Page 4 of You Know You Wanna

A frisson of worry ran through me. Gracie worked as a teacher at the elementary school in town. Her bartending gig at the resort was only for the break, and once she left, the other permanent staff and I would have to take care of Alan.

In the time I’d worked there, he’d become something of a father figure to me and I couldn’t stand the thought that he might be seriously ill, but I was going to choose to believe that wasn’t the case. He was the retire when I die type and a real go-getter, but his health had definitely been waning over the last year or so.

The worry turned into dread in the pit of my stomach. I’d already lost one father. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing another.

Oblivious to the morbid turn my thoughts had taken, Gracie smiled at me. “Anyway, was it just my imagination, or was the asshat snob checking you out a little bit back there?”

“Are you still thinking about that guy?” I groaned and shook my head. “He wasn’t checking me out. All he wanted from me was directions. Simmer down.”

She laughed as I parked in front of my private cabin behind the main part of the resort. “If you say so, but if it turns out that I’m right and he was checking you out, you might want to consider letting him give you a little something-something.”

I turned off the engine and arched a steep eyebrow at her. “Why? I thought we’d established that he’s an asshat.”

“He is, but with the emphasis on ass. Did you see his? Because I sure did. It’s tight as hell. Big guy like that should have a nice big—” She widened her eyes. “Heart. Get your mind out of the gutter, Birdie. He’s not just a piece of meat.”

I laughed, climbing out of the truck before she could keep teasing me about Diner Snob.

Gracie followed me out and gathered her pineapples off the back. She lifted them out and caught a glimpse of her watch. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Shit. I’m going to be late for my shift. If anyone asks, lunch was quick, but the errands ran long.”

I nodded and waved her off. “Get your butt in gear and you’ll make it.”

She sprinted off with more energy than I had most days. Maybe I needed to get back in the gym. Tighten up the old glutes. But who had the time?

I collected the rest of the stuff before heading to the front desk to check my own schedule for the afternoon. I led a morning yoga session five days a week, and that was my official job description, but when I wasn’t doing that, I acted as something of a manager around here, coordinating things behind the scenes.

Blue Pines was my home and it had been for about ten years now. I helped out where I could during my free time and I liked to think that I’d helped build this place into what it was today. Nestled in the mountains, with lots of tall trees and wildlife around, it was a dream come true for me to live and work on a property like this.

Our foyer was spacious but smaller than most, with picture windows behind the desk and wooden floors. It definitely wasn’t as modern as some, but our guests seemed to like this place’s country charm. If they wanted glitz and glamour, the mountains of Tennessee were the wrong destination. People came out here to relax and get some fresh air in their lungs.

They came to slow down and escape the constant hustle of the rest of the world. Without so many distractions, people could focus on what was important, like their loved ones. I had seen a lot of families come through this place in the ten years I’d worked there. No matter how they showed up, they always left smiling.

It felt good to work at a place that could bring joy to people like that. I would never be rich, but helping others brought a different kind of reward.

“Hey, James.” I smiled at the guy working the front desk as I moved in behind it. “Have you saved the world from aliens yet?”

The nineteen-year-old smiled, barely looking away from the game he was playing on his phone. “I’ve been training for this my whole life. The earth is in good hands.”

“Great,” I said, nodding. “How about the front desk? How’s that doing?”

“It’s also safe from space invaders,” he said. “Nothing exciting to report in general. Well, that’s not true. I unclogged a toilet earlier. I’ll bet you five bucks you can’t guess what I found in there.”

“Nope, I’m good, James.” I checked the schedule posted on the bulletin board in the back and grinned when I saw that the rest of my day was clear. “I’ll be at the Kids Camp if you need me for anything—other than finishing that story.”

He nodded, his eyes looking haunted. “That’s probably for the best.”

If it was a slow day, he wouldn’t need my help, and if it got busy, he’d track me down for sure. I took off to the child-care center at the resort, wondering about the group activities Jenna had planned for the older kids today.

As I headed out, I ran into Alan, who was supposed to be in Gatlinburg for a doctor’s appointment today. My heart skipped and I raced over to him. “What are you doing here? Did your appointment get postponed?”

“Yep,” he said, that soft rasp of age in his voice more pronounced than it had ever been before. “I postponed it. Permanently.”

I sighed. “You canceled?”

“I didn’t want to go.” The lines etched into his face deepened as he frowned at me. “I thought you were in town. Did you fill my prescription?”

“Yes, but you still need to see the doctor,” I said firmly. “You told me that these pills were only to tide you over until the appointment, which means this was probably your last refill. Reschedule the appointment, Alan. Please.”

“No,” he said obstinately, cloudy blue eyes narrowing on mine. “I don’t need it. I’m as healthy as a horse. Fit as a fiddle.”