Page 6 of You Know You Wanna

This led to some enthusiastic wrestling between the brothers, but eventually I got them back in their neutral corners. With that out of their systems, they nodded enthusiastically. Even the sad girl seemed excited. As I led them out of the foyer, the man from the diner followed me with his cool blue eyes. An unfamiliar but not unpleasant shiver raced down my spine.

In that moment, I knew Mr. Tall, Rude, and Handsome was going to cause trouble for me during his stay at the resort.

3

REMINGTON

“I’m sorry, sir, but there are no rooms available in the main resort,” the kid at the front desk told me after checking an ancient computer. “However, we do have a cabin available for tonight. It’s lovely and rustic with bunk beds and an adjoining bathroom. I think you’ll be very happy there.”

Will I? Because I’m sure not feeling very happy about it right now. “Your website says that you’ve got suites. Are you sure there are none of those available?”

“We do have a suite opening up in two days, sir,” he said. “It’ll be available after that for some time.”

“Once that suite opens up, go ahead and give it to me for the summer,” I said. “If I’m already moving once, I don’t want to have to do it again.”

While the guy scrambled to try and work something out for me, an old man walked up and cut me a sharp glare. “Is there a problem here?”

The man stood tall for his age, and there was a certain authority in the way he spoke. It took me all of about ten seconds to come to the conclusion that he was the owner of this resort and that he wasn’t going to be an easy nut to crack.

Someone this old and set in his ways was always a hard sell, but I was used to getting what I wanted. Even if it took me a while to get it.

“No problem,” I said, extending a hand toward him. “I’m Remington Ford and this is my daughter, Laurene. We’d like to stay with you for the summer. In a suite, preferably, but I’m told you’ve only got one of those available in a couple days’ time, so we’ll take the cabin for now.”

Laurene stiffened with shock beside me, shooting me a questioning glance. The old man eyed my hand for a beat before he shook it. “Alan Armstrong. I’m afraid we’ve only got two suites and they’re usually pre-booked for the summer. Nothing you can do but wait for one to open up.”

“I understand,” I replied easily, not needing to make an enemy out of him if I wanted him to sell this place to me. “We’ll take the suite when it’s available.”

Alan’s grip was surprisingly firm as he shook my hand. Then he let go and turned toward the guy behind the desk. “See what you can do, James. I’m sure we can move some reservations around to accommodate them for as long as they want to be accommodated. If this fancy guy from the city wants to spend several grand staying here in a suite, so be it.”

It was an obvious insult, but I took it in stride. Honestly, I’d been called a lot worse. “Thank you, Alan. We appreciate it. Actually, I’m an investor by trade and I’d like to set up a meeting with you while I’m here.”

He turned back to me. “I don’t take meetings.”

Alan simply walked away. James stammered something incomprehensible and gave me a wide-eyed stare before producing a set of keys. Like, actual, metal keys. No programmable keycards or biometrics here, it seemed.

“Enjoy your stay, sir,” he said as he handed them over. “You’re in cabin number seven. Follow the road out of the parking lot and keep left at the fork. It’ll be on your right. The cabins have the added benefit of having a parking spot right next to them. Do you need help with your suitcases?”

“No, I’ve got it.” If they needed to ask, then I’d rather pass. God only knew who they’d send to fumble with our things and how long that was going to take. “Thanks, James. We’ll see you around.”

“Of course, sir,” he replied. “We hope you have a pleasant stay.”

So do I.

Laurene followed me back to the car, playing with her phone while I drove us to the cabin which was, indeed, rustic. Set behind the main building and slightly back off the road, it was surrounded by towering trees so lush that the branches formed a canopy overhead.

When we climbed out of the car, the chirp of some kind of creatures in the woods was so loud that it cut through everything, but it was one of those sounds that would fade into the background once we got used to it. I took a deep breath as I looked up at the simple wooden structure, already knowing that Laurene wasn’t going to be happy with it.

Almost as if on cue, the first complaints started rolling in. “Daddy, there’s no cell service here.”

I popped open the trunk and pulled out our suitcases, glancing at my beautiful baby girl and wondering when she’d become so big that she even cared about something like cell service. “I suspected it could be spotty all the way out here, but it’s fine. It’s better this way. For both of us.”

“How?” she asked incredulously as she followed me up a few rickety stairs to our front door. “What are we supposed to do without our phones?”

“Live.” I dragged the suitcases to a stop and fished the key out of my pocket. “This will be a good opportunity for you to get out into nature, breathe some fresh air for a change, and just be a kid for once.”

“I’m twelve,” she said emphatically. “I’m not a child anymore.”

“You’re not a grownup either, honey,” I replied as I unlocked the door and pushed it open. “If anyone had asked me, I would’ve told them that I didn’t want you to have your phone at your age anyway, but it must’ve slipped your mother’s mind to mention it before she bought you one.”