Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Jasper
After an excellent steak-and-shrimp dinner last night, I was back at work, standing on the lawn behind the resort. Sheridan was next to me, but instead of enjoying her lemon-fresh scent and the fading summer smell of blossoming lilac bushes, I studied an old firepit.
“It’s a lot of work,” Sheridan said, “but the pavers are…somewhere.”
“In the shed.”
“Oh, good.” Her exhale told me a lot. The bridezilla Constance announced last night was a justified bride who was promised a remodeled firepit area as a meeting place for her small wedding.
Sheridan’s mom had described a firepit area that would have new pavers surrounding it, a propane pit so we didn’t have to rely on firewood, and a half shelter to block out any wind that wanted to blow out the flames.
None of that had been done, likely to do with the death of the resort owner. When the bride-to-be scoped out the venue, she’d apparently lost her shit.
“So,” Sheridan said hesitantly. “What do you think?”
“A remodeled firepit will be a bit of work, but it doesn’t matter how much.
I’ll make it happen.” The next few days were supposed to be in the nineties, and I’d be toiling under the sun.
I had actually looked forward to replacing the toilet so I could be in air-conditioning.
Had I gotten soft since I left the ranch?
“It does matter. I don’t want you to be miserable.”
“Every job comes with a little misery.” I studied the old, cracked pavers. It’d take some effort to dig them out and then place new ones, but a propane model with a tank wouldn’t be hard to install. Just hot and sweaty. “How long do I have?”
“Two weeks.”
“That should be enough time.” I started making a to-do list and attaching a timeline to it. “I need to replace that toilet, but I’ll do it this afternoon when it gets really hot.”
“Anything you need, please tell me and I’ll get it.”
I forced myself not to look at her. Anything could include a lot when it came to her.
I had liked introducing her to my family too much.
They all knew the story of her mom’s ashes, and they admired her all the more for it.
I deflected any of their other probing questions using the excuse that she was my boss.
I might’ve noticed Sheridan that day, but I wouldn’t have stopped to hit on her.
Dating wasn’t like riding a bike. Each time I ventured into the pool, the current had changed and gotten stronger. Expectations were different, and the older I got, the more “forever” the girl wanted.
It wasn’t that I hated commitment. It was that I had tried it before. I had given it my all, and as soon as the journey had hit a slight bump, she’d left. But I missed having someone. I missed sex.
An alluring woman telling me that she’d get everything I needed gave me ideas that were far from professional.
The heat of the day surrounded me, whispering about how close she was. How good she smelled. This job was a way to pass time and help her out. I was veering into forbidden territory, and if that happened, I’d have to quit. “Ice water. How about that?”
“Of course. I’ll make sure you have a steady supply.”
“Then I’ll get to it.” Before I did something like sport an impromptu erection. I had more control than that. Usually.
She disappeared, and thankfully, the shed was in the opposite direction so I couldn’t gape at her ass. She was wearing black linen shorts and a polo with a little pin that read Manager. Nothing overtly sexual, but it was just…her. And she had no idea.
I charged to the shed and diligently hauled everything to the new worksite.
As I worked, she’d come out and check on me, bringing a fresh water bottle filled with ice water.
Sweat stuck to my back. I’d put my hat on backward, but my shirt was clinging to me like a second skin.
The humidity swings in this state never failed to amaze me, and the resort building blocked the worst of the wind.
How many guests did we have? This shirt was driving me nuts.
Hell with it. We were close enough to a beach that me being shirtless shouldn’t send a lot of complaints Sheridan’s way. I pulled it over my head.
That wasn’t exactly better. It was still hot and sticky out, but at least I had less irritating me.
I continued prying pavers out of the dirt.
When the last one was stacked into a pile, I took a breather and dropped into one of the old Adirondack chairs that were moved to the side.
They probably wouldn’t make the cut for the wedding party.
Was there anything else Sheridan could use?
The chair faced the water. Over the hill that made up the backyard of the resort was the strip of land that would make Sheridan’s life easier and the resort more successful. Scraggly trees covered the land from the shore to the property line. Someone should clean that shit up. Maybe the owner?
If only.
But damn, what a view. Beyond the stretch was the glittering blue water of the lake.
The bay was wide and open. The largest man-made lake in the state went for miles.
On the other side of the shore were cliffs cut by the water over the decades.
One of the plaques in the meeting room told about the native dwellings that used to be located there.
Now there was an open field that overlooked the water.
“I thought you’d want something besides water.” Sheridan stopped when she pulled even with me. “Oh.” She took a step back, furrowed her brow, then stayed in place. Her gaze roamed all over my chest. “Um…Sprite.”
“Sounds good.” I slapped my belly. “Sorry to make it a shirtless Monday, but my shirt was plastered on me.”
“No. No, it’s fine.” A nervous laugh left her. “I’m sure there’ll be no complaints. Explains why Constance has been cleaning the rooms that line this side of the building.”
Chuckling, I accepted the drink from her. She used a to-go cup that the restaurant must offer. I could take some ogling, and if it made Constance more productive, then I wouldn’t feel so bad. I downed half the drink before coming up for air.
Her gaze was still averted. “Have you eaten yet?”
I wiped the back of my wrist across my forehead, hoping she wasn’t terribly uncomfortable. “Nah. I lose my appetite when it’s hot like this.”
Finally, her gaze dipped to my chest and then back up again. “That doesn’t sound good for you.”
I rolled a shoulder, liking her attention and her concern more than a normal employee should. “I’ll have a sandwich when I get home. No big deal.”
“I feel terrible.” Her attention dropped again, then skated away to the property she’d talked about renting.
Was she liking what she saw? “It’s a gorgeous view.”
“It is. I wish the property would get cleaned up.”
“I’m sure they plan to sometime,” I murmured, discomfort knotting between my shoulder blades. Linda would not be doing it, and she wasn’t renting it, though she could. She was probably waiting until she knew for sure whether she would be selling the cabin or signing off on it.
Since my plans were to stay single, there would be no signing off on it.
“I feel terrible about dumping this on you.”
“Don’t.” I slapped my hands on the armrests and pushed myself up before I stiffened more than I was.
The groan that slipped out was only because I was comfortable and holding in a belch.
My mom would be filled with shame in Montana if I burped in front of Sheridan in Coal Haven, North Dakota.
“It’s part of the job, and it doesn’t involve dead animals. Trust me, it’s okay.”
She blanched. “Dead animals. That only happens around here if someone hits a deer. Though there was that one raccoon incident.” She shuddered but didn’t elaborate. “I feel like I owe you a meal or something.”
I wasn’t here for a date. She needed help, not me hitting on her. I needed work and not a broken heart. “Like I said, don’t worry about it.”
“But I will.”
“It’s what makes you a good manager.”
She smiled, holding my gaze, but her cheeks flushed a pretty pink. Sheridan Bishop liked what she saw. I’d have to keep my shirt on after today. The heat in her eyes each time she got a glimpse of my chest was enough to get me to rethink my dating hiatus.
Although it wasn’t a “no women” rule, it was a “mess around only” decision, and Sheridan wasn’t someone who should be messed with.
She should be savored nice and slow until the flush that graced her cheeks swept over her entire body.
I wouldn’t be the one to do it. Sleeping with an employee wouldn’t get her the respect she needed.
Sheridan
Jasper was out there again today. Each time I’d gone out to refill his water and bring him a Sprite, he’d had his shirt on. Dang it.
No, I couldn’t be ogling my employee. And it didn’t matter.
Even with a sweaty shirt painted onto his hard muscles, he was a sight to behold.
His frame wasn’t broad, but he wasn’t wiry, and the smattering of dark hair on his chest only made him more real, along with the trail of hair that disappeared under the buckle of his jeans.
If he was out there all waxed and shiny, I’d write him off.
Those men didn’t go for women like me. They existed on TV and in workout videos. Jasper was practically in my backyard.
I pushed away from my desk. It wasn’t time for a refill, but he’d skipped lunch. He was working too hard to miss a meal. I walked toward the restaurant.
As I passed the front desk, Maria’s voice reached me. “Of course, we can give you a discount for that extra room.”
I almost screeched to a halt, but I continued on my path. Maria could handle it. I wouldn’t interfere with the customer.
Paola was wiping tables. She grinned and nodded toward a cooler behind the counter. “It’s in there for whenever you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” I dug my money out and rang in my order. I didn’t even give myself the discount. Be above reproach, my dad used to say, until I dropped out of college and he quit talking to me.