Page 16 of Lady and the Camp
But why had there even been a blanket on the ground? My cones clearly signaled to steer clear.
All of this made my head ache. Not to mention my looming conference call. I had reports and a budget to prep ahead of the call. The plan had been roof: fix; office: budget. Not escort a fashion model through camp for a job she shouldn’t have been hired for.
Finally, Twila hung up. She directed a pleasant look at me. “Yes, boss?”
I snorted. “Oh, I’m the boss now?” I paced the floor in front of her desk. “Twila, you hired that girl without consulting me.”
“She’s a full-grown woman, sir.”
“I’m not—don’t call me sir.” I stopped and took a breath. “You hired her behind my back.”
“She passed the background check.”
“She looks like some fashion diva from a magazine. Does she even have experience working with children? Or any outdoors training?”
“Working with me in the office, I’m not sure why those skills would be necessary.”
I stared at Twila. She stared at me. I stared some more until she flinched. There—I knew it. She knew I needed that hire out with Maggie and not as her own personal sidekick.
“Twila,” I said slowly. “Did you actually—”
The front office door opened, and a whirlwind of sounds tumbled in. The pink-haired diva returned, in slightly less obnoxious clothing. A camp shirt and a normal looking skirt with shoes that at least weren’t high heels. No weird jewelry. She carried a huge purse and held an ancient alarm clock with the cord dragging against the floor.
She huffed out a breath. “Hi again. Got back here as quickly as I could.”
“Hudson!” Twila stood and gestured to her chair. “Take a seat. I’ll get you something to drink. Tea—iced or hot?”
“Oh, um, iced. Thank you.” She looked at me. “Do you do electronics repairs? This clock doesn’t work and I don’t have a watch. I usually use my phone but it seems there’s a severe lack of cell tower coverage out here.” She bit her lip and something stirred beneath my anger that I pressed back. Far back. “Anyway, I’ll need to know what time it is at the cottage. You know, to report to work on time.”
She handed me the clock, smiled, and walked to Twila’s desk and sat.
The broken clock was the least of my concern. Where did I even start?
“So, where would you like me to start?” she asked.
I blinked, irritated. “Have you worked with kids?”
She perked up. “I was a babysitter certified in first aid.”
“Was?”
“Yup. In high school.”
“When’s the last time you babysat?”
She looked thoughtful. “High school.”
“And how long ago was that?”
Her expression turned mildly heated. “You’re not supposed to ask that. Never to women. And probably never in an employment scenario.”
Twila arrived with a clinking glass of iced tea. “I’ve tried to tell him just the same, Hudson, but he doesn’t have a filter.”
“Idon’t have a filter?” I gestured and the alarm clock cord collided with the desk leg. I set the thing on a nearby table. “Okay, how about wilderness training? Camp experience?”
The woman—Hudson—at least had the decency to look humbled. “I’m afraid I don’t. Though, I did once sleep in a VW bus at Coachella, and bartered with other festival-goers. I mainly traded plant-based sheet masks for fair trade coffee and organic protein bars. I always carry skincare samples on me. In fact—”
“That’s enough.” I turned my ire at Twila. “This is what I’m talking about. We need someone qualified to supervise the campers and work with Maggie running the programs. She ain’t it.”
