Page 10 of Protective Assignment
“I’ve just…not tried one yet,” River mumbled, feeling her cheeks getting a little warm.She didn’t want to seem weird or make her strange upbringing obvious, but she wasn’t sure what else to say.She just hoped that Hannah didn’t start asking questions that she didn’t want to answer.River didn’t want to make herself feel more uncomfortable by refusing to talk about her past.Thankfully, Hannah didn’t press her for more.
“Oh, you have to let me make you one!”Hannah replied.“What flavors do you like?I have vanilla, hazelnut, pumpkin spice…”
A few minutes later, River held a steaming cup of what Hannah told her was a vanilla latte.It smelled sweet, the scent of it filling the cabin, as Hannah talked her ear off about her time at the lodge so far.
River used the opportunity to confirm that everything Cade had told her about the lodge was true.Everything he’d said checked out and she was relieved to learn that he hadn’t lied to her.Maybe he really was just a nice guy who wanted to help her without any ulterior motives and make sure she was okay.She wouldn’t let herself think too hard about why that made her so happy.
Hannah sighed, leaning a hip against the kitchen counter and taking a sip of her coffee.“It’s so good to have Cade here.I know Carter has been trying to get him to come for a visit for a while now.It’s also nice to have some new eye candy too.He is a mighty fine specimen.”
“Oh, um, right,” River replied awkwardly, not sure what she was supposed to say to that.
Hannah laughed.“Hey, don’t get me wrong, I really like working with the other guys.They’re nice to look attoo, with the exception of my brother, of course.I see them every day, though.It’s nice to have someone new around.”
“Oh, your brother’s here too?”River looked to Hannah for confirmation and she nodded before River continued on.“I briefly met Carter with you and I noticed him and Cade sitting with another man in the cafeteria last night, but I’m not sure who he was.”
“Yeah, my brother Lawson owns the place with Xavier,” Hannah replied softly, an emotion River couldn’t quite place flitting through her eyes.It disappeared so quickly that River thought she might have imagined it.“Xavier was sitting at the table with Cade and Carter.I’m sure you’ll meet them both while you’re here.”
Why did that comment suddenly make River nervous?
Before she could think of a response, Hannah’s face turned playfully mischievous again and she pretended to fan herself.“But Cade…damn!”
River couldn’t help but laugh at her antics.Though it was obvious Hannah was trying to get a response from her, she had such a bright, warm energy it was impossible not to be drawn to her.
Hannah leaned in, waggling her eyebrows.“I don’t blame you one bit for getting in the vehicle with him, I totally would have too.”River felt the heat in her cheeks burn a little darker, and hoped Hannah didn’t notice.She would be lying if she said that she hadn’t noticed how handsome Cade was.When she had run into him at the gym, the way his shirt plastered to his firm chest and the sweat glistening off his toned arms had made it hard to think straight.Then that sharp jawline, those gray eyes that seemed to cut right through her, there was no denying he was hot.It hadbeen a long time since she’d actually felt an attraction to someone like that and it was both scary and exhilarating.
“So, I hope it’s okay, but there’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” Hannah told her, cocking her head slightly.River’s heart jumped in her chest, her panic returning.Had she figured her out?Was she going to ask her to leave?She swallowed hard and looked at Hannah, waiting for her to go on.
“I hope I’m not overstepping,” she remarked, dropping her voice slightly.“But I…it’s obvious that something’s going on with you, River.”
River stiffened, parting her lips, about to protest, but before she could say anything Hannah lifted a hand to stop her from speaking.
“And don’t worry, I’m not going to try and make you tell me what it is,” she promised her.“We all have a past, I get it.We don’t have to get into it if you don’t want to.”
River breathed a sigh of relief.Even if she was getting a little more comfortable with Hannah, she wasn’t going to let her guard down completely.She knew better than that.
“But if I were you, I’d take advantage of how much help we need around the lodge,” she continued.“There’s always stuff that needs to be done, and if you have any practical skills, there’s a good chance you could put them to use here, get lodging and food for a while until you’re ready to move on.”
River wracked her brain, trying to come up with something useful she might be able to do.It wasn’t as though she’d ever had a real job.
“Uh, I guess I… I can cook,” she began.“And I can sew.I make clothes, actually.”
“Oh, like the dress you were wearing when you arrived?”Hannah asked, and she nodded.
“I bet we could do something with that,” she mused, tapping her finger on her chin.“There’s always gear in the supply room that needs mending.I think Lawson spends a whole bunch of money on it every year.I could talk to them about it, if you want, see if there’s a job here for you.”
Hannah sounded so determined to help that River wasn’t sure that saying no was an option.And maybe itwasa good idea.If she was working here, she would be able to gather the supplies she needed to get out on the road again without attracting too much attention.It seemed safe enough, and having somewhere she could rest and recharge and focus on getting herself together again before she got back out on the road would be a good thing, right?
Plus, being around people who had combat history and seemed focused on their own recovery was probably going to make for a safer hiding spot than being out on the road ever would.She didn’t like the thought of being in one place for too long.It made her feel itchy.It would also make it even easier for them to find her, but who would even think to look for her out here?
Besides, if she was really being honest with herself, she was so exhausted from all the running she had done.She needed time to clear her head and make sense of everything that had been going on, and come up with a solid plan for moving forward.She didn’t have to stay forever, just a few weeks.She could get a little money and recharge, then turn her attention to getting back to her travels and finding her family once and for all.
“I guess it would be worth a shot,” she replied.
Hannah clapped her hands together and pulled River into a tight hug.“Oh my God, you have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that.”
River froze for a moment, not used to someone showing her affection, and then awkwardly returned the hug.
“It’s been mostly guys here for way too long.”Hannah went on, “We need another woman around the place.Right now, it’s just Sarah, the on-site therapist, and myself.I’ll talk to Lawson and Xavier as soon as possible, but I think they’ll be glad to have someone else around here to help out.”
