Page 54 of You Know You Wanna

I hated that I’d put that uncertainty in her, though. She sure hadn’t had it when she’d met me, but I couldn’t blame her for not trusting me now.

“I’m not in the business of stealing properties or even hostile takeovers,” I said. “What you’ve got at Blue Pines is incredible. I wouldn’t change a thing except to help restore it to glory and perhaps make a few suggestions to make your life easier.”

When her eyebrows shot up, I rushed out the rest of this particular thought. “Nothing major. Do you remember when I suggested a separate entrance into the Kids Camp for the older children? That was a good suggestion. One that made sense and would save you time and effort. That’s the kind of thing I’m talking about, and if you take my offer, you’d have the money to do that and to make the necessary repairs.”

Her eyes locked on mine, but she still hadn’t said anything. All the doubt and uncertainty was still there. I had a feeling I knew what it was about, though.

This was the part of the conversation that I really needed her to hear. To listen and understand that it was true. My job and even my plans for the resort aside, if I made her believe one thing today, it was what I was about to say.

“Everything that has happened between us was real, Birdie,” I said gently, imploring her to believe me. “I wasn’t trying to do anything shady. I meant it. All of it. The kisses. That night in your cabin. It was all real. It wasn’t about what I do for a living or about who you work for. It was just me wanting you, and I don’t regret it. I hope you don’t either.”

She didn’t say a word, but I saw the relief on her features when her eyebrows lowered and her lids fluttered closed for a moment. I took it as a win, seeing her soften for just that moment.

“I should’ve told you that I was interested in investing in the resort. I know that now. I wasn’t keeping it from you to be malicious. It just seemed like something I had to discuss with only Alan and it never occurred to me that you might think I was trying to get close to you just to get to him. That was absolutely not the case. I swear.”

As she kept staring at me, I finally saw some of the doubt starting to evaporate. Something like hope took root in the center of my chest. “I’m sorry, Birdie, but this is really just a misunderstanding. When we met and started hanging out, I didn’t even know Alan was considering leaving the resort to you and I know now that I should’ve said something as soon as I found out, but ultimately, he’s still here and he’s still the owner, so I figured he was still the one I would be doing business with.”

I thought she might finally speak to me, but just as she opened her mouth, the canoe tipped and the girls were thrown into the water. I saw it happening from the corner of my eye, and I tossed my coffee and dove in.

They weren’t wearing life vests, and I didn’t know if those other two girls knew how to swim. More than that, though, I also didn’t know what had caused the canoe to tip or if anyone had knocked their heads or gotten hurt as they’d fallen over.

Cool water enveloped me, and I ignored the drag of my clothes as I sliced through the lake. There was a splash behind me, signaling that Birdie had followed me in. Bringing my arms up, I kicked my legs and closed the distance between us and them as fast I could.

My heart pounded in my ears, and it was the only sound I could hear. Panic gripped my senses. There was no crying out, or yelling, or even laughter coming from the girls.

My fingers closed around the first arm I came across. It was Cassidy. Then I got Heather. Hooking my arms around both girls, I looked around wildly for Laurene but didn’t find her. Suddenly, Birdie broke the surface only a couple yards away from me with my daughter in her arms, and a wave of relief so powerful that it made me lightheaded swept through me.

“She’s okay,” she called between panting breaths. “She got tangled in a net under the surface, but I freed her foot and she’s fine.”

We started towing the girls to shore. I gritted my teeth, my extremities going ice cold as I considered what might’ve happened if we hadn’t been here. My chest froze and a shiver passed through my body at the mere thought. With powerful kicks of my legs, I got the girls to where it was shallow enough that they could stand. Then I set them down and looked intently at each of them in turn.

“Are you okay?” I asked urgently, checking them over but not seeing any sign of injury. “Are you hurt? What happened?”

“I’m okay,” Cassidy said, her voice trembling and her eyes filling with tears. “Just a little shaken.”

“Same,” Heather agreed quietly, reaching for her friend and pulling her in for a hug.

I nodded and pushed through the water as fast as I could to get to Birdie and Laurene. They were almost to us as I swam up and gently transferred my daughter into my own arms, my heart going nuts as I held her tight. “Are you okay, baby?”

“I’m fine, Daddy,” she said, a little out of breath and with her voice also shaky, but otherwise sounding okay. “I’m not hurt or anything. I promise.”

“Thank God.” I closed my eyes. That accident could’ve been much, much worse.

So much worse that I didn’t even care to dwell on it. I just sent my thanks that we’d gotten to them on time and that no one had been hurt, and then I wondered again just how I was supposed to deal with things when Laurene went to the other side of the world.

If something like this happened in England, I would be a drive to the airport, a long flight, and another drive to the school away. That wasn’t good enough. It was too far. It would take too long.

My resolve strengthened in my gut. I can’t just let this happen. I just can’t.

28

BIRDIE

Remington and I worked together to get the girls out of the water and back to camp. Soaked and muddy by the time we arrived, I sent them to get cleaned up and then turned to him, grateful to have had his help.

“Thanks for everything you did down there,” I said hesitantly, looking up into those eyes and thinking back to everything he’d said on the dock. There were so many things I wanted to say in response, but now wasn’t the time. “I think we should probably call the bus and get them back to the resort. They’re all shaken up and I’m sure they’d appreciate their parents and their own beds tonight.”

“Sure,” he said. “Let’s do it. If I hadn’t been here, I definitely would’ve preferred to see her with my own two eyes this evening. Did any of them tell you what happened?”