Page 52 of Shadow Sabotage
Vance grinned. “They’re generally harmless. Just looking for content.”
“Well, that’s good to know. We’re booked solid for the rest of the month, which is surprising. Things normally start dying down this time of year.”
“Do you not get a lot of tourists in the winter?” he asked, clearly surprised. “That’s prime season for some mountain towns.”
Mom shook her head. “No. Wildwood isn’t much of a winter destination since we don’t have any ski resorts here. We occasionally get some snowmobilers or cross-country skiers, but it’s pretty dead here after October.”
He took a long sip of his beer. “How do you sustain the resort in the winter, then?”
“The tourist side is only part of our operation,” I explained. “We started it to sustain the ranch, not the other way around. We used to be cattle only.”
“It got harder and harder to make a living that way,” Mom added, shrugging. “Some years, ranches our size barely scratch even on cattle. We had to adapt. So I came up with the resort as a way to bring in extra cash flow and to create extra jobs for my kids so that they could all make a living here. If they want to.”
I knew it killed her that we hadn’t all wanted it.
“Smart,” Vance said. “You’ve done an excellent job with it.”
“Thank you,” she said, beaming. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your stay. I know you’re a guest, but can I impose on you to help Claire set the table? Dinner is almost ready.”
“I’d be happy to,” he said, standing. He looked at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “Tell me what you want me to do.”
My mind flashed with an image of him saying those same words underverydifferent circumstances. I blinked it away, hoping he couldn’t see how quickly my heart was beating.
“Um. Plates are in that cabinet,” I said, pointing. “Grab nine of them. I’ll get silverware.”
He whistled a tune as he moved past me, giving me a whiff of what was probably ridiculously expensive cologne.
Cologne that made me go weak in the knees.
Inviting him here had been a very, very bad idea.
Chapter Eighteen
Vance
Claire might have askedme to come to dinner, but she avoided me all through it. We’d flirted our way through setting the table, but as soon as everyone gathered and conversation began, she became unusually quiet. She never even looked at me.
Which was probably a good thing since I was having a hard time keeping my eyes off her. The red sweater she was wearing looked incredible on her, a fiery color to match a fiery soul. But the sweet scent of coconut that clung to her matched her easygoing, playful approach to life.
She was a study of contradictions and I was dying to discover more.
Claire’s careful avoidance said she didn’t feel the same. It might have been awkward had fewer people been there, but the rest of the Hawkins family more than made up for her silence. Dinner was loud and chaotic, with everyone eager to tell their stories from the day. Everyone was welcoming, but they didn’t make me feel like some awkward guest of honor expected toanswer questions about myself or my job. Family dinner wastheirtime, a time for the men to boast and try to one-up each other while the women rolled their eyes and poked fun at them.
My mother would have been appalled by the lack of manners and the level of noise around the table, but I loved every minute of it. They were a family. A messy, teasing, loving family. I envied every one of them for growing up around a table like this. For having that kind of anchor to hold on to through life.
They were damn lucky.
When everyone was finally stuffed, Walker stood at the head of the table and grabbed his dishes. “The men have dish duty tonight,” he said, winking at Naomi. “Come on, boys.”
Jonathan groaned, receiving a sharp elbow from Travis for it.
I picked up my plate, intending to follow the guys into the kitchen, but Naomi stopped me.
“You don’t have to do that. You’re a guest.”
“I don’t mind. It’s the least I can do, considering your hospitality.”
She smiled. “Tell you what. If you’re brave enough to come back for another one of our family dinners, we’ll let you help then. Deal?”
