Page 47 of Take This Heart
His eyes meet mine and do that slide down my body that makes me forget all about the reporters outside.
Which is why I say, “Not much.”
Dad and Milo do a double take at me and then Dad laughs, thinking I’m joking.
“Hey, Milo. It’s been nonstop this morning.Someoneis fanning the flames and I didn’t even know a match had been struck.” He looks bewildered. “I’m not sure where all of this is coming from.”
I shake my head slowly. “Me either. You said you talked to everyone, right?” I move next to Dad and close thecurtains tighter so we won’t be tempted to stand here all day. “Ope, look at that nasty curtain, chasing our stalkers away.”
He chuckles and sighs, moving to his chair and sitting down. “Yes, I did. I spoke to all the business owners first and then at the town meeting, where everyone and their brother seemed to show up. But the calls we’ve gotten today have been another story.”
“Have you talked to anyone yet?” Milo asks.
“Nah.” Dad waves his hand. “I’m not worried about it. This one is.” He motions toward me. “But Camden and Tully should be arriving any time and I’m too excited to see them to think about that mess out there.”
“Has it slowed anything down at the lodge today?” Milo asks.
“The only thing that’s slowed down is us getting over there,” Dad admits. “Noah said everything is running there as planned.”
“Good.” He nods.
“Sorry if my call worried you,” Dad tells Milo. “I’ve settled down since I left that message this morning.”
“Well, the reporters have thinned out too,” I add, “so that helps.”
A sound at the door grabs our attention and then Camden and Tully are walking inside.
“The hell is going on out there?” Tully asks.
I give Camden a huge hug and then Tully, while Dad fills them in on everything. A little while later, Camden asks to see the progress, and we go out the back way, avoiding the reporters.
We show him the plans once we’re out there, and then take a look at the resort.
“I can’t believe how much has been done already,”Camden keeps saying. “Wow.Wow.This is feeling real, guys.”
“You like what you see so far?” I ask.
“I’m blown away,” he says, glancing at us. “It’s going to be incredible.” His gaze goes back to where dozens of men are at work, and he shakes his head. “Okay. I feel bad that I wasn’t fully invested before. I wanted to be, and I was still going to do it either way, but…now…this…I amin.”
He’s grinning when my dad pounds him on the back.
“You just needed us to do the hard part before you got all in?” I tease.
He pokes my side and I yelp, laughing. “Exactly. No, seriously. I did have a hard time getting the old lodge out of my head. The dark walls and the floral carpeting.” He makes a face. “Don’t get me wrong, we loved our time over here, but it was more about exploring outside than all that.” He points to the lodge. “Now, the inside will match the splendor of Lake Superior.”
“Watch out, he’s getting poetic now,” Tully says, squeezing Camden’s shoulders.
Camden pretends to be annoyed for a second but laughs with everyone else.
Noah comes out to say hi to Camden and Tully, and one of the workers calls me to another room with a question about outlets. When I come back out, it’s just Dad and Noah.
“Where are the guys?” I ask.
Dad’s brow furrows. “I believe they were just going to lunch. I told them to bring us back something.”
“Nice of them to invite us,” I say under my breath.
“I also asked your grandmothers to come. I’d hate it if they heard about my health from anyone besides me, and with all that’s going on outside, I don’t trust that they won’t.”
