Page 42 of Grumpy Bear

18

Sawyer

Luke was quiet on the way back from the swimming hole. I didn’t know if he was wiped out from working outside all day or if his mood had shifted. There was a tension I didn’t know what to do with. Asking him about it was a horrifying prospect, so I left him alone with his thoughts. I didn’t have an issue with companionable silences, but I didn’t know him well enough to trust it was that. He was usually a talker.

When we reached the lodge, he immediately excused himself to the bathroom.

I told him to come find me in the office when he was done.

I found Jim setting up for the crush of arrivals that descended on Friday afternoons.

“So, how’d it go up there?” Jim lifted an eyebrow, loading the question.

I played it straight and innocent, refusing to bite. “I think we’re good. Even if we get a night like last night, it should be enough.”

“Are you talking about the dam or…?”

I shook my head slowly. “Stop.”

“You’re seriously going to stand here and tell me there’s nothing about him?”

“What do you want me to say? He’s a nice enough guy. He’s a hard worker. He’s got a good attitude. He’s a good employee.” I emphasized that last part.

“Well, I should hope so. You rescued him from a storm, let him sleep in your cabin, then you made him your own personal assistant and carted him around all day. You keep hogging the pretty new boy, and people are going to talk.”

I growled. “Fine. Assign him to somebody else, then.”

“Sawyer, I’m teasing you. I don’t care if you throw him over your shoulder and run up the holler naked. I’d love it, personally. And, for the record, nobody expects you to be a nun for the rest of your life.”

“No, you’re right. I was actually thinking I might have kept him on a leash all day. Nobody wants the boss breathing down their neck every second. Luke’s barely spoken to anybody else here. He might want to… connect with somebody. I don’t want to stand in the way of that.”

“Well, then you can give him to me and Karen Walker for the afternoon. He can help me do check-ins. That way he’ll get to meet everybody.”

I knew Jim, and Jim knew me. On the one hand, he was trying to get me to admit I was interested in Luke by threatening to pimp him out to the whole campground. On the other hand, Jim genuinely liked Luke and wanted his own turn hanging out with him. A little bit of pretty boy company would make his day.

At least Jim was the one person I could trust not to try and fuck him. Not that I had any right to be worrying about that.

“Fine. You hired him. It’s only fair. When he shows up here looking for me, tell him he’s with you.”

“It’s only kind of fair.” Jim sighed dramatically and tapped a stack of papers that were already straight. “It’s not like my job requires him to go skinny dipping with me.”

“Fuck off.”

He did the exact opposite. He couldn’t contain himself. “So, is he gorgeous?”

“You’ve seen him.”

“Is he gorgeous naked?”

On impulse, I gave him a dose of his own medicine. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

He wasn’t expecting that.

I left him clutching his pearls.

It was time to make my rounds in the UTV to check in with the guys before the guests started arriving.

Regardless of what Jim said, I wasn’t trying to kid myself. I was genuinely trying to be discreet. I could admit it. There was the potential for something to happen with Luke. And if and when it did, I’d prefer it at least be in the privacy of my cabin.