Chapter 5

Chapter Five

D ean was back at River Camps the next morning, returning to his regular duties for the next few days. He instantly missed being around Andrea and the slower pace of the pool house.

After enjoying a few moments of heated kisses the night before, he'd jumped up and made some lame excuse about having to work the early shift the following morning and left.

Today, the camp was alive with the hustle and bustle of vacationers enjoying their escape, and he fell into the routine of serving meals and interacting with the guests. But his mind refused to stop thinking about how wonderful Andrea's lips had felt against his own.

He knew that she had the day off and kept thinking about calling her or sending her a text to see how she was doing or to just say hi. Then he felt stupid and went back to work.

Early the following morning, day two after the kiss, he was scheduled to help guests get to their cabins. His first assignment was to help an older couple with their luggage and escort them to their cabin.

It was one of the jobs at the camp he really enjoyed. Every employee shifted between playing camp counselor with fun activities and handling the comings and goings of guests. Thankfully, there were now more than two dozen golf carts available that employees could use to shuttle guests out to the cabins.

As he pulled up to the main building in one of the golf carts, he saw an older couple waiting at the main building, looking a bit lost.

"Good morning!" Dean called out with a friendly smile. "Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, right? I'm Dean, and I'll be taking you to your cabin."

"Yes, that's us," Mrs. Harrison said, returning his smile. She straightened her hair and purred, "Thank you so much."

He knew that flirting with the women, no matter their age, always won him bigger tips. Most of the husbands loved that their wives got the extra attention.

"No problem at all," Dean replied, loading their bags onto the back of the cart. "Hop on, and I'll get you to where you need to be in no time."

As they weaved their way slowly through the campgrounds, he pointed out various amenities and activities the camp had to offer. "Over there is the main dining hall, where we serve all our meals. You may have heard that celebrity chef Issac Andrews runs the kitchens at River Camps."

"We can't wait to taste his famous eggplant parmesan," Mrs. Harrison said.

"You'll love it. That building over there is our new activity center, where you can sign up for everything from archery to yoga. A list of all activities will be in your cabin for your reference. You can also sign up for the events on the computer screen in your cabin as well."

"You know, we've heard so much about this place," Mr. Harrison said. "It's our first time here, and we're really looking forward to it. But something tells me it won't be our last time here. I mean, just look at the views. Plus, all of the cabins look so inviting."

"You'll love it here," Dean assured them. "There's something for everyone. Even if you just come and lay by the pools—we have three of them—or spend all your time down at our private beach. Whatever you want, everyone here will make sure your time here is enjoyed."

He stopped directly on the pathway in front of their cabin, aptly named the Love Shack. While he helped them with their bags, he finished talking about all the fun things there were to do there. Once they were settled in the cabin, he got a large tip from Mr. Harrison.

"One more thing," Dean said as they were about to part ways. "Tonight, we're having a fifties-themed dinner. It's a lot of fun—great food, music, and some guests and employees even dress up. You should definitely check it out."

"Oh, that sounds wonderful!" Mrs. Harrison exclaimed. "We'll be there for sure."

Dean waved goodbye and drove off, heading back to the main building. As he passed the beach area, he spotted Andrea, her blond hair still wet from an early swim. She was strolling along the pathway heading towards her building.

He slowed down and called out to her. "Need a ride?"

She looked up as if lost in her thoughts, but when she spotted him, she smiled back. "Sure, thanks." She climbed into the golf cart, and they headed towards the pool house.

The morning sun was starting to warm the air, and the day promised to be another beautiful one.

"So, how's your morning going?" he asked after an awkward moment of silence.

"Pretty good," she replied. "I caught the early-morning yoga class and then went for a swim. I was going to check in and see if Kara needed my help."

"On your day off?"

She shrugged. "Tell me you don't come in on your days off."

He chuckled. "Right."

"How about you?" she asked. "What are you doing out and about his early? Delivering to the cabins?"

He could feel the awkwardness between them and instantly hated it. Was it because of the kiss? Did she regret it? Shit. He should have just…what? Kept his desires to himself?

"I just helped a couple to the Love Shack," he answered, trying not to sound stupid. "I made sure to tell them about the themed dinner tonight. They seemed really excited."

He mentally kicked himself for being a dork.

"Oh, I love those themed dinners," Andrea said, relaxing slightly. "It's always so much fun seeing everyone dressed up. I love getting into the spirit myself every now and then when I help out. Last time I was a princess. I got to wear a tiara and everything." She chuckled. "Hannah sure knows how to throw a party and where to rent the best costumes." She quickly glanced away from him.

He could tell she too was feeling awkward.

He pulled over to a private part of the pathway and turned towards her.

"Speaking of fun, about…the kiss." He watched her face for her reaction.

Her expression softened just a little bit. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that," she admitted.

"Me too, a lot," Dean confessed. "It felt…right, you know? Like we have this connection. I just don't want things to be awkward between us." He wanted to add, "Like we are now," but kept his mouth shut.

"It's not awkward," Andrea said suddenly, reaching out to place a hand on his arm. "I feel the same way. We both have a lot going on, and I don't want to mess up what we have." She bit her bottom lip, and he felt his heart sink in his chest. "You know, to make things weird between us."

Dean nodded. "Sure, yeah, I agree. I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring it."

Andrea shook her head softly. "I didn't."

He took a deep breath and pulled the golf cart back on the pathway.

So, that was that. No weirdness. For her, he'd make sure to give her whatever she wanted.

When they arrived at the pool house, he parked the golf cart next to the other ones and jumped out when she did. He didn't want the conversation to end.

Things might be complicated, but he was grateful for their honesty and the long and very strong relationship they'd had before that kiss.

"I was thinking of heading to the beach tomorrow," he said, falling in step with her. "If you have the day off…"

"I don't." She frowned at him. "Today is my day, Kara has tomorrow off."

"Oh." He felt his heart rate kick up. "I could lend a hand. You know, get in a few more hours of training?"

She smiled. "That's a good idea." She nodded to where a few guests were waiting outside the pool house doors. "She obviously needs my help. Gotta go."

"Yeah, I guess it's time for me to get back to work," Dean said, stretching his arms. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Andrea replied, giving him a warm smile before rushing to work.

"That was so awkward," someone said behind him.

He turned to see Beth standing there. For the past few years, Beth has worked at the main desk in the lobby area. She was a pretty brunette with very sad eyes and a jumpy personality, which told him all he needed to know about her past.

"Hey," he said, tucking his hands in his short's pockets.

"Hey," she chuckled. "So, you and Andrea, huh?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't know."

Beth leaned closer to him. "I always thought Andrea liked…well…" Her eyes ran over him. "Not your type."

He frowned at that. "What do you mean?"

Beth smiled. "She asked me out once."

He smiled, understanding. He knew that Andrea wasn't tied to normal constraints when it came to dating. Sure, most of her exes were men, but the fact that there were a few women in her past didn't bother him. If anything, it assured him that she was sure of what she wanted in life. Happiness.

"So? Did you go?" he asked casually.

Beth shook her head. "No, you're more my type than she is."

"She's dated your type and mine before," he admitted.

"That doesn't bother you? Not that it bothers me, but…" She shrugged again and glanced towards the pool house. "I mean, I hope you're not barking up the wrong tree or whatever."

He chuckled. "Andrea would tell me if I was barking up the wrong tree."

"Heading back to the main building?" she said as he climbed back into the golf cart. When he nodded, she asked. "Can I bum a ride?"

"Hop in." He patted the seat next to him.

"I've often wondered why you two haven't gotten together before," she said as they started making their way down the path.

"I guess the timing wasn't right." He glanced at her. "I'm not sure we're technically together now."

She shrugged. "I won't tell anyone. So many people who work here like to keep their secrets." She chuckled. "Besides, I like you both, I wouldn't want to ruin our friendship or whatever is between the two of you."

"Thanks." He parked the cart with the others by the back door of the main building.

"Thanks for the ride," Beth called over her shoulder as she rushed towards the door. She was glancing back at him and didn't see Aaron Michaels, one of the new security guards on the grounds, step out of the double doors. They collided and Dean tried very hard not to laugh when Beth's bag went flying, dumping everything she had in it on the ground.

Of course, Aaron immediately started helping her pick everything up, and Dean figured the guy had things under control. He could hear the two apologizing profusely to one another.

Speaking of perfect couples, he thought as he headed towards the dining rooms.

A couple of hours later, the dining hall was buzzing with excitement as guests arrived for the fifties-themed dinner. Dean moved between tables, ensuring everyone was well taken care of. He was dressed in a white shirt, black trousers, and a bow tie, with his hair greased back to complete his retro look.

While the jukebox played classic hits, people danced or enjoyed watching others while they ate dinner. The atmosphere was vibrant with laughter and chatter, and the dining hall looked like something out of those black-and-white movies his grandmother used to love watching.

As he delivered a tray of milkshakes to a table, Dean noticed two waiters, Kyle and Jake, exchanging heated words near the kitchen entrance. They were raising their voices, and it was clear they were on the verge of a confrontation.

He quickly set his tray down and hurried over to them.

"Hey, what's going on here?" he hissed, stepping between them.

"He messed up my order!" Kyle snapped, glaring at Jake. "Now my table's furious!" Kyle was normally a well-tempered man. He was roughly Dean's age but built like a linebacker.

"Well, maybe if you paid attention to what you're doing, this wouldn't happen!" Jake shot back. Jake was a high school kid who, since being hired a few weeks back, seemed to cause more trouble than he was worth.

Dean raised his hands to calm them both down. "All right, all right, enough. Look, mistakes happen. Let's focus on fixing it, not fighting about it. Kyle, I'll help you sort out the order. Jake, go take a breather and then get back to your tables."

The two waiters grumbled but backed off, nodding reluctantly. Dean clapped Kyle on the shoulder. "Come on, let's get this sorted. What do you need?"

With Dean's help, Kyle managed to smooth things over with his table, and the tension in the dining hall dissipated. It wasn't the first time he'd stepped in between those two. He was thinking of asking Brent to put them on different shifts.

As he made his rounds, Dean stopped to chat and flirt with a few guests, ensuring they were enjoying the evening. His flirting wasn't something he'd thought much about before. Even married women liked compliments and attention.

"You make a pretty good Danny Zuko," one of the women said with a playful wink, referring to his outfit and hair.

Dean laughed. "Thanks. You look like you stepped right out of a fifties movie yourself."

He continued making light-hearted conversation, but his mind kept drifting back to Andrea. The kiss they had shared on her back deck and the conversation earlier that day played over in his mind, making it harder to genuinely enjoy the banter with the other women.

As the night wound down and the guests began to leave, Dean finally had a moment to catch his breath. He stepped outside, inhaling the cool night air, which felt refreshing after the evening's hustle and bustle. The sounds of laughter and the crackling of the campfire faded into the background, and he found a quiet spot near the edge of a grassy area near the smaller pool.

Just as he started to relax, a commotion caught his attention. From the corner of his eye, Dean noticed a group of guests arguing near the pool area. He straightened, his senses immediately on high alert. The group consisted of three men, all clearly intoxicated, and a couple of women who appeared to be trying to defuse the situation.

One of the men, a tall guy with a red face, shoved another, sending him stumbling backward. The women screamed, and the other man stumbled into a lounge chair, knocking it over.

Dean hurried over, his calm demeanor masking the adrenaline that surged through his veins. It wasn't the first fight he'd had to break up and he doubted it would be the last. After quickly assessing the situation—the men were obviously drunk, and tempers were flaring dangerously—he knew exactly how to handle the situation.

"Hey, guys," Dean said, his voice steady and authoritative. "Let's take a step back and calm down."

The man who had done the shoving turned to Dean, his eyes narrowing. "Stay out of this, man. This is between us."

Dean held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I get that you're upset, but this isn't the place for it. Let's talk it out, okay? We can figure this out without anyone getting hurt."

The women were still pleading with the men to stop, and Dean could see that things were escalating. The man who had been shoved stood up, his fists clenched, ready to retaliate.

Dean stepped in between them, his heart pounding but his exterior calm. "Look, you don't want to do this," he said, locking eyes with the aggressor. "We're all here to have a good time. Don't let a misunderstanding ruin your night—or your stay here. If this goes any further, I'll be forced to cancel your stay. How about we go talk this out with some water, cool down a bit?"

For a tense moment, it seemed like the man was going to ignore him and throw a punch. But Dean didn't waver, his steady gaze holding the man's attention.

Finally, the man let out a frustrated growl and backed off, his shoulders sagging. "Fine," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Whatever."

Dean exhaled, feeling the tension ease slightly. He turned to the other man, who was still glaring but had relaxed his stance. "You good?" Dean asked.

The man nodded, wiping his face. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Dean turned to the women. "Why don't you all head back to your cabins? Get some rest and tomorrow, if you want, you can all sort this out over breakfast."

The women nodded, no doubt thankful for the out, and began to lead the men away, their voices soft and soothing.

Dean watched them go, his muscles finally unclenching as the group disappeared into the darkness. He stood there for a moment, letting the quiet of the night settle back around him. He knew from experience that defusing a situation sometimes took nothing more than a calm presence and a few well-placed words.

As he turned to head back inside, he saw Andrea standing in the doorway, watching him with a mixture of concern and admiration. She gave him a small smile, and Dean felt a heat spread through him.

"You handled that well," she said as he approached her.

"Comes with the job," he replied with a shrug, though he couldn't help but feel a bit of pride.

She took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You're good at this, you know? Keeping things under control."

Dean smiled down at her, the events of the evening already fading into the background as he focused on the warmth of her hand in his. "Just doing what needs to be done."

Tonight had been chaotic, but it was moments like these—when he was with Andrea and surrounded by the people he cared about—that made everything worth it. The drama had passed, and the night was once again theirs to do whatever they wanted.

"You headed home?" he asked her.

"Yeah," Andrea replied, returning his smile. "It was a busy night. You really did handle everything back there like a pro. Next time I have an argument with my mother or sister, I'll call you," she joked.

"Thanks." Dean chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Had to break up another fight between Kyle and Jake. Never a dull moment."

"Again?" She sighed. "I'm glad you were there to keep the peace."

As they walked together towards the parking lot, Dean felt a shift inside him. The playful flirting he had engaged in with other women earlier felt empty now compared to the genuine connection he felt with Andrea.

"Andrea," Dean began, stopping by his car. "I've been thinking…about us, some more."

She looked up at him, her expression curious. "Yeah?"

"Tonight, while I was working, I realized something," he said, his voice steady. "I really want to see where this goes. Even if it's just a summer affair, I think we could come out of it unscathed."

"I like the sound of that, a summer affair." Andrea's eyes softened, and she took a step closer. "It's been very hard to concentrate on my work today. Ever since that kiss I've been thinking about you." She shook her head. "I've never…with a friend before and I can't stand the thought of losing what we have." She placed a hand over his heart. "This means too much to let it slip away because of feelings, but sex is a whole different thing." She added the last quickly as her hand rested flat on his chest.

He felt a weight lift off his shoulders, replaced by a warmth spreading through him. "Agreed." When she smiled up at him, he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. "I've dreamed of doing this all day." He sighed against her mouth.

"Me too," she said as her arms wrapped around him.

They stood there for a moment, the night air cool around them, before he spoke again. "How about we hang this weekend? Just the two of us."

"I'd love that," she said against his chest. She stepped back. "For now, I'm beat. It was a very long day."

He nodded. "We'll settle details tomorrow." She nodded and, after another brief kiss, she walked towards her car.

He could do casual with her, keep hidden what he feared was buried deep down for her if it meant enjoying more time with her. After all, this was Andrea. Yeah, a summer affair would be worth the heartbreak if or when she called it off.

Somehow, he knew being with her would bring more than just challenges; it would bring a realization of what—and who—truly mattered to him.