Page 57 of Harper

“Yes, ma’am, it is. If you don’t mind my saying so, you need a proper fucking sooner than later.”

I gasp in surprise as she sticks out her tongue at me, grabs her backpack, and leaves. Then, I sit back in bed with a sigh.

I do not need a proper fucking. The fucking I had two weeks ago was plenty, thank you very much. But Parker’s probably right about the other stuff. I have been drinking more than usual lately, and my stomach always acts up when I do. As though needing to further prove itself, it gurgles loudly, and I sprint to the bathroom to throw up the dregs of last night’s tequila.

Yuck.

I stand up and look in the medicine chest to see if we have Pepto Bismol or Tums, but we’re out of both—further evidence that my stomach’s been a bitch lately. I make a promise to myself to quit drinking and—

Knock, knock, knock.

“Harp? You up?”

The front door of my cabin opens up and slams shut.

Wiping my mouth with toilet paper, I step into the living room to find my dad standing by the door, his larger-than-life presence taking up a good share of the room.

“Parker says you’re poorly this morning?”

“My stomach’s acting up.”

“You sick? Or is it a hangover?”

“Probably a hangover,” I say honestly. “Too many shots by the campfire last night.”

He purses his lips. My father doesn’t care how much we drink unless it interferes with work, and then it pisses him off. He gives me a stern look.

“The DeJong family wants to get going early. They’ve had their breakfast, and they’re waiting on you.”

I groan, nodding my head. “Okay. Sorry. Yeah. I’ll—I’ll get ready. Just let me shower and—”

“You look green around the gills, Harper.” My dad puts his hands on his hips and tilts his head to the side. “I tell you what…I’ll take the hike. You—you take the day off. I don’t know what’s going on with you lately, but you need to get your head on straight. This is our busiest time of year. We can’t have one of our best tour guides down for the count.”

“I know. I’m—I’m sorry, Dad.” I feel terrible for putting him out, but honestly, I’m relieved for today’s reprieve. I’m exhausted and feel like crap. “I’ll go into town and get some Pepto. And no more drinking for me for a little while.”

“Probably a good idea,” he says.

“Anything you want me to do here today?”

“I was going to enter a pile of handwritten invoices into Quicken. Maybe you can do that?” He rubs his chin in thought. “You know, the DeJongs have three kids, and I think they wanted a guide on the younger side, not some old man. I’ll have to take Reeve with me. You do those invoices, and then you help your gran in the kitchen like Reeve would’ve.”

Now I’m putting out Reeve, too. My eyes water. My shoulders slump.

“Aw, come on, now, honey.”

My dad closes the distance between us and wraps me up in a big bear hug.

I don’t know why, but this simple act of love and affection makes me want to burst into tears like a little kid. What the hell is wrong with me?

“Sometimes we all need a time out,” says my dad, rubbing my back. He steps away, opening the cabin door. “But you be ready to work tomorrow morning, huh?”

“For sure,” I promise.

He heads out the door, and I head back to bed…where I promptly fall asleep for another two hours.

When I wake up again at ten, the campground is silent but for the sounds of nature that filter through my window. Birds singing. A breeze rustling the leaves. The Taiya River way out back. I can hear the water slipping and sliding over rocks. I feel way better.

I shower and get dressed, grabbing the keys to the Jeep. If I’m going to town anyway, Gran may need some things too. I stop by the lodge to see her. As usual, she’s bustling around the kitchen, busy with a thousand things.

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