Fifteen
Natalia
When the knock came at my office door early Tuesday afternoon, I was elbows deep in work.
Between taking off completely on Friday and only working half a day yesterday, I’d fallen rather far behind. Normally, I was so on top of everything that needed to get done that it never hit me just how much work I took on between the two roles I fulfilled here at the retreat.
But after I’d come in yesterday, focusing on nothing but the work I needed to get done for the few hours I was here, and doing the same since I’d arrived first thing this morning, I was nearly caught up on everything.
Of course, I might now be delayed in completing those final few tasks, since it appeared I had a visitor. “Come in,” I called out.
The door opened, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Reid standing there with a warm smile on his face. “Hey.”
I smiled back. “Hi.”
“You haven’t stopped by my office all day today.”
As I sat up a little straighter, a touch of disbelief moved through me. Had Reid been hoping I would stop by?
“I’m sorry,” I lamented. “Believe it or not, I do have some things that I need you to sign, but I had just a bit more work to do than I anticipated. I’m nearly finished, though, and after, I’m going to have lunch before I make my rounds.”
His brows pulled together as he crossed the room, making his way to the chair on the opposite side of my desk. As Reid lowered himself into it, he said, “Rounds?”
Laughing, I admitted, “I guess that does sound a bit strange. It’s just that I feel like it’s been far too long since I’ve been anywhere other than my cabin or this office, and I want to get out, check in with the rest of the staff, visit with the guests around the property, and make sure everything is running smoothly. ”
Understanding dawned on his handsome features. The more I got to see this sweet side of Reid, the more attractive he became to me. “Would you… Would it be alright with you if I tagged along?”
And then there was that. His attentiveness and interest.
Obviously, when he first stayed at my place to care for me when I’d been so out of it, I wanted to brush it off as a simple thing he’d done for one of the employees at his family’s retreat. Adding to it the guilt he felt, he probably sensed an obligation to do what he’d done.
But when it became clear to him that I was on the mend and capable of taking care of myself again, he didn’t back down. He stayed. And ever since then, he’d been making an effort to be in my space. This visit to my office was proof enough of that. “You want to tag along with me?”
He shrugged. “If you wouldn’t mind having me with you.
I think I unfairly judged this place years ago, and I haven’t given myself an opportunity to really see what it’s about.
I think it might be wise to give it a chance.
Plus, you said that this is one of the best weeks here, so I thought I’d see what all the fuss was about. ”
A thrill of excitement rushed through my veins.
I loved this. I’d been devastated to learn about why Reid had been so standoffish with me over the first few weeks, but I was glad that he told me the truth.
That he was now softening up and willing to give himself the option to fall in love with the retreat the way so many others had—myself included—meant everything.
I dropped my gaze to the folder on the corner of my desk, reached for it, and slid it over to him. “If you want to sign those papers for me while you’re here, I’ll finish up what I’m working on. Then we can grab a bite to eat before I give you the tour.”
His lips twitched. “That sounds wonderful.”
Reid reached for the stray pen on my desk, flipped open the folder, and began working his way through the documents.
I watched him scribble his name on the first of those papers before I returned my attention to my work.
And fifteen minutes later, we were walking out of my office, on our way to grab some lunch at the café perched near the main lodge.
Throughout lunch, the conversation remained casual.
Reid merely questioned me about the work I’d been doing over the last two days to get myself caught up.
Of course, he also insisted there was no need for me to push myself as hard as I had been.
And that conversation only led to him wanting to check and double-check that I wasn’t feeling any new pain as a result of the assault.
Obviously, I answered all his questions, easing his concerns.
But I couldn’t stop myself from teasing him, too.
He’d done a full one hundred and eighty degree turn when it came to his interactions with me and his overall mood.
If I hadn’t witnessed the side of him that had been so grouchy at the start, I never would have believed he had it in him.
In a way, having experienced that side of him only made me appreciate this side that much more.
After lunch, I led Reid over to the main lodge. Since it was the closest to the café—and where a good majority of the fun happened—I thought it was the best place to start.
Unsurprisingly, we walked in and found Danielle working with several other team members—Candace, Mark, and Curtis—on last-minute preparations for the holiday festivities.
Reid and I walked right up to them, and I didn’t hesitate to interrupt. “Hello. What’s going on here?”
“Hey, Natalia.” Danielle slid her eyes to the side. “Reid, it’s great to see you here, too. We’re just finalizing the last of our plans for Thursday.”
They had no shortage of stuff spread out across three tables.
Before I could respond, Reid asked, “What are the plans for the holiday?”
Part of me was stunned. Sure, he’d been making changes in how he interacted with me, but to see him showing an interest in this was completely unexpected. I had anticipated him tagging along and merely allowing me to do all the talking.
Candace stepped forward and extended her hand. “Hi, Mr. Erickson. I’m not sure that we’ve officially met. I’m Candace.”
He shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Candace. And please, call me Reid.”
“Of course. Well, we’ve gotten most of the planning done already, but these last couple of items are some of the fun things we have planned for the guests and staff on Thursday.”
Curtis chimed in. “There’s something about the holidays that leads to everyone seeming to want to be involved in group activities.
So, while we do have things that offer a solitary experience for those who are interested, all of this is mostly group activities, like a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt, Turkey Day bingo, and the gratitude wall.
” He smiled as he waved his hand toward each of the tables as he’d shared the specifics. “I’m Curtis, by the way.”
Reid shook his hand. “Reid. And you?”
“Mark.”
Shaking Mark’s hand, he said, “Nice to meet you. Looks like you all have a lot planned that should make for a great time for everyone.”
“It’s really a blast,” Mark assured him. “The guests love it.”
“And if you think this is fun, just wait until Christmas preparations begin. It’s even better,” I told him.
Danielle laughed. “If she hasn’t already asked you, I suspect it’ll come soon. Natalia would very likely be willing to take on just one more role here at Sandstone Heart. If you’re ever looking to hire a full-time decorator, Natalia is your girl.”
Reid chuckled. “So, I’ve heard.”
My friend shifted her attention to me and offered a knowing look. “So, did you two come over here to check in on us?”
I shook my head. “Not exactly. I was so busy the past two days that I wanted to get out and check in on everyone. See how everything is going and if anyone needed any help. Reid found out and wanted to tag along. And since he’s not really had a tour of the grounds since he was a teenager, I figured I’d give him one today. ”
“Aw, man, there’s a lot to see,” Curtis said. “You probably won’t be able to check it all out in a day.”
Reid glanced down at me. “We won’t?”
“Depends on the level of exploration you intend to do. I have a few ideas, though,” I said, a hint of temptation dripping from my words.
He raised his brows. “Sounds like I’m in for a surprise. Maybe we should get to it.”
“Sure.” I returned my attention to Danielle and her team. “Everything is looking great here. I’m so excited for this year’s celebration.”
“Us, too. See you later, Nat.”
“Later.”
Reid said goodbye, and I gave Danielle one last look. She winked at me before breaking out into a full-fledged grin. There were far too many thoughts swirling in her head, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before she was banging down my door, demanding answers.
We made our way across the lodge and spent a few minutes speaking with a couple of guests who were here for their first time. Once again, Reid engaged with them, and it warmed my heart. This hadn’t come easily, but I was thrilled he was making the effort.
Eventually, I decided to switch things up. “If you’re up for doing some exploration outside, I’d be happy to do that now.”
Reid’s eyes dropped to my feet. “You want to do that in those shoes?”
I looked down at them, realizing he had a point. Not that I didn’t think I could do it, but it wasn’t exactly practical. Shrugging, I said, “As long as you don’t mind traveling that way, I’ll commandeer one of the golf carts.”
His brows pulled together, and he squinted as he assessed me. “Are you a good driver?”
A rush of air left my lungs. “Honestly, no. I’m here so much, I don’t do much driving as it is. I can get to where I’m going if I have to, but in this case, I can’t promise we won’t end up off a trail and somewhere we’ll have to push the cart out from.”
He chuckled. “Alright. You secure the golf cart, and I’ll drive.”
Not quite ten minutes later, Reid drove us all over the property at my commands.
We stopped often as I showed him the different buildings—the living quarters for some staff and all guests, the indoor recreation facility, restaurants, and the event center—as well as some of the favorite outdoor spots, like the pool, lake, hiking trails, and open fields for sports and games.
We were moving along on a trail when I said, “Stop here.”
Reid came to a stop and asked, “What’s this?”
I smiled at him. “This is my favorite firepit.”
His brows shot up in surprise. “Really?”
“Why does that shock you?”
He looked around the area, which wasn’t terribly far from where I stayed in the Buckeye Lodge, but still far enough away that it was secluded. “I realize there’s a lot of land around here, but this feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere.”
“It is. Why would that be an issue?”
Shaking his head, Reid insisted, “It’s not.
I just find it strange that you would want to be so secluded.
I mean, when we were in the lodge or at the restaurant, there were so many people you talked with, and it made sense.
But I didn’t expect we’d be stopping occasionally on this golf cart not only so you could tell me more about the area but so that you could also greet everyone we happen to see out here.
For someone who loves people as much as you do, I would think a firepit all the way out here would be your last choice. ”
There wasn’t an ounce of malice in Reid’s tone.
I didn’t think he was saying anything to make me feel bad about my love for surrounding myself with good people and constantly wanting to be chatty.
He was merely making an observation, and I loved that he knew me well enough to see that this was strange.
“I know this might be impossible to believe, but I do enjoy some peace and quiet from time to time.”
Nodding slowly, his eyes gazing out at the firepit, he said, “Interesting. I didn’t know that about you.”
I playfully shoved my shoulder into his. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Reid.”
He returned his attention to my face, his features soft and warm. “So, tell me something.”
“Like what?”
“Like, how do you plan to spend the rest of your week this week? What are your Thanksgiving Day plans?”
Smiling, I said, “Well, I’m going to take part in the pottery painting here at the retreat that morning. Then I’ll have lunch with the guests and other staff who are here that day.”
“Pottery?”
“Yes. There’s a wide assortment of ceramic pieces to choose from, like mugs, bowls, plates, or vases. I plan to pick one out and paint it.”
His eyes roamed over my features. “There really isn’t anything that you won’t try here, is there?”
“I work hard, Reid, but I also like to play hard, too.”
Something darkened in his gaze. I ignored the intensity in that look and focused my attention on the trail ahead.
“But this was probably too much playing today as it is. We should head back to the office.”
The silence stretched between us, and I could feel Reid’s gaze on my profile, but I didn’t dare look over at him. Suddenly, I became all too aware of how close we were in the golf cart. I couldn’t ignore the way his muscled thigh was pressed against my leg. And my heart pounded wildly.
Following a few additional tense beats, he sprang into action and drove us back to the office.
My belly trembled the entire way there.