Page 10 of Roughing It

“You’re lecturing me on what I need? When’s the last time you went to the dentist?”

My little brother waves my words away. “You need to get out of your rut, man. You’ve been stuck for six years. Plus, it’ll help the business.” Bo grins, knowing he’s said the magic words.

Blowing a breath out of my nose, I count to ten. Through gritted teeth, I say, “My brother thinks I should let this ridiculous conversation continue. Enlighten me, Kirk.”

“My thanks to Bo, then.” He chuckles, clearly not intimidated or put off by my tone. Have to admit it earns him a point in my book.

“As I was saying, I manage Blakely Bradshaw, a social media influencer based out of Austin. She’s looking for a new adventure, one that would be lucrative for her but also for the person who’s at her side during this little experiment.”

“Experiment? Speak plainly. What are you asking for?”

“I want you to spend thirty days with Blakely in one of your most secluded cabins. Take her on hikes, teach her to fish—all thethings you’d do with one of your wilderness or survival retreats, but on a one-on-one basis. And I want you to let her film portions of it for use on her social media channels.”

I sit without speaking, trying to process the layers of bullshit wrapped around this request. “One more time?”

“You and Blakely. One month. One cabin. You teach her survival skills and show her out in nature without the trappings and conveniences of the city around her. She films it.”

Damn. That’s a lot to take in.

“Why are you asking me to do this? Both my brothers would be more than happy to play lapdog for some socialite or whatever the hell this woman is. Me? I have no interest in this.”

“Which makes you perfect.”

Not the answer I expect.

Kirk somehow interprets my grunt of confusion. “Blakely has a reputation. It’s not bad, but she’s known for being this perfectly put-together pretty girl. She’s ready to shake things up. And she has some personal things to gain from an experience like this.”

“I’m supposed to take her on some kumbaya spiritual journey? Let her reconvene in nature? That’s not what I do. If I agree to this, and it’s a big fucking if, I’ll treat her the same way I would any other Joe off the streets. No special treatment.”

“That’s what she’s looking for. And if I may speak bluntly, it’s exactly what she needs.”

His words intrigue me more than I care to admit.

“Again, not saying yes, but bottom line, how does this ridiculous publicity stunt benefit me and my business?”

“Daily live spots and posts, plus sponsored posts along the way, will go out to her followers. She promotes Peak Adventures and you. Mr. Brooks—Hudson—I can all but guarantee your business will double from being connected to her.”

I glance over at my brother, who holds up a sticky note that says, “Say yes!”If I roll my eyes any harder, they might fall out of my head, but the idea of our business doubling intrigues me. Maybe I should cut back on the caffeine. Or get laid. Something’s gotta be affecting my ability to think rationally.

“And if this goes to hell in a handbasket?”

“If this doesn’t bring in the numbers I’m expecting, you’ll be fully compensated for your time. But I can already tell this is going to be huge.”

The words are out before I can stop them. “So, what’s the expected timeline?”

And with that, I find myself the reluctant leader of a one-on-one wilderness encounter with some social media princess. What the fuck am I thinking? The last time a city girl swept into Trail Creek, I ended up with a broken heart. Now I’m putting myself in close quarters with another one?

Fucking hell.

As we work out the details, Bo dances around the office. He’s already texted Gray, who is blowing up my phone, too. Fuckers. They’ve known this was coming for days.

Kirk clears his throat, catching my attention. “Good luck, man.”

I can’t stop my scoff. “Luck? I don’t need luck. I’m an experienced outdoorsman and she’s staying with me. If anyone needs luck, it’s the spoiled city girl. She has no idea what she’s in for. Like I said, no special treatment. This isn’t a day spa.”

He chokes back a laugh. “I wouldn’t lead with calling her spoiled.” He pauses, his voice thoughtful, when he finally speaks again. “She may surprise you. The moment I read the reviews on your business, and you in particular, I knew the two of you would make for a fascinating dynamic.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

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