Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Ash

"Damn it."

"What's wrong?" Mel's tinny voice asked from the cell phone I'd propped on the foldout table, which was pretty much the only counter space I had in Hudson's houseboat.

"I forgot to go grocery shopping, and after the day I've had, I really need comfort food."

I closed the near-empty refrigerator and slumped into the hard plastic seat at the table with a pout.

I'd been quick to take Hudson up on his offer, and I was glad to be out of my parents' house, but I missed the comforts of a well-stocked pantry, spacious kitchen, and shower that didn't make me claustrophobic.

Maybe Sawyer was right all along, and I really was a spoiled brat.

"Why didn't you eat at the resort?" Mel asked.

"Normally, I just eat something I make on the boat, but my stomach was in knots after the DreamBoats showed up and the freaking falafel wouldn't hold together in the fryer."

"You've made falafel before, haven't you?"

"Yes!" I threw up my hands. "But I guess it got too warm in the boat. Or the oil got too hot. It just kept falling to pieces."

"You'll figure it out, and then your falafel will taste like heaven."

"Maybe," I muttered, "but that doesn't stop me from looking like an idiot in front of Sawyer. Bad enough I kissed him, but now he thinks I'm incompetent too."

"Oh. Sawyer."

"Don't say it like that. I just don't want anyone at the resort thinking I can't do this."

"They don't think that," Mel said, attempting to smooth my feathers. But I was ruffled. More ruffled than I'd been in a long time.

My stepdad had sent the DreamBoat crew over to "support" me, but I was pretty sure he just wanted to check up on how I was doing. No doubt he was celebrating my meltdown and counting the days until I came crawling back.

When I'd texted my parents to tell them I'd found another place to live, Rick's only response had been, Come get your things by the end of the week or I'll toss them out. I'm not a storage locker.

Mom had cared a little more. She'd asked if I'd gotten back together with Mel, though, and was undoubtedly disappointed in my reply: Never happening, Mom.

She didn't necessarily want me with Mel. She just wanted me settled with someone. Mom had always hated being single, and I think she expected me to be lonely or sad.

I'd never felt that way, though. Not until now, when I was on the other side of the lake from my only friend.

I wondered if that's how Sawyer felt when he left. But then, why did he shut us all out?

"You need to get out of your head," Mel said. "It's not that late yet. Why don't you go get some dinner?"

"I could go grocery shopping," I mused. "Maybe I should go to the resort kitchen after hours and experiment with my falafel?—"

"No."

I paused. "No?"

"No, Ash. Take a breather. Relax. Eat something you didn't cook yourself."

"You're bossy."

"Yep, but you'll thank me later."

I glanced out the window. I'd packed it in a little early today, disheartened after my mess. Traffic had slowed significantly, so I doubted I'd missed anything.

If I left now, I could probably go grab a bite and then return before it got too dark.

"Okay, I'll go pick something up," I said. "But we're still on for tomorrow?"

I had two days off, and I wanted to grab my things before Rick made good on his threat to toss them out. But I didn't have my own boat, so unless I trucked Master Bites all the way over there—which would take an age because that food boat moved slow— I had to rely on Mel.

Because there was no way I'd ever ask Sawyer to take me anywhere again after I'd gone and kissed him like an idiot.

"Yeah, I'll swing by mid-afternoon," she said.

"Thanks, Mel. When I moved over here, I didn't think about how much I'd miss seeing you every day."

"Aw, you love me," Mel teased before we said goodbye.

I threw on a T-shirt to go with the basketball shorts I'd put on after my shower, then grabbed my wallet and phone. I went down the ladder on the stern and dropped into the bright orange kayak I kept tied up there.

Without my own boat, this was my best method of transportation, so thankfully it was a short trek to land.

I picked up the double-finned oar and paddled toward the RV park beach, which was the closest landing point.

When I arrived, I disturbed a couple who were locked in a movie-worthy kiss. They broke apart, turning toward me.

Which was then I recognized them.

Brooks and Skylar.

The very people I'd hoped to avoid tonight.

"Sorry," I said awkwardly. "I was just…" I waved a hand toward the kayak I'd dragged onto the muddy shore.

"Kayaking at night?" Brooks asked with a lifted brow.

"I came over from my houseboat," I said. "I forgot to shop, so I need to grab dinner."

"Do you want to join us?" Skylar asked. "We're at a cookout."

"Oh, uh… I don't want to crash the party. I can just walk over to the resort restaurant."

"You must be sick of that place," Brooks said. "I know I am."

Skylar elbowed him. "Hey, where's the company loyalty?"

"I'm loyal," Brooks said. "But I live where I work, and sometimes I need a change of scenery. Even if it means eating burgers that taste like lumps of charcoal."

Skylar snorted. "Be nice, and go see how our friend feels about inviting Ash to join us? I want to talk to him alone for a minute."

Uh-oh. Here it came. He'd heard about today.

Brooks nodded and took off down a trail that ran deeper into the RV park.

"What did Sawyer say?" I asked tensely.

"Only that you were a little overwhelmed today."

I scowled. "I had it under control."

"Did you?"

"I would have," I said.

Skylar nodded. "Well, I think Sawyer is right that you could use a second pair of hands. When the season really hits, it's going to be far busier. I should have considered that it was too much for one person."

"It's not too much," I insisted. "I'm still getting a handle on the equipment and how things cook in that hot, humid boat atmosphere."

"Ash, I'm not going to force you to do anything because I'm not your boss. But I'd like to loan you an assistant next week. Just try out working with someone else, and then if you want to go solo, you can. And if you want to hire permanently, you can do that."

"It'll cut into the profits to hire."

Sky nodded. "Sometimes you have to invest in a business to make it a success. It's a risk, though. So take next week to consider all those things. If nothing else, it'll give you time to acclimate better and really fine-tune your recipes. What do you say?"

I nodded reluctantly. "I guess an extra pair of hands couldn't hurt."

Skylar smiled brightly. "There you go."

Brooks returned. "Come on over. Our host has graciously agreed to feed you."

"Thanks." I followed them down a path that wound among campers and RV buses.

"It'll be nice to eat someone else's food for change," I said as we passed by folks in their lawn chairs.

Wood smoke hung in the air from their firepits, reminding me of camping trips as a kid, and some of my tension melted away.

"Don't get your hopes up," Brooks said. "The food is likely to insult your every sensibility."

"You mean because I'm a chef?"

"I mean because you have taste buds," he said wryly.

Just then, we came upon a little teardrop camper. There was an awning rolled out, lit up with blue fairy lights.

Cash and Poppy sat at a picnic table, along with a kid I didn't recognize. Hudson and Fisher reclined in two loungers, close enough that their fingers were linked between them.

And working the grill?

Was Sawyer fucking West.

All my tension came rushing right the fuck back.

"Uh, maybe this was a bad idea."

Sawyer snorted. "Don't worry, I'm not going to poison you."

"At least, not any more than he poisons the rest of us," Cash said cheerfully.

Sawyer pointed a spatula at him. "Fuck off. You can grill the burgers next time."

"I could grill sometime," Hudson said. "I did it a lot on the houseboat."

"He's good at everything," Fisher said, sounding sappy.

"How's the place treating you?" Hudson asked. "I hope the kayak is working out to get you back and forth?"

"Yeah, it's been fine." I cautiously took a seat at the picnic table. "I can't stay out too long because I'll want to get back before dark. But other than that…"

"Oh, we could give you a lift if it gets late," Fisher said. "We can just tow the kayak behind, right, Hud?"

Hudson lifted Fisher's hand and kissed his knuckles. "We sure can."

"That's nice of you all, but I doubt Sawyer wants me hanging around all night."

Sawyer carried a plate over and set it in front of me. "You had a rough day. That's the only reason I'm being cool."

I peeked up at him from the corner of my eye. "You had to go tell everyone about it too, huh?"

Sawyer shrugged, looking unbothered. "Just looking out for the resort."

I scowled, but before I could answer, Skylar replied, "The resort will be just fine. It's Ash I'm concerned about. We don't want you to burn out from working too hard."

"You've been going at it pretty hard," Cash said, surprising me. He worked the resort front desk, but we hadn't spoken more than once or twice. "You prep in the morning, spend all day cooking, then clean up and haul everything back to the resort kitchen for storing at night. It's a lot for one guy."

"You've been paying a lot of attention," Sawyer grumbled.

Cash shrugged, a coy smile tugging at his lips. "I see a lot of things from my spot in the lobby. Sometimes I even like what I see."

He winked at me. Whoa, was he…flirting?

Sawyer huffed and pointed at me. "You, eat your bomb-ass burger you don't deserve." He grabbed Cash's arm. "And you, come with me."

"Uh-oh," Cash said, voice full of laughter. "I think I'm in trouble!"

The kid across from me watched them go with wide eyes. "Is Sawyer mad?"

"Is he ever not mad?" I asked.

"Like never. Sawyer is the coolest! He promised to take me wakesurfing with his friends."

My heart twisted. There was a time I would have been invited, too. I would have been the first invite, the only one that mattered.

Those days were long gone.

"Sounds fun. I haven't gone in ages, but I loved it when I was younger."

"We could talk to Sawyer," Poppy offered. "If you want to come, you could take my spot since I can't make it. It's his boat, so I can't just invite you…"

"Nah, that's okay. Sawyer doesn't want me there."

"Why not?" the kid asked.

I shrugged. "We're not really friends anymore."

"Maybe you should become friends again."

I smiled at his—or her? I couldn't quite tell with that hairstyle and clothes—innocence.

If only it were that simple, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'd wanted to be friends again ever since we fell out.

But every time I got close, my big mouth ruined it.

Either with a sarcastic remark or an impulsive kiss.

I was resigned to the fact that I'd never get it right with Sawyer.

No matter how badly I wished I could.

I picked up my burger and took a bite, then nearly choked. "Oh my gaw?—"

"Sawyer's a bad cook," Poppy said, sounding fond. "Really, really bad."

"His mom is much better," the kid agreed with a nose wrinkle.

"I heard that, Shua!" Sawyer called. "I thought you'd have my back."

"Sorry, Saw. But your mom is the best."

Sawyer laughed, his whole face lighting up, and damn, it had been a long time since I'd seen him look like that.

It was a good look on him.

Really damn good.

I crammed another bite of burger in my mouth and focused on chewing and choking it down. Sawyer's burgers might be as hard as hockey pucks and dry as dust, but he didn't have to let me have one at all.

"Next time, fucking Ash can grill then," Sawyer said, cutting a sharp look my way. "Since it seems like I'm not gonna be rid of him anytime soon."

"Sorry not sorry?" I joked weakly.

"I'm glad you feel that way," Skylar said, "because Hudson and I just had a little chat and we think you're the best person to lend Ash some help next week."

"What?" we both squawked at the same time.

"You'll have finished training Gray by then," Hudson said. "We can accommodate easier than the kitchen staff. The restaurant is too busy."

I'd heard from Vera that they'd been packed their first couple of nights, so I believed it. Swallow Cove had been anticipating their opening for a long time.

"Sawyer knows nothing about cooking though." I held up my burger. "Case in point."

"Hey, you're eating it," he said.

"Yeah, but I'm not paying for it."

"Aren't you?" Poppy mumbled under her breath.

She had a point.

"Sawyer won't be there to cook," Skylar said. "He can take orders, help haul stuff, clean up."

"Sounds like a great time for me," he said flatly.

"You can also drive the boat," Hudson added. "That will give Ash an opportunity to get more things done in transit."

"I suppose that would make things easier," I said tentatively. "But Sawyer didn't sign up for this."

"We're all a team at the resort," Hudson said.

Sawyer scowled into the trees. "I better get free food out of this deal."

"Only if you pull your weight," I shot back. "If you're going to be an ass the whole time, I'd rather keep going it alone. In fact, I think?—"

"Fuck off," Sawyer cut in. "I always work hard. You're the one who has it easy."

"Whoa," Shua said. "You really don't like each other, huh?"

I wished I didn't like Sawyer. That would make it easier. But no. I had to keep setting myself up to be knocked down by him.

I bit down on my reply, knowing it would help no one.

"I know neither of you are excited about this arrangement," Skylar said. "But that's why it's a good idea."

"In other words," Cash added gleefully, "work out your shit and play nice together."

I exchanged a skeptical look with Sawyer. Our first moment of solidarity, and we were definitely on the same page.

Playing nice was not likely to come easy.