AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It wasn’t exactly high tourism season as the summer rush was still a month away, which was probably why they were able to book the entire retreat for the competition.
“I can call your event organizer and see if there’s any way we could shuffle some people around.” The woman reached for the phone.
“It’s fine.” Keaton held up his hand and looked at August, whose eyes were wide. “It’s almost midnight and we don’t want anyone to get dragged out of bed at this hour. I’m sure we can deal with the situation for the evening and then when everyone is up tomorrow, we can look at solutions.”
August didn’t seem convinced, but she also didn’t protest. She wasn’t the type to want anyone else to be inconvenienced, either.
“I’m so sorry again,” the woman said.
“We’ll be fine,” he reassured her, although inside his gut was already waving red flags like there was no tomorrow. Sharing a room with August? That was going to test his resolve to keep her at a distance.
The staff member looked visibly relieved. “Here’s your key. You’re in cabin 19 and everything you need is already inside. Breakfast will be in the big hall, and if you need anything, you can simply dial 1 on the phone in your room and that will put you through to the front desk.”
“Thank you very much,” Keaton replied with a warm smile as he took the key and headed back out into the night. August followed.
“Your sister...” She shook her head.
“Yourbest friend,” he replied. “Maybe you should get her a job at the matchmaking agency, because she clearly is showing an aptitude for it.”
“No, she’snot. We’re the worst possible match!” August threw her hands in the air. “If this was a match she made for real, then she would be fired.”
He stifled a laugh as she stomped toward the car, hands balled into fists.
“Me thinks the lady doth protest too much,” he said under his breath.
For some reason, that made the inside of his chest feel warm where he’d felt nothing at all for the past ten years.
He got into the car and they drove slowly through the campground, counting the numbers of the cabins they drove past and following the pointed signs indicating whether they should go left or right. Eventually, they found their accommodation tucked into some dense trees. A single light was on outside to welcome them, and Molly grumbled when August woke her up. Keaton fetched the luggage from the trunk, and then he unlocked the cabin’s front door.
A quick peek inside confirmed his suspicions that there was only one bed. Great.
“I’ll sleep on the floor,” he said, and he held the door open for August and Molly. The dog trotted inside, immediately spotted the cushy-looking dog bed that had been set up and made a beeline for it.
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s hardwood flooring,” August said. “You’ll give yourself a bad back.”
“You calling me old?”
“You calledyourselfold before.”
August wheeled her suitcase into the room and he followed, closing the door behind them. Despite the charming and rustic nature of the cabin, the locks were electronic, hinting that although they were deep in the middle of nowhere, they weren’t totally without technology. Still, glancing around the room with the exposed-beam details and bed that looked designed for snuggling—read, small—Keaton was regretting his desire to help his sister out with every fiber of his being.
How the heck was he going to get through a whole night of sleeping next to August? What if he accidentally touched her in the middle of the night? What if she rolled into him and he had a morning wood? What if—
Stop it. You’re an adult. You can handle this. Just deal with the back pain tomorrow.
“You’re not sleeping on the floor, Keaton,” August said as if reading his mind. “I won’t hear it.”
“I didn’t bring pajamas,” he said.
She gulped. “I’d offer to lend you some of mine but...”
“Hello Kitty isn’t really my style,” he quipped.
“I don’t wear Hello Kitty pajamas anymore,” she said, her cheeks reddening. “That was... I was a kid.”
Molly momentarily lifted her head up from the dog basket and then plopped it back down, as if deciding their angst was not enough to sustain her interest. Smart dog.
“I’m going to get changed in the bathroom,” she said, walking away without looking at him. A second later, the door closed.
