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He nodded. He’d ridden past the small bungalows. Each one had a quaint front porch, and several had decks on the back side. A few of them were under renovation.
They each added more sides to their plates.
“I need to go over the camp schedule and fill out my planner with due dates,” Beth said. “Besides the huge grant renewal application, I track which waivers and payments we’re still waiting on and put out an advertisement for a summer assistant wrangler.”
“It sounds like a lot of work.”
She lifted a shoulder. “It isn’t work if you love it, right?” She smiled at her use of his own words.
He nodded and followed Beth toward an empty table.
Noah leaned back in his chair as they passed by. “Before you leave, stop by our table. I have a few files to hand off to you.”
“Sure,” Beth answered. She took a few more steps, drew in a breath, and leaned toward Grayson. “Hey, go see what my dad is saying to Janet Ashford.”
Grayson followed her sight line to where her dad sat with a dark-haired woman. “Um, no.” Whoever Janet was, she was smiling at Doug Strauss. It wasn’t the kind of smile one gave about the weather.
It was a you-hung-the-moon kind of smile, and he wasn’t going to get in the middle of that.
“Please?”
All it took was one look at those big green eyes. He let out a groan. “Oh, all right.” Grayson shuffled his way over, feeling like a cad. “Is this seat taken?” he asked. Doug scooted his chair over. “No, it’s yours now.”
“Hello, Mr. Strauss—and Janet, is it?”
The woman blushed. “Yes, it is.”
Doug’s gray hair and robust midline gave him the countenance of a Santa Claus, despite him being sixty years old at most, probably younger.
“Please, you’re almost as old as me. Call me Doug.” The man winked. “Isn’t that how it works? You kids get older and we old folks stay the same?”
“I think Edith Draper once said something like that.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised.” Doug stopped. Opened his mouth. Closed it. Finally— “I heard you got Beth back into the saddle this morning.” His voice caught a little. “Thank you.” He gave Grayson’s hand a hard pat. He glanced at Janet, then back to Grayson. “I haven’t seen her so excited about anything in a long time…” He trailed off and his Adam’s apple bobbed.
Janet nodded. “It’s so nice to be able to get back to something you loved.”
“She’s a natural,” Grayson offered, filling in. And she was. Watching her ride in the early morning hours—having someone to ride with—well, it’d been like unwrapping a gift he hadn’t known he’d needed.
Doug nodded, his lips pinched in a wry smile. “She is. So, thank you, again.” He stirred the mashed potatoes on his plate. “I lost the heart for the risk and…I don’t know. Got scared after her accident. I think we found it easier to lean into each other. I’m sure going to miss having her at the house, though.”
“I’ll bet. The camp is lucky to have her.” The truth was,hewas lucky to have her. The week ahead was more daunting than a mama bear in a blackberry thicket. And the sight of Beth, grinning as she cantered along the arena rail… He swallowed. An unfamiliar ballooning in his chest lightened his heart. “Well, this job seems to be the best of both worlds, right? She’s close by, but also on her own.”
“Right,” Doug answered, a smile not quite reaching his eyes.
Grayson’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it.
“It’s okay—you take that,” Doug said. “I think there’s a chocolate cream pie calling my name.” He slid back his chair.
Grayson hesitated.
Doug gave him a pat on the shoulder and stood up. “I’ll grab you a slice too.”
“Thank you,” Grayson said. He tugged the phone out. Checked the name. Vincent Tucker. For some reason, seeing his name gave Grayson more heartburn than excitement.
* * *
Moving day.Oh boy. Today, Beth would officially take her place as the interim assistant camp director.
