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“I’m sorry, what?” I asked sheepishly as I realized I’d let my mind wander.

“I said I hired someone new. He looked like he’d be a hard worker,” she answered with a shrug. “So, I’ll need you to get the empty cabin ready for him. He’ll be here in about an hour, so you better get a move on. I’ll send him over as soon as he gets here.”

“Okay,” I mumbled.

I was grateful that she had hired someone. We needed the help, especially with Memorial Day weekend coming up, but the thought of meeting someone new, of having to introduce myself to a stranger, made my heart race and I felt my palms growing slick with sweat. Edith gave me a sympathetic look as I tossed my nearly full cup of coffee into the trash can, my nerves making it impossible for my stomach to handle the rich brew.

“His name is Jeremy and he seemed like a nice guy, but I’m here if you need anything,” she said gently.

“Nah, I’ll be okay,” I assured her. I pasted a smile on my face, but the concerned look on her face told me she wasn’t buying it.

Without another word, I left the shop and climbed back in my truck. There were several fishermen already set up for the day with their bobbers in the water and coolers of ice-cold beer next to them and they waved to me as I slowly drove around the lake. They’d stay that way for hours and I often wondered how they never grew bored.

When I got to the empty cabin, I got out and quickly set about uncovering the furniture and opening the windows to allow fresh air to filter through. After that, I wiped down all the counters, made sure the refrigerator was clean and then swept the floors.

I tried to focus on my list of things to do that day, but I was curious about the man Edith had hired. I hoped that he would be able to keep up with the demands of the job. I really didn’t want to spend several weeks training someone who was just going to turn around and quit. I also hoped that he wouldn’t want to talk too much. I liked having peace and quiet when I worked, and I didn’t need someone following me around, trying to become my friend.

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