She laughs, and if I weren’t so preoccupied with thinking about what’s about to happen with the board, it would’ve gotten me hard. There’s nothing sexier than a sleep-drugged morning voice.
“Okay. I trust you.”
“Besides, I like to make grand entrances.”
Blakely
I stand in the cool mountain breeze and take in the view.
Trees upon trees upon trees.
There is a lake to my right, complete with sparkling water and a dock with canoes and paddleboards tied up.
A log cabin with the sign “Welcome to Red Mountain Lodge” above its entry is nestled in more trees and sitting straight ahead of me. It’s large by any standards, and with the light reflecting off the lake and shining off the tinted windows, it looks more like a high-end resort than a summer camp.
Sixth-grade camp it is not.
Thank god for that. I might be stuck in some mosquito-ridden mountains, but at least, from what I can see, the accommodations are better than I expected.
I glance at the parking lot again, but no one else has pulled in.
Where are you, Slade?
He said he’d be here. I’m sure he’s coming.
But I can’t linger any longer.
With a deep breath, I pull open the door to the lodge and the scent of warm cinnamon and the excited chatter of my colleagues somewhere down the way assault my senses as I take in the rustic-yet-modern charm covering every inch of the main entrance.
“You must be Blakely Foxx,” a very bubbly redhead says as she all but bounces her fairy-size frame over to me, clipboard clutched to her chest. “I’m Sue. Welcome to Red Mountain Ranch where we are excited to have you and your team.”
“Hi. Thank you.” Her enthusiasm scares me.
“I thought we were expecting someone else with your arrival.”
“He’ll be here shortly.”
“Oh goody.” She claps around her clipboard as her smile stretches impossibly wider. “First things first. Here is your agenda for your stay.” She hands over a manila envelope with nametags paper clipped to the front for Slade and me and then starts walking, expecting me to follow. “I’ll have you put your belongings over here in our bunkhouse area,” she says, leading me to a huge opening on the right where bags are lying next to assigned numbers. She has me set mine down next to the number eight on the floor.
I glance into the huge room and notice numbers on all the bunks that coincide with the numbers on the floor where the luggage sits. Great. Can’t wait for bunk beds and communal sleeping, said no person ever.
“This way please.” She starts walking toward the voices at the far end of the complex. “We’ll have all meals in the main room.” She points to a dining room that is a far cry from summer camp with its large chandeliers, bar set up on the far end, and bottles of alcohol displayed in an industrial farmhouse-type cabinet. “Activities are planned every day, per your agenda. Since you’re the last guest to arrive, we’ll let you relax with everyone for a few minutes before we introduce our staff to your group. After we get the meet-and-greet over with, we’ll give everyone some time to get settled, and then we’ll meet back for a barbecue and bonfire. We like to keep the first night a little light, but we’ll be up bright and early tomorrow, so be ready for some exciting activities.” We turn a corner, and she gestures for me to enter.
Inside, I find a wall of windows on one side, a table with beer, wine, and cupcakes on the other, and my coworkers milling about in the center. There are a handful of people I don’t recognize, so I assume they are significant others.
“You made it,” Heather says as she spots me before I can get a drink to help me deal with her.
“Yes, I just got here. This place is gorgeous.”
“We’ve been waiting for you so we could start. It isn’t like you to be late, but sometimes we’re forced to make exceptions, aren’t we?”
“Oh, damn. My watch must be slow.” I glance at it. “Nope. It’s right on time. See? It says 2:55 just like the clock on the wall behind you.” I point to said clock, shake my head while she looks at it, and force the smarmy smirk off my lips before she turns back to face me.
She has an audience this time. I’m curious how she’ll play this.
“Well. What do you know? My watch must be fast.” Her smile may reflect amusement, but her eyes tell me she’s pissed I just showed her up in front of the rest of the team.
Oh. Well.
That time I did it on purpose.
“It happens.” I shrug as if it’s no big deal.
“Did I misunderstand?” she asks, looking over my shoulder. “Weren’t you bringing your boyfriend with you?”
“He’s on his way. He was called into work to consult on an emergency, so we drove separately.”
“And what exactly does he do for a living?” Her eyes flick over to someone behind me, no doubt one of her minions who secretly hates her but who follows along to save themselves from her wrath.
“He’s a cardiac surgeon.” My smile is close-lipped and quick. “Saving lives is what he does.”
“Oh.” Her head startles in surprise. “That’s . . . that’s great.”
“Are you ready to start,” Sue asks from the doorway, oblivious to the tension brewing in the room.
“Yes, of course,” Heather says as she steps away, and I take the chance to flee.
My colleagues smile at me in greeting as I make my way over to the refreshments table and the glass of wine calling my name. Its taste is on my tongue as Heather begins her opening speech.
“I’d like to welcome you all to the Red Mountain Retreat. My goals for us are simple over
