Chapter 3 #3
“I still can’t believe he did that,” Kelsey murmured.
“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” Jonah called out as he ran over. “Can we roast marshmallows? Annabeth said it’s fun! Can we? Please?”
Lexi glanced down to the other end of the table and saw Annabeth pleading with Connor and knew she was saying the same thing her son was. She was about to comment when Connor stood up.
“Anyone interested in testing out our s’mores kits?” he asked.
“There’s a kit?” Axel asked. “Where have you been hiding it?”
“In a suitable spot so you wouldn’t steal all the candy bars,” Connor teased. “How about we clean up and head outside and sit around the firepit, huh? It will be like old times!”
She inwardly groaned. Was he doing this stuff on purpose?
Unfortunately, everyone agreed and seemed to be excited at the thought of sitting around the fire, so who was she to be the lone party pooper?
Turning to Jonah, she forced herself to smile. “We just need to clean up first, and then we’ll all go outside, okay?”
“Yay! Thanks, Mom!” And then he ran off toward Annabeth, and they took off down one of the hallways.
“Um…are they supposed to…?”
“It’s fine,” Maisie replied as they all got to their feet and began picking up dishes. “That’s the office hallway, and there’s a lounge at the end with couches and a TV. Annabeth hangs out down there all the time, so I’m sure she’s just showing it to him.”
“Oh. Okay. Whew! I was afraid they were going into the guest rooms.”
It was a bit of controlled chaos as they worked together to clean up. In the kitchen, she had no idea where anything went or what she was supposed to do, but it seemed like Connor had most of it under control.
“Harlow? Can you grab the supplies from the back of the pantry?” he asked.
“No problem!”
“I should probably get Jonah,” she said to no one in particular, but before she could leave the kitchen, he was running through with Annabeth. “Maybe chocolate isn’t the best idea…”
“He’ll run it off,” Kelsey said with a laugh. “At least, I hope for your sake that he will.”
Slater joined them and nodded toward the door. “Come on. Let’s head down to the firepit and get the fire going. It’s something you might need to know how to do as the activities director. Grab your jackets, everyone. It’s a little chilly out, and even with the fire, you’re going to need them.”
So, she followed him out, along with Jayce, Kelsey, Axel, Maisie, and Harlow, all with their jackets. Jonah and Annabeth were already down the stairs and running around the firepit area. When she reached him, she gently pulled her son aside.
“I love that you’re having fun with Annabeth, but you may not run outside like that without me. Understand?”
He nodded solemnly, his big brown eyes brimming with tears because she was using her stern mom voice on him.
“This is a new place for us, and you need to be very careful, okay?”
Another nod.
“Let’s go sit and calm down for a few minutes,” she said. Together they joined everyone, and she let him sit on one of the benches with Annabeth.
“You ready to start the fire?” Slater asked her.
“Me? Um…I don’t have any idea how to do that. Yet.”
He grinned. “Good answer. That’s why I’m here to teach you.”
Nodding, Lexi looked around to get her bearings and then waited for his instructions. The firepit was empty except for a dusting of gray ash. A neat stack of split logs sat on a rack nearby, with a smaller bundle of kindling tied up with twine.
“Alright,” Slater said, grabbing a bucket of supplies out of the shed that was hidden behind a row of bushes.
“First thing we always do is clear out yesterday’s leftovers.
Fire won’t breathe right if the base is clogged with ash.
” He brushed the pit clean with a metal scoop and waved Lexi closer.
“Next is the tinder. Think of it as the spark plug. We use crumpled newspapers and wood shavings. You can grab pine needles too, if they’re dry.
We’ll have staff members restocking the shed daily, so you shouldn’t have to go out searching for everything every night.
We’ll make sure they’re set up as kits, so you should just be able to grab one bundle to get the fire started. ”
Lexi crouched beside him with another nod, following as he laid a small nest of tinder in the center.
“Next comes kindling.” He picked up a handful of thin sticks. “Stack ’em like a teepee over the tinder. Not too tight, though. Leave space for air. Fire chokes without air.”
She copied his motions, balancing the sticks carefully.
“Good. Now lean a couple of small logs against that. Don’t start with the big ones, or you’ll be fighting smoke instead of flame.”
She reached for two short pieces of split wood and set them in place while silently praying she was doing it right.
Slater nodded, striking a long match. “Always light the tinder, not the logs. And hit it from two or three sides so it spreads evenly.” He touched the flame to the paper.
Smoke curled upward, then fire snapped to life, climbing into the kindling.
The blaze grew steadily, the crackle sharp in the quiet air, and everyone started to cheer.
“Once it’s caught, all you’ve got to do is feed it slow,” Slater explained, straightening. “One log at a time until you’ve got a steady burn. Easy enough, right?”
Lexi shielded her face from the heat, a grin tugging at her mouth. “Easier than I thought.”
“Excellent! Once we start hiring our staff, you’ll be the one teaching them how to do this!”
“Can we make s’mores now?” Annabeth asked with just a hint of annoyance, like the adults were taking too long and she had things she had to do.
“That was very rude, Annabeth,” Connor said as he joined them. He went directly to his daughter and gently but firmly told her she needed to apologize.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly before Connor placed a soft kiss on the top of her head and sat down beside her.
“Okay!” Slater said loudly. “Let’s make some yummy dessert!”
The kids cheered, and Connor took the lead in showing them—and everyone—how to assemble the graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. It was a bit chaotic and more than a little messy, but everyone was having a good time.
Including Lexi.
She helped Jonah make his and thought they’d share it, but he quickly told her he wanted the whole s’more to himself. Connor must have heard the conversation because he handed her a paper plate with a freshly made one on it.
“Annabeth doesn’t like to share hers either,” he said with a small smile.
“Thanks.”
Sitting in an Adirondack chair, she was content to sit back and enjoy the yummy food while listening to everyone talk about what was on the schedule for tomorrow. When Slater told everyone of their plans, she just nodded along.
“Why don’t you let Jonah stay with me?” Kelsey asked. “Jayce is going to be inspecting some of the electrical stuff that Walker’s concerned about, and I was just going to hang out. I would love to spend some time with him so you can focus on all the information Slater’s got for you tomorrow.”
“Are you sure? We just planned on Jonah tagging along so he can explore the property.”
“I can do that with him so he can take his time and you won’t feel rushed. I know this is a lot to be taking on, and I’m more than happy to help while I’m here.”
But Lexi felt bad asking for any more favors. “You and Jayce have already done so much for us, Kelsey. I think you’re entitled to a little time to relax and enjoy your time here.”
“And I will. With Jonah. Besides, after you selflessly gave up the cabin for us, it’s the least I can do.”
“We both know you deserved to spend the time in your cabin.”
“Yeah, but…I know you’re not exactly thrilled about whose cabin you’re staying in for the next few nights, so…”
It was obvious Kelsey wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so she politely thanked her. “I appreciate it. Really. And you know you’ll be able to come and get me if you need me.”
“Exactly. We’ll meet up at lunchtime and see how things are going. How does that sound?”
Smiling, she leaned over and hugged her friend. “It sounds like I’m a very lucky woman.”
Kelsey hugged her back just as tightly.
“I hate to break this moment up,” Jayce said with a hint of amusement. “But I’d love to take my bride-to-be back to our cabin. It’s been a long day, and I’m beat.”
“It’s barely seven,” Slater said with a laugh, clearly overhearing the conversation.
Jayce glanced at him over his shoulder. “Well, should you ever find a woman who wants to put up with you, maybe you’ll understand.” Then he reached out a hand and gently pulled Kelsey to her feet. “We’ll see everyone in the morning.”
After that, Walker and Harlow said their goodnights, quickly followed by Axel and Maisie.
“Want to see how to shut down the fire?” Slater asked, but before she could answer, his phone rang. “Shoot. Sorry, Lex. I’ve got to take this.” He looked at Connor. “Can you take care of this?”
“Yeah. Sure. No problem.”
“I’ll meet you up in the lodge tomorrow at eight, Lexi. Have a good night!” And then he was gone, and it was just her, Connor, and the kids.
Awkward.
Standing, she walked around and picked up any lingering dessert debris and put it in the trash. When she came back to the firepit, Connor was also on his feet. They stared at each other, and it felt both weird and yet…not.
By now, the sun had dipped behind the trees, the firepit had burned down to a bed of glowing embers, and the night air grew quiet.
“Alright,” Connor said, clapping his hands once. “So, you never ever leave a fire to die out on its own.”
Lexi nodded, stepping closer as he grabbed a metal pail of water. “Where did you get that?”
He motioned toward the shed. “There’s a waterspout back there, and the buckets are in the shed too.”
Another nod.
“First rule: drown it. Pour slowly, not all at once. If you dump the whole bucket, you just push ash around and the bottom can stay hot.” He tipped the pail in a steady stream over the embers.
Steam hissed upward, the glow fading but not disappearing.
“Second rule: stir.” He used a long metal poker to turn the wet ash, exposing pockets of red.
“See that? Still burning under there. You’ve got to mix it until everything’s soaked. ”
Crouching beside him and taking the poker when he offered it, she stirred through the pile. More steam rose, with a faint sizzle coming from the pit.
“Now, last check,” he said, handing her the pail. This time, their fingers brushed, and she had to stop herself from flinching. “Pour again, then put your hand above it—close enough to feel heat, but don’t touch. If it’s warm, it’s not out.”
She poured another thin layer of water, then held her palm a few inches above the pit. Nothing but cool damp air met her skin.
“Cold,” she said.
“Good. That means it’s safe. The motto here is: cold to the touch, safe to walk away.” He gave her a firm nod. “Do it like this every night, and you’ll never have a problem.”
Lexi straightened, brushing ash from her hands. “Light it, feed it, drown it, stir it. Got it.”
Connor chuckled. “Exactly. You’ll be a pro in no time.”
“I hope so. But I also hope to accomplish more than just being a pro at campfires,” she said with a nervous laugh. “I appreciate everyone taking a chance on me, and I hope I don’t let you all down.”
His expression softened. “You could never let anyone down, Lexi. Ever.”
There was so much conviction behind those words, but she didn’t believe him.
She couldn’t. It was on the tip of her tongue to say something snarky about how her bank account was clearly a letdown to him and his family, but…
what was the point? It was ancient history, and maybe if she stopped looking back and forced herself to keep looking forward, she’d be happier.
Ducking her head a bit, she replied, “Thanks. And thank you for showing me how to put out the fire. And for the s’mores.
They were a big hit.” Turning around, she saw that Jonah was practically falling asleep, so she went and picked him up.
“Hey, buddy. Can you say thank you to Mr. Winslowe for our dinner and dessert?”
“Thank you…” He yawned. “Mr. Winslowe.” Then he rested his head on her shoulder.
“We should go. It’s been a long day, and now we need to get settled in the cabin.” She paused. “And I guess I should thank you again for that. I really appreciate it. It just felt wrong to make Jayce and Kelsey stay somewhere else.”
“I know they appreciated it too,” he said quietly.
But neither moved or made an attempt to leave.
“Um…”
“Why don’t you let me carry him?” Connor asked. “I know it’s not a particularly long walk, but the paths over by our cabins are tricky since they’re not paved. You’ll get used to them, but maybe doing it for the first time in the dark isn’t the best idea.”
“I’m sure we’ll be fine, but…thank you.”
“Oh. Okay. Goodnight, Lexi.”
“Goodnight, Connor.” Then she smiled down at his daughter. “Goodnight, Annabeth. Thank you for being a good friend to Jonah today.”
The little girl beamed up at her. “You’re welcome!”
Connor wrapped his arm around her and wished Lexi and Jonah a good night again.
And as she carefully walked away into the semi-darkness—thank God for the lights along the paths—she hoped things would get better from here.
Less awkward. She knew what she was signing on for, and even though she didn’t want to have to see Connor, she knew now how unrealistic that was to even ask for.
He’d been incredibly polite and nothing but helpful.
Maybe that’s his guilty conscience…
And if it was, good. At least it showed he had a conscience. There were many years when she seriously doubted it.
So for now, she’d go back to their temporary home and get ready to officially start her job tomorrow. She’d think of all the things she was going to need to talk to Slater about and, with any luck, it would keep her from obsessing about the fact that she was sleeping in Connor Winslowe’s bed.
Somehow, she didn’t think anything would be able to distract her from that.