Colton On Guard (The Coltons of Alaska #4)

Chapter 1

“Yes, ma’am, I apologize that we left your son off the booking for this tour,” Parker Colton told the red-faced, mean-eyed woman. “I’ll get them added immediately, so all three of you can join the group leaving in ten minutes. I’ll just need to collect the payment. Will it be cash or credit card?”

His perfectly reasonable question only appeared to infuriate her even more. “You know, you might be used to skating by on your good looks and charm,” she ranted, “but that’s not going to fly with me. You made a mistake and you need to fix it!”

As her voice rose and the other guests stared, Parker interrupted to tell her fine, they’d let her teenager go along without an extra charge. Since this appeared to be what she’d wanted and expected, she jerked her head in a nod and closed her mouth.

Then, as tour guide Hetty Amos got everyone rounded up and herded them outside, Parker sagged against the counter in relief.

Hetty made sure to circle back around and clap Parker on the back.

“It’s okay, Pretty Boy,” she said, grinning.

“Even with those good looks and charm, you got everything handled.”

Before Parker could come up with a response, Hetty waved and sauntered outside to join her group. They were all going on a wildlife tour.

Watching them leave, Parker smiled ruefully and shook his head.

As part owner of the family business Rough Terrain Adventures, or RTA for short, he usually handled taking tourists on tours.

Hiking, climbing, four-wheeling and fishing.

He wasn’t usually the one working the front counter and handling bookings, which might explain how that awful woman’s son had been inadvertently left off the reservation sheet.

Parker loved RTA and, most of the time, his life.

At this very moment however, he’d have gladly traded places with anybody else.

Running tours had always been the ideal occupation for someone who’d always preferred to spend every possible waking hour outdoors, no matter the weather.

The beautiful mountain town of Shelby, Alaska, offered ample opportunities to enjoy nature.

RTA specialized in allowing tourists to enjoy outstanding hiking trails, world-class fishing, unbeatable backcountry skiing, recreational cycling, kayaking, northern lights viewing, snowmobiling, and glacier cruises in stunning Prince William Sound.

No wonder Parker’s job in the family business working as RTA guide and manager often felt like an extended vacation with pay.

He got to take people on adventures, doing things he himself loved and enjoyed.

Talk about fun. Never a dull moment. He couldn’t have asked for a better, more enjoyable career.

Until now. His sister Lakin, who’d been basically the brains of RTA and kept everything running smoothly, had left them high and dry to renovate an old hotel with her longtime boyfriend.

Parker had zero patience for juggling the various office tasks she’d previously taken care off.

Reservations, phone calls, logging both accounts receivable and accounts payable were time-consuming and, frankly, he found them tedious and unpleasant.

He’d rather be outside where he belonged.

Add in the fact that his father and his uncle had taken to constantly dropping by to check on things, and Parker thought he might lose his mind.

Which is why he felt desperate enough to consider calling Genna MacDougal and asking if she wanted a job.

She’d worked at RTA for the entire four years she’d been in high school.

Part time during the school year and full time in the summers.

She’d been Lakin’s assistant the entire stretch and knew how to do everything Lakin did.

Everything Parker and Spence and Hetty now took turns doing.

Genna with her light blond hair and luminous green eyes. Beautiful didn’t even begin to describe her. She was, Parker thought, everything he’d ever wanted in a woman. And the fact that he knew he couldn’t have her only served to make him want her more.

Despite the truth that facing her again made him wince, hearing she’d moved permanently back to Shelby had felt like an answer to a prayer. He needed help and he’d heard she needed work. It would be a win-win situation.

As long as they could both get past what had happened between them a little over a year ago. And as long as Parker could figure out a way to regard her as just another employee and not the woman of his dreams.

About to pick up the phone, he looked over when the bell above the door jingled. His cousin Spence, who also co-owned RTA and worked as a guide, strode in.

“I’m here to help,” he said, his broad grin and sideways glance inviting Parker to share in the joke.

Except Parker wasn’t in the mood for games. “Good,” he said. “You can take over checking the online reservation system. I’m way behind on that.”

Though Spence’s smile never wavered, he did a double take. “Do you really think that’s the best idea?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Parker snapped. “Now that Lakin left, someone has to do it.”

Spence didn’t move. “I thought we were going to hire someone.”

“If I do, will you be able to train them?”

“Me?” Spence scoffed. “Call Lakin and make her do it. Or you could call Genna MacDougal? She worked here for four years. It’s been a while, but she probably knows how to run this place better than you or I do.”

Since none of his family was aware of Parker and Genna’s one-night stand, Parker shrugged. “I’m still thinking about it.”

“We need the help. Call her.”

“I don’t have her number,” Parker lied. Once upon a time, he would have given anything to have located a way to reach Genna, but he’d managed to lose her number because he hadn’t bothered to enter it into his phone.

Now that Lakin had actually provided Parker her contact information, he hesitated to use it.

“I do,” Spence said, pulling out his phone. “Let me send it to you.”

Once he’d done so, he crossed his arms and waited. Parker made a show of opening the text and saving the contact.

“Well?” Spence finally said. “Are you going to reach out to her or not?”

Parker thought for a moment. Maybe he was making too big of a deal out of nothing. After all, an entire year had passed. They’d both been consenting adults and a good time had been had by all. No doubt Genna had moved on.

He met his cousin’s gaze and slowly nodded. Then, taking a deep breath, he made the call.

When her cell phone rang, Genna MacDougal glanced at the screen and took a second look. Parker Colton. Almost a year too late. Funny, she’d saved his number and must have forgotten to erase it. She’d figured he’d long ago tossed hers.

Naturally, she debated not answering. But curiosity won out in the end. “Hello?”

“Hey, Genna.” He sounded nervous. Good.

“What do you want, Parker?” she asked, not even bothering to try to sound nice.

She had no idea of the etiquette when speaking with a man who’d ghosted her after a one-night stand, but she really didn’t care.

Parker had figuratively kicked her when she’d been down.

That wasn’t something she’d easily forget or forgive.

“I’d like to offer you a job,” he said. “Temporary, but still… We need a new general manager at RTA and since you worked for us before—”

“Go to hell,” she said, cutting him off. Then she ended the call. The sudden flare of anger she’d felt surprised her.

Hanging up on Parker should have felt good. Better than that, it should have felt great.

Except it didn’t. Instead, a wave of remorse swept through her.

One year ago, she’d been at her absolute lowest. When Parker had come up to her at the bar, he’d not only been the sexiest man she’d ever seen, but was physically the polar opposite of her ex-husband.

Still stinging from Chad’s betrayal, she’d acted solely on impulse when she’d gone home with Parker.

And she couldn’t even blame the passionate night they’d spent together on too much alcohol since she’d barely had two drinks.

Nope. She’d been raw and needy. Having the guy she’d crushed on back when she’d been in high school and home from college take an interest in her had been exactly the boost she’d needed.

He’d been witty, charming, and oh so easy on the eyes.

They’d shared one magical evening, laughing, dancing, and she’d given him her phone number.

But then, just as she’d been about to leave, he’d pulled her into an embrace. His kiss had made her head spin.

Hand in hand, when he’d led her out to his truck, she’d gone home with him without hesitation. Even though she’d never, not even once, had a one-night stand. Until then.

It had been a magical night. Exactly what she’d needed to make her feel like a desirable woman again. Parker had given her just the right amount of passion combined with respect. Nearly reverence. They’d made love over and over again until they were both spent and she’d fallen asleep in his arms.

And when she’d woke in the morning, he’d been gone. He’d scrawled a note and left it on the nightstand. I’ll call.

Except he never had. Part of her hadn’t really expected him to. She’d left town without ever hearing from him again.

Until now. She couldn’t believe the mofo had had the nerve to call and offer her a job. Even though she really needed one.

These days she was putting all her effort into getting her life together.

With her messy divorce and dissolution of property behind her, she’d taken her parents up on their offer to house-sit here in Shelby, Alaska, while they tried living in a long-term rental in Hawaii.

Though she had the funds to survive indefinitely, she wanted to keep as much money in her savings as possible.

Therefore, she needed to get some sort of job.

She hated that Parker’s offer actually tempted her.