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1
PARKER
Dear Diary—
Dear Journal?—
Dear Whoever?—
Dear Whatever?—
Today is the worst day ever. No, scratch that, because tomorrow could definitely be even worse. Today is the worst day so far.
My bright idea to go to a dry cabin and try my hand at “real wild living” feels like it’s blowing right up in my face. I can’t believe I thought trying to rough it would actually prove something to the guys back at Wild Woods. Or prove something to myself. But now, all I can think about is grabbing a glass of water from the sink. Or slipping into a warm bath.
Both of which are impossible because of the whole dry cabin thing.
Whose idea was this, anyway? A dry cabin?
Who wants to rent a cabin with absolutely no running water?
More like a torture chamber.
I closed my journal with a thud before letting my head sink down to the wooden desk in front of me.
It was true. I was practically living in a torture chamber. The worst part?
I’d done this to myself. No one had encouraged me to come out to the woods and sign up for the hardest thing I’d ever tried to do. It wasn’t like I’d told anyone where I was actually going, what I planned on doing while I was out here. I wanted it to be a surprise, a fun story to tell when I made my way back to Wild Woods HQ, the kind of thing Jacob and Damon wouldn’t believe.
Although, the way things were going right now, Jacob and Damon were going to find out about my trip via a news story about a camper who just couldn’t hack it, his remains found on the side of some river…
“Good job, Parker,” I muttered to myself as I stood up from the desk. “What a spectacular way to die.”
I was only halfway through admonishing myself when I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I quickly answered it, leaning against the desk as I spoke. “You’ve got Parker.”
“Parker! There you are,” Jacob said on the other end of the line. “What are you up to? I saw you took some time off but I don’t think you filled out the box?—”
“You mean the optional box?” I smirked even though he couldn’t see. “The one where we have a choice to tell you where we’re going or not?”
“Optional. Right,” Jacob hummed, “you’re right. I guess I just assumed that?—”
“That you have a right to know where I’m going and who I’m with?” I playfully pressed. “Because you’re the oldest and Mom left you in charge?”
I could feel Jacob rolling his eyes at me even if the conversation was only verbal. I’d known Jacob long enough to know saying something like that would slightly annoy him even if it was true. Even though Jacob, Damon, and I were all co-owners in Wild Woods, Jacob functioned more like our leader and CEO. He was focused and analytical, much less poetic and Thoreau-like than Damon, and way less free-spirited and fun than me. We balanced each other out, though, each one of us contributing something that made the company run smoothly.
Of course, my being absent was going to throw us off balance, just for a little bit. Jacob and Damon had a good handle on managing guests and reserving cabins for the outdoors experience we promised clients at Wild Woods. Now that I thought about it, that was probably why Jacob was so curious about where I’d gone off to, in the first place.
Just so he’d be able to know when to expect that balance back at the office.
“I just wanted to make sure that you were okay,” Jacob replied. “It’s not like you to not brag about where you’re going for vacation. I thought something might be up.”
“Bragging?” I let out a faux gasp. “Is that really what you think of me?”
“It’s what I know of you.” Jacob lightly chuckled. “Seriously, though, Parker. Wherever you are, stay safe, okay? We’ve got about as much excitement as we can handle over here.”
“Is Damon threatening to do a scene from Magic Mike again?”
“Very funny, Parker.” I sensed yet another eyeroll in Jacob’s tone. “I’ll catch up with you later. I need to get back to filing some invoices.”
