Page 110 of Nerdplay
I don’t want the two of them engaged in conversation. “Patrick, I’ll be happy to refund your money, minus an administrative fee.”
“I don’t want a refund. I want to stay for the week. Hook me up with another cabin if mine isn’t available. Who’s here this year?” He cranes his neck to survey the campground. “What about Stefan? I bet he’s not sharing with anybody.”
“No, he isn’t because he prefers a solo cabin, which he paid for.”
Charlie steps an inch closer to Patrick. “It sounds like camp is full, buddy.”
Patrick’s gaze slides to me, clearly assessing the situation. He may be a cowardly twat, but he isn’t stupid. “Why don’t I take your cabin, Cricket? It’ll be like old times, except you can stay at your house if you’d prefer—or not.” His flirtatious smile heats my blood to a boil.
“I stay at camp with everybody else during the season, you know that.”
“Then I’ll stay at the house. You’ve got the space, and I don’t mind the walk.”
“You don’t seem to have heard her.” Charlie’s right; he has a good couple inches on Patrick, in height and other respects that I really don’t want to think about right now. “Consider this the little town of Bethlehem,” Charlie continues, “and there’s no room at the inn.”
I feel the churn of testosterone in the ether and realize this could quickly spiral into a physical confrontation if I don’t intervene.
“Patrick, if you’d like to discuss this further, you can meet me in my office.” I shoot a pleading look at Charlie. “Alone. Take it or leave it.”
I sprint to my office ahead of him and slam the door behind me. I’m so deep in my head, I don’t register the young girl seated behind my desk.
“What’s wrong?” Olivia asks.
I snap back to reality. “What are you doing in here?”
“I got bored.” She splays her hands across the desk. “I like pretending I’m a corporate executive.”
I laugh. “In this office, you’re definitely pretending.”
“You have a lot of papers. Can I organize them for you?”
“That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.” I feel guilty using a child as a shield, but desperate times…
The door opens, thus concluding my moment to collect myself.
“New assistant?” Patrick asks.
“This is Ben’s granddaughter, Olivia.”
“Yes, we met by the lake. I didn’t know he had a granddaughter.”
Typical Patrick. Too self-absorbed to remember important details about other people.
“My parents are getting divorced,” Olivia announces. “That’s the reason I’m here this year.”
“What a coincidence. Kind of why I’m here too.” Patrick shifts his focus to me. “Can we talk in private?”
“This is camp, Patrick. There’s not much privacy to be had.”
The corners of his mouth hitch up. “I wouldn’t say that. You and I managed it.”
It takes all my willpower not to haul off and punch him square in his square jaw. “Olivia, would you mind giving us a few minutes?” I grind out.
“Close the door behind you,” Patrick calls after her.
“Are your hands broken? Close it yourself,” Olivia shoots back as she flees, leaving the door wide open. I don’t make a habit of choosing favorite campers, but right now she’s definitely mine.
As Patrick shuts the door, I move to stand behind my desk, desperate to put a large, heavy object between us. Then again, this might be the moment I discover my superhuman strength and hurl the furniture at him. It’s an unlikely outcome to this conversation, but stranger things have happened.
