Page 2 of High Side
Kylie nodded. “I am.” She usually didn’t take Sundays off, but this week she had to run over to Olathe to house sit for her Granny, who was going to Vegas. On a bus. With a dozen seniors.
Lord.
“I’ll see you Monday, then. Make sure to stretch tonight and tomorrow or you’ll be like frozen rope.”
“You know it.” She did yoga and Pilates almost every day. Kept her muscles long and lean. She would also hit the hot tub as soon as possible.
“Good girl.” Lupe, Liz’s wife, winked at her. “Have a good day off, honey. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Good deal!” She headed out, humming a little with the music in her head. Which was… Mary Poppins today. Okay. Her brain was a strange place. “See you guys later!” She waved at the other guides.
“Good ride today, Ky!” Joe waved back.
Man, she needed a shower before she headed to Cherry’s. Some days it was just good to be alive. Today was one of those days.
Two
Brittany Lehi straightened the hem on her shirt, making sure she wasn’t wearing her breakfast on the front of it. The best outfit she had was a pair of jeans with no holes and a button-down, so that was what she wore to her interview and M&M Outfitters.
Rafting guide would be the perfect summer job for her, and Summit Springs had some of the best rafting in Colorado. Right up there with Cripple Creek and the Upper Taylor.
She was fresh enough out of school that her mom hadn’t gotten her diploma—BS in Outdoor Recreation and Hospitality, thank you very much—in the mail. But she had some experience in outdoor rec. She’d done rafting and Jeep tours for two years in college, and she’d grown up with rodeo people, so she knew animals. Horses had been a passion, like they were for most country girls.
She could do this.
So she marched into the office, steeling herself to do a good interview and not be too loud or too sure of herself.
She kinda had a problem with being…cocky.
Of course, that was when she ran into a tall blonde with legs that went on forever. Like, literally ran into her. “Oof. Oops. Sorry.”
The woman steadied Brittany with strong, solid hands. “No problem. It’s tight quarters in here with all the equipment.”
“Thanks.” Well, hello. Yum. “I have an interview at nine thirty?”
“And you’re on time. Come on. I’m heading that way.”
“Cool.” Was this the boss? That would be disappointing, because she was fire, but Brittany would never flirt with the person who wrote paychecks.
“I’m one of the senior guides, so I’m sitting in. Kylie. Nice to meetcha.”
“Brittany. Good to meet you.” She hoped. Kylie didn’t look all that senior. Maybe ten years older than her? That was a nice bit of experience…
“I found your interviewee, folks.” Kylie waved her into a wild, busy, chaotic office that held a tall, hawklike woman and a little round woman with huge, long black and silver braids over her shoulders.
And right on their heels came a tanned, broad-shouldered man with a white smile. “Am I late? Hey, I’m Joe.”
“Brittany.”
“Hello, Brittany. I’m Liz, and this is Lupe. Have a seat.”
Wow. Okay. This was intense. Usually interviews were just with one person, right?
“Liz and I are the owners,” Lupe said. “And Joe and Kylie are the senior rafting guides. You got lucky that we’re all here today.” That sweet smile relaxed her a little, for sure. This was the good cop, motherly boss, she could tell.
“Good to meet you all. Seems like a busy outfitter.”
“We are. We take out three to five trips a day in the summer. Maybe more on weekends if we have the guides and the bus drivers.”
