldn’t be joining us. I pulled out his sheet and replaced it with one for Kyle.
I thought back to last night, trying to see where I went wrong. Kyle seemed interested up until the wet t-shirt contest. But it couldn’t have been the contest that made him lose interest; he was the one pushing me to participate. But if it wasn’t that, then what happened? Maybe this trip would let me show him I was more than just a pair of tits.
The door dinged, and I looked up to see Gavin, dressed in his usual plaid shirt and jeans. His hair was messed a bit, and I could see something behind his ear, just above where his jaw met with his nicely trimmed extended goatee.
“Hi, Gav,” Ali said from behind her desk.
“Morning.” He waved, then turned his attention to me.
I set my clipboard down and leaned against the front counter. “Are you ready to have some fun?” I asked.
A smirk played at the edge of his lips. “I’m always ready to have fun with you. And guess what? I’ve got something for you.”
Confusion set in. “For me? What?”
“First,” he said, pulling an envelope out of his pocket, “you left this behind last night.” He slid the white paper across the counter toward me. “It’s your prize from the wet t-shirt contest.”
Ali grunted from behind me, and my cheeks instantly got hot. “Thanks,” I said, not meeting his eyes as I grabbed the envelope. Would I ever live this down?
“And this is from me,” he said, reaching up to his ear and pulling out an odd-shaped purple flower. Its top looked spiky while its bottom opened up showing a fuzzy ball of yellow.
I looked back at Gavin and laughed. “What is it? It looks like an alien.”
“That,” he said, leaning forward and holding the flower in front of me, “is a Calypso Bulbosa, also known as a Fairy Slipper Orchid.” He spun the flower towards him and then back at me. “While it does look a little alien, I promise you it doesn’t smell that way. Here, take a whiff.”
I leaned closer, meeting Gavin halfway across the counter and closed my eyes before taking a deep breath. Vanilla. The fairy slipper smelled just like vanilla. “How did you know?” I asked, opening my eyes and meeting his gaze.
He paused a moment before swallowing, then cleared his throat. “We’re friends, right? What friend doesn’t know how their friend takes their coffee? You’ve always been a French vanilla girl since I met you. Here, it’s yours.” He put the flower in my open palm, grazing my palm with his fingers.
I stood there not able to do much more than blink as I stared at the flower resting against my skin. I’d never gotten a flower before, even if it was just from a friend. But the bigger question here was that he knew how I took my coffee. I had no idea how Gavin took his, but should I? I knew Blake liked hers with one cream and one sugar and Ali liked hers black. But Gavin, well I had no idea.
The door dinged again, but I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the flower. And then I heard Kyle’s voice. “Hey Cher,” he said. “I didn’t know you worked here.”
I glanced up at Kyle. His face was much too chipper for someone who was out drinking last night. An image of him and one of my wet t-shirt cohorts popped in my head, but I shook it away. Wake up, Cher. You’ve got a job to do. Tucking the flower into the envelope Gavin gave me, I set them on a shelf under the counter. “Yep, I work here. It’s been two years now. I do all the hiking tours.”
“What?” He beamed, and I couldn’t help but smile. “So you’re our guide?” He nodded. “Sweet! I get dibs on Cher’s tent.”
I cringed. Was Kyle this immature last night? I couldn’t remember anything overly boorish, but I was pretty tipsy. I glanced quickly at Gavin, who stepped back from the counter. His face was shadowed with a frown as he crossed his arms and shook his head.
“It’s not that kind of trip,” I said, quickly saving face. “Everyone has their own tent.” I looked behind Kyle. “I thought there were supposed to be five of you all together?”
Gavin spoke up. “Sorry, I didn’t have a chance to tell you last night. It looks like it’s only going to be Kyle and us.”
“Do you like threesome’s, Cher,” Kyle said. “Because here’s your chance!”
Ali burst into laughter from behind me, but I held my ground. My face was hot, but after how I acted last night I knew that this was partially my fault. Gavin’s frown stretched even bigger, and I was pretty sure the side of his jaw was vibrating from him grinding his teeth.
