15. Mae
FIFTEEN
Mae
I close down the chat and open the accounting docs. I can’t believe how many sales I’ve closed. I’ve never once thought of myself as a salesperson, but I actually enjoy doing this. It helps that I really believe in the place and what we’re offering. We might be charging too much for it, but most people don’t blink an eye at the cost.
The door to the office opens, and Seth strolls in, suit coat on with a pink and gold tie.
I watch him as he gets closer. “You know, I think I like you better in a bathing suit. I mean, you look good, but I can’t stop thinking about the way you looked doing laps in the hotel pool. If we had been alone, I totally would’ve attacked you.”
Seth chuckles and leans against his desk, his thigh touching my arm. “Since when did you become such a tiger?”
A faint hint of aftershave tickles my nose as I stand and move closer to Seth, his woodsy scent surrounding me. “Since I know what I want but I can’t have it. It’s not fair.” I shouldn’t be pouty. I shouldn’t say anything at all. But I’m tired of all of this.
His eyes flick to my lips. I should step away, but I don’t. I move closer. “Booked another tent,” I say.
He raises his eyebrows. “Maybe I should hire you permanently.”
“You should. This is my dream. I love it here so much.”
His lips quirk up. “I didn’t mean working here. I mean working for me. As my personal assistant.”
I lean into him and, without thinking, wind my arms up around his neck. “If it means being with you all the time, sign me up.” New York changed things. Yes. I want to stay here, but if it makes him unhappy, I’ll follow him to the ends of the Earth.
He brings his head down, and just before our lips nearly touch, the door bangs open. We spring apart, but it’s only Yvette, one of the lifeguards. “Mr. Seth, Mr. Mark says he needs you immediately down by the water.”
“Of course he does. You coming?” he asks me, and I call to Deka so she can get some fresh air too.
A couple of women are sitting in the gazebo. “Hey, Seth,” one of them calls. He jerks his head around and gives her one of his devastating smiles. “How are you this morning, Suzanne?”
“I’ll be better if you agree to join me for dinner tonight.”
Seth steps closer to me. “We’ve been over this. I don’t fraternize with the guests.”
She wiggles her eyebrows and sips her coffee. Seth places a hand on my back and guides me down to where the kayaks are stored. I think about asking him about Suzanne and then realize she’s probably not worth a conversation.
Mark greets us at the river with a grim expression and points to two kayaks on the shore.
“What’s the matter?” Seth asks.
“Two. That’s all we’ve got left.” He jams his hand into his hair.
“Two what?”
“Kayaks.”
“What happened to the other thirteen?”
Wow. How can he pull that number off the top of his head? I’d have to look at the inventory spreadsheet to know.
“Over the last few weeks, five have sprung leaks. You have Levi installing bidets in all the cabins, fixing up kitchens, and overseeing all the new landscaping. He hasn’t had time to fix them.”
“I can spare Levi today, but that will still only leave us seven. We need more than that, don’t we?”
“We’ve got a group of ten people coming in today at noon.”
Seth rubs his eyes. “But that still doesn’t explain the missing kayaks.”
There are far too many numbers floating around for me to know exactly how many kayaks just mysteriously disappeared.
Mark waves us over to where the kayaks are usually stored. “They were here last night and gone this morning. We’ve never had a problem with theft.”
“Okay. You take Abi and head into town. Buy as many kayaks as you can from Walmart and something to lock them up with so they don’t get stolen again. You should have enough time if you go now. I’ll grab Levi and get him to repair the ones we’ve got here.”
Seth hands him a credit card. “And, Mark, next time there’s a problem like this, I need more than four hours heads up. If I’d known about the leaky kayaks, this wouldn’t be as big of a problem.”
Mark nods but doesn’t say anything and takes off up the path. Seth and I head up the other path toward the cabins to find Levi. Seth is quiet, his lips pinched together and his jaw tight.
“You okay?” I ask.
He glances back at me. “Yeah. I’m just worried. I know I can run this place and make it profitable, but I’m not sure any of my brothers could. They’re all good at what they do, but none of them are natural managers.”
“So. Stay here then. I don’t see the problem.”
“Mae, I don’t want to stay here.” He rolls his eyes.
I’m sure he’s frustrated I keep bringing it up, but he’s never explained why. At least not to my satisfaction. I don’t get why he feels trapped. “Why not?”
“To me, this place represents poverty and scarcity. I spent so much time trying to build something stable for myself. I can’t go back. I know that must seem shallow to you, but I like my life, and I don’t want to give it up.”
I’m at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond. He does sound shallow, but I can also understand it. As the oldest child, he likely had to bear the brunt of his family’s financial struggles. I’ve seen pictures of his makeshift outfit for high school graduation, wearing his father’s ill-fitting suit. Abi got a brand-new dress for graduation. She had a completely different upbringing than he did.
“But you don’t have to change who you are just because you’re back home,” I protest.
He sighs and mutters under his breath about losing his money by constantly buying kayaks.
I laugh, trying to lighten the mood, but deep down I worry that I’m not the right kind of girl for him. He’s used to fancy resorts and expensive toys while I’m content with simple pleasures. I may not fit into his glamorous lifestyle forever.
And that thought scares me more than I care to admit.
.