Page 99 of Love in the Wild

Olivia leaned over the page as she hurriedly wrote. “And Dawson and I will help, as long as he’s off work.”

“I think Jacob already volunteered us for everything,” Asa said.

Jacob turned to Gage with a smile. “What about you?”

Gage looked around the table at the waiting faces. Volunteer work hadn’t ever been on his to-do list. Though, he’d picked up trash on the side of the road wearing a reflective vest with the county’s name on it a few times.

“Um, I guess I can wash cars. You really think you’ll make enough money to help these people just by washing cars and making food?”

Olivia looked up from her notebook. “You’d be surprised how generous people can be.”

“You’ve done this before?” Gage asked.

“All the time,” Olivia said as she flipped to another page. “Now we need to talk about the fishing day.”

Jacob’s hand shot up in the air. “Oh! I want to tie the baits. And put the line on the rods. And take the fish off the lines.”

Olivia pointed her pencil at Dawson and Asa. “These two will be working, so we need extra hands.”

“I’m in,” Brett said. “Thea will want to pitch in too.”

“And you, Gage?” Olivia asked.

Gage cleared his throat. “What do you need me for?”

“All the things Jacob was excited to do,” she said.

“I’ve never been fishing, so I think I’m out.”

Jacob slapped his hands down on the table. “Never been fishing? How have you made it this long without fishing?”

Geez, the kid made it sound like fishing was a life skill instead of a leisure activity. “Do I look like Bill Dance? I just never had much time.”

“What have you been doing?” Jacob asked.

“Don’t answer that,” Asa said.

“And who is Bill Dance?”

“He used to have a fishing show on TV,” Asa explained.

Gage picked up on Jacob’s earlier question. “Just working. Lots of broken-down cars need fixing.”

Jacob nodded as if satisfied with that answer. “Okay, well I’ll have to teach you before next Saturday so you can help everyone else.”

Gage scratched the back of his head. “You said kids. I don’t think I’m too good with kids either.”

“You’re good with Jacob,” Beau said,

Jacob straightened his shoulders. “I’m not a kid.”

“He’s right. This one doesn’t act like a kid,” Gage pointed out.

“They’re not so bad,” Olivia said. “You don’t even have to talk to them much. Just deal with the hooks so they don’t have to.”

Gage sat back in his chair, resigned to the role he’d been volunteered for without his consent. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Don’t look too excited. People might think you’re happy to be there,” Brett said.

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