Page 24 of You Know You Wanna

12

BIRDIE

At my cabin getting ready to go to dinner with Remington and Lulu, I browsed through my closet, discarding option after option and wishing that I had a dress that was just a little bit nicer than any I owned.

Technically, I didn’t need to get dressed up. Smart-casual was the official dress code for every dining establishment at the resort after dark, but I’d already let my hair down, drying it in its natural waves and even adding a bit of hairspray to keep it looking sleek and polished. Now I just needed to find an outfit that matched.

Eventually, I settled on a black dress with bright yellow sunflowers printed on it. It had belonged to my mother, and while I rarely had the opportunity to wear it, it was the closest thing I had to perfect for tonight.

As I put it on, it felt like a gentle hug from above. A sign that my mom approved of me wearing it to dinner. The thought brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my lips. I glanced up at my ceiling, blowing her a quick kiss before I touched up my mascara, not wanting to get too caught up in the moment.

Black pumps on my feet were the finishing touch, and then I was ready to go. I gave myself a last once-over in the mirror, pleased with the result but still wishing that I’d had something just a little dressier, and then I headed out.

Only to bump into Alan as soon as I descended the stairs outside of my cabin.

Suspicion brewed in his eyes as he looked me over. He arched a silver eyebrow at me. “Where are you going all dressed up, missy?”

“To dinner with some of the guests in our suite,” I said. “Remington and Laurene Ford?”

“Oh,” he said, lips pursing. “That guy. I don’t like him, Barbara. You should steer clear of him. He’s nothing but trouble.”

I groaned. “When you call me Barbara, I know it’s serious. Why don’t you like them? They seem perfectly nice to me.”

“Everyone seems perfectly nice to you,” he grumbled without elaborating as to why he wanted me to steer clear. “Just don’t go to dinner, okay? Blame it on me. Go tell them I stuck you with extra work tonight.”

The butterflies I’d had in my stomach since Remington had asked me to dinner stopped zooming for a moment. I scowled at the very idea of canceling. “I’m already dressed and it’s a free meal. Besides, you can tell me what to do while I’m on the clock, but this is my time.”

He sighed heavily, his eyes wary as they lingered on mine. “Just be careful, okay? I only want what’s best for you. Someone has to look out for you and I’m all you’ve got, sweetheart.”

I smiled, put a hand on his shoulder, and squeezed gently. “I know, old man. Thank you. I will be careful, but you worry too much. I’ll be fine. It really is just dinner.”

Huffing out a breath like he didn’t quite believe me, he watched me go, calling out before I’d gotten even five steps away. “Being an old man means I know things. Listen to me, Birdie, you have to watch yourself with that man!”

I smiled and nodded at him over my shoulder, but I didn’t doubt my decision to go to dinner with the Fords. Alan was naturally cautious of every person he hadn’t known since they were ten years old, or who hadn’t been born anywhere near the Smokies.

I appreciated his concern, and I knew it came from a good place, but he really did worry too much. Lulu broke out in a wide, happy grin when she saw me, warming me from the inside out. She got up to give me a hug.

“You came! We were wondering if you would.” She squeezed me tight. “Thank you for coming out with us. We know how busy you are.”

I chuckled and waved her off. I sat down, nodding a quick hello at Remington before I turned to her. “I’m never too busy for my favorite guests. Besides, everyone needs to take some time off sometimes and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather spend it with.”

All true. I’d quickly gotten particularly fond of these two, and while I knew that meant I was going to miss them when they were gone, it wouldn’t stop me from making the best of the time that they were here.

As we all settled in, Remington picked up a menu and looked it over. “What’s good here? It’s our first time dining at the pool.”

“Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret.” I leaned forward, glancing at him and ignoring the way the butterflies in my stomach burst into song as our eyes met. Purposely turning to face Lulu, I smiled. “All the food is prepared in the same kitchen. We just thought it was better to have different dining areas and the menus differ slightly from one to the next, but everything is good everywhere.”

She laughed gleefully. “Insider knowledge! That’s good to know. I love the pizza at the Kids Camp. Do they have the same ones here?”

I nodded. “They sure do.”

“Pizza?” Remington frowned, but when I turned to him with a puzzled frown, he quickly nodded. “Pizza. Of course. Just, uh, try to get one with some kind of vegetable on it. At least that way, you can report back to Mom that I made you eat healthy on this trip.”

“Oh, she won’t tell,” I assured him and winked at her. “Will you?”

Lulu’s eyes widened as she shook her head. “It’s got a tomato base. That counts, right?”

He rocked his head from side to side, considering the question before he laughed and nodded. “Sure. For this summer, it counts. A round of pizza, it is.”