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“Yep.” Was that a hint of southern drawl in his deep voice? Heaven help them.
“Then you’re the hunting guide, right?”
“How did you know that?”
He nodded toward her. “The hat. The woman at the general store said you usually wear a headband or an Australian cowboy hat.”
Hazel swallowed against the swell of dislike she had for this man she hadn’t even met yet. “Oh.” She put her hand on the door, ready to push through it.
“I’m Grady Briggs.”
She didn’t care. “Welcome to Luna, Grady.” No. He wasnotwelcome. Not if he was going to make Janie all mushy eyed. And . . .winking?!Ridiculous.
“Thanks.” He stepped toward her. “I’m a new Game and Parks ranger, working the back side of Yellowstone.”
“That’s a little way from Luna.”
He shrugged. “A bit of a drive, maybe forty-five minutes.”
“When the weather is good.” He couldn’t possibly be intending to live in Luna, could he? Didn’t park rangers have federal accommodations or something?
“I’m also working a grant for a study in the backcountry. Mostly the BLM land by Luna. That’s your way, isn’t it?”
Great. Just dandy. Hazel knew she scowled, and she didn’t care to fix it. She also knew it was rude not to answer, but Bennett had once labeled her the badger lady for a reason.
Janie came back from the kitchen, carrying a plate of apple pie à la mode. Was that an unusually large slice? That was certainly a hefty scoop of cinnamon ice cream. Maybe even two?
Hazel gave Janie the squinty eyes.
Janie ignored her, putting a sugary grin toward the guy standing there about ready to wreck everything. “Here you go, fresh baked this morning, and my homemade cinnamon ice cream.”
“Perfect.” Grady-the-plan-ruiner moved to a barstool and sat. “I’ve heard good things.”
Janie set the plate on the counter in front of him. “Have you?”
“Sure. The Game and Parks guys know all the good spots—especially on remote assignments.” Grady put a forkful of warm pie and melting ice cream into his mouth.
“Glad to know I made the list.”
After a short groan—ugh!—he leaned against the counter on a forearm. “You’ve made an impressive leap to the top of the list.”
That was it. Hazel couldn’t handle hearing any morefriendlybanter. She pushed through the door and nearly stomped across the boardwalk.
Hunter better figure out what he wanted real quick. Because Janie was flirting her way right out of his life.
Hazel was pretty sure her brother would be devastated.
Two
Armscrossed,Bennettleanedhard against the thick scrolled-iron railing on the balcony overlooking the pool. The crystal-blue water, disrupted by Gemma and her friends playing in it, however, was not in his line of view.
Bennett stared at his dad, eyes bulging, lips pressed hard. The past few weeks had not been what he’d hoped for. It’d not been the reconciliation that Hunter and Hazel had found. Instead, this visit had been all superficial,look what I’ve accumulated, aren’t you impressed with mestuff. No, Bennett wasn’t any more impressed with this man than he’d been when he wasn’t speaking to him.
And this? This was . . .
Chip—Dad!—shook his head and chuckled. The sound was all condescension. “Don’t gape at me like that, son.”
“How should I gape at such a request?”
