by Debra Kayn
"Just until the end of summer," she said.
He looked at her. "Thanks for taking care of my finger."
Grateful for the darkness to hide her flush, she nodded. It was best not to say anything because every time he mentioned her licking him, her mind turned dirty.
"Nice night out," muttered Quint.
She cleared her throat. "Yes, it is."
Together, they stared out into the night. He never said any more about her plans of leaving. And, she successfully kept her tongue in her mouth.
Chapter 16
Quint lifted the ax over his head. Katelynn stepped closer to the window. The muscles along his back and shoulders bunched as he swung.
Thunk.
The sharp blade sliced clear through the wood making two smaller pieces that fell to the side. She panted for breath, holding on to the windowsill. Sweat glistened off his bare chest.
Staying with him never prepared her for the sight of him half naked.
With a master bathroom and a guest bathroom, their paths never crossed as they showered and dressed for the day. He was a large, rugged man in clothes but his flannel shirt and worn jeans hid a lot from her view.
She waved her hand in front of her face. God, it was hot.
August came in with record-breaking temperatures, forcing her and Quint out of the cabin onto the porch in the evenings until the sun went down over the ridge. She couldn't wait until tonight.
Time spent with him was the best part of her days. Sometimes, they talked about things happening around the campground. Other times, silence filled the night, all she could hear was her own heartbeat.
Quint turned and wiped his forehead. She squinted, peering at his side. He had a rippled scar along his ribcage.
Knowing he spent all his time outdoors and came home with scratches from the trees and callouses from the tools, she found the imperfection another show of how strong and dedicated Quint was to running the campground.
He carried the ax over his shoulder and strolled away from headquarters. She bit her lip, taking in his long stride.
A car pulled through the loop, blocking her view. She left the window and moved behind the counter. A few minutes later, a bell on the door jingled.
She looked up, setting the registry book in front of her. "Good afternoon. Welcome to Bitterroot Campground."
The man scratched his round belly. "Where's Quint?"
"He's out working in the campground." She waited for the man to let her know why he'd come in and when he meandered around the open room looking at fishing hooks, composting toilet paper, and small bottles of shampoo, she said, "Is there something I can help you with?"
The man pushed back the bill of his hat and frowned at her. She kept the smile on her face as she squeezed her hands together on the counter. The customer is always right. A pleasant person never scowls. Patience and a paycheck go hand in hand.
She recited every saying she'd learned during her time working at the Emporium to see her through the long work days with demanding customers.
Picking up a box of matches, the man tapped the container against the counter in front of the items for sale. Katelynn moved and stopped in front of the man.
"The matches work well." She picked up an electric lighter. "We've also had campers recommend a more permanent fire starter. Small enough to put in the drawer of the RV or carry in their backpack to use on their next vacation stay."
"Is that so?" The man grunted and turned around, standing in the middle of the room.
He looked around the area. Katelynn moved back behind the registry book, trying to stay one step ahead of the man.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Quint passing in front of the window. She exhaled in relief. The man apparently wasn't going to be happy dealing with her.
The door opened, setting off the bell. Quint's gaze swept the room and landed on the man.
"Well, you son of a bitch." Quint strode forward, sticking out his hand. "Took you long enough to make it back around this side of the mountain. How the hell are you doing, Sawyer?"
Sawyer grabbed Quint's hand and squeezed his shoulder with the other before grunting. "Can't complain. Looks like you're keeping the park full."
"Trying my damnedest." Quint rocked back on the heels of his boots. "We're between beer and deer season, so have more of the family crowd at the moment."
"A time when you can enjoy the quiet. I remember it well," said Sawyer, sweeping his gaze up and down Quint. "I see you have a few more gray hairs, my boy."
Quint smiled and ran his hand down his beard. "Not much I can do about that."
"Eh, it adds maturity to you." Sawyer sighed and smiled, looking around the room. "Can't say I don't miss the days of keeping this place up and running."
Quint met Katelynn's gaze and lifted his chin. "Have you met Katelynn?"
"Not by introduction." Sawyer turned and grinned at her, shocking her with a friendly face. He strode over and held out his hand. "I couldn't help but give her the once over when I walked in, test the hands, for old time's sake. You've got yourself a good worker in her, Quint."
She shook his hand, lost in the conversation.
"Sawyer's the one who carved this place out of the mountain and made Bitterroot Campground what it is today. He's taught me everything I know," said Quint.
"Oh." She smiled uncertainly. "Thank you. I mean, welcome back."
"Welcome will do, young lady. Though, I won't be staying." Sawyer clapped his hands together and faced Quint. "How about showing me around?"
"How much time do you have?" Quint stepped back and opened the door.
"Not enough. Betsy's in the motorhome making me a sandwich, ready to head into Missoula and see her sister to do some shopping while we spend a week with her side of the family before heading back to Arizona." Sawyer let the door close behind him, cutting off the rest of the conversation.
Alone in the office, Katelynn let out the breath she'd been holding. Quint's surprise visitor had put her through her paces.
Curious about a side of Quint she hadn't seen, she returned to the window and found him pointing toward the river and talking with Sawyer.
She could tell Quint respected the man and was proud of the work he'd done around the park. While it wasn't the same kind of closeness he had with Anders, Will, and Mark, Quint was genuinely happy to see his old boss.
Picking up the broom in the corner of the room, she swept the constantly dusty wood floor. Camping and having a building in the middle of the forest on a mountain came with a certain amount of dirt that always seemed present.
She sneezed.
The bell on the door jingled.
She giggled softly, surprised to find amusement when over the last nine months, she'd forgotten what it was like to enjoy small moments.
"Excuse me? Can you tell me where I can find Quint?"
She whirled around and came face to face with a man. "He just stepped out. Can I help you with anything?"
Dressed in similar attire as everyone else camping, the man pulled his cap down, shielding his eyes. "Can you point me in his direction?"
She raised her brows, wondering if the man was connected to Sawyer and putting her through another test. "Not at the moment but you're free to wait for him."
Quint had a 'don't bother him' rule when he was away from headquarters unless it was an emergency. Too often, returning campers stopped in wanting to catch up, taking him away from the work that needed to be done.
The man turned sideways. She leaned forward, looking below his cap. He seemed familiar. Had he been one of the campers she'd checked in over the last several weeks?
"Is he in the campground or at his house?" asked the man, looking her straight in the eyes.
She stiffened, recognizing the blue eyes from one of the photos Quint had shown her. Except this man had almost white hair, not gray, but she remembered the blue eyes that stood out because of having heavy, almost shockingly white eyebrows.
The
man quickly turned from her without her answering and strode to the door, pushing his way outside without another word. Katelynn dropped the broom and hurried around the counter to the phone. Pushing the button to call Quint, she rushed to the window and peeked out holding the cordless receiver to her ear.
"Yeah?" answered Quint.
"He's here. One of the men in the pictures you showed me." She pressed her forehead against the glass. "He's outside now, going toward the entrance to the campground."
"Lock the door and stay inside." He disconnected the call.
She flipped the lock and walked backward away from the window. Not knowing who the man was or what he'd done, she could only go off how Quint reacted on the phone.
He was pissed.
Chapter 17
Katelynn looked out the side window of the truck. Quint took the exit off Interstate 90 and drove through the underpass. Anders' Lair came into view, and he slowed down.
"I'm totally lost." Katelynn straightened in the seat. "Which mountain ridge would we need to cross to be at the campground?"
He pointed behind the Lair. "That one."
"But, we're coming from the other direction." She smoothed the bottom of her sundress on her thighs. "Did we just travel in a circle?"
"More or less." He pulled behind the building and parked. "It takes less time to go up and over the mountain to visit Anders."
"Why didn't we—"
"You." His chest tightened as his gaze lowered to the cleavage showing over the material of her dress. "You look too pretty to put on the back of an ATV and get dirty tonight."
Her mouth softened, and she looked down at herself. "It was nice of Iliana to put a sundress in the bag of clothes she gave me. I didn't think I'd have an opportunity to wear it at the campground."
"You didn't have to wear it tonight. The Lair is casual. Most people are wearing jeans and T-shirts." He shut off the engine, glancing at her again. "Though, I'm glad you did."
After Katelynn spotted Michael Jaster at the campground, he'd hunted every inch of the property looking for the asshole and came up empty. It was like Jaster had a way in and out of the mountain that Quint hadn't found yet.
Knowing the others would need to be warned about the latest development, and they'd need to discuss what to do, he'd called them all together. Anders suggested they come to the Lair and maybe Katelynn would unwittingly give more information about Jaster to Iliana. They needed to know about any changes over the years.
In ten years, Jaster had only shown himself to a few other people—who ultimately ended up dead. Katelynn had the information they needed to get the upper hand, and she had no idea how important tonight was for Quint.
He opened the truck door and walked around to open the passenger side. He needed to pull tonight off without Katelynn becoming suspicious.
She slid out of the truck. "Thanks."
Putting his hand on her back, he led her up the back stairs to Anders' private quarters on the second level of the building. A night out, different scenery, and relaxing conversations would be good for her.
She had too many nights filled with nightmares. Her cries often woke him up and it took everything in him not to go to her. Hopefully, getting her mind off her problems with a little fun at the Lair, she'd go back to the cabin and have a dreamless sleep.
And, he'd have more information to find Jaster.
"This building is amazing." She ran her hand along the outside wall. "I was expecting a little bar with slot machines against the back wall. This looks more like a resort from the outside."
He raised his hand and knocked. Anders answered, moving back inside and motioning them in.
Will and Mark had already arrived. Not letting go of Katelynn, he gazed at them all to read what was going on. From minute to minute, their situation could change with all of them living separate lives. Even when they were together, they were no safer here than alone.
"I'm so glad you came." Iliana walked across the room and hugged Katelynn. "I'm going to steal you away so we can have some girl time before the men come downstairs."
Katelynn looked up at Quint. "Is that okay?"
He nodded, though she needed no one's permission. Watching her walk away from him, he liked how she acted as if she belonged to him.
Once the door shut, he sat down on the couch. "The motherfucker walked into headquarters asking for me. Thankfully, Katelynn recognized him and called as soon as he went outside. I was at the other end of the campground showing Sawyer the new shack where we stack the wood or I would've had the son of a bitch. He was fucking right there."
"That's the closest we've gotten to Jaster." Mark sat on the hearth. "What changed for him to risk getting caught?"
"Time? Age?" Will shrugged. "Maybe he's getting tired of keeping the pressure on us. We know he doesn't want the info of what he'd done to us getting out, and who knows how many other kids he's done the same damn thing to."
"Or, maybe it's all about revenge." Anders leaned against the back of the couch. "For Mateo, and everyone who came after us that ended up dead."
"We'll never know the reason," said Mark quietly. "They stole us out of state protection which is one crime. They ran a successful dogfighting ring which is another crime on a different level. Making us train and then fight the dogs to the death...not to mention killing Joney is enough to make them fear our freedom. They've lived each day, wondering if they'll be caught."
"To have the authorities go after them, we'd all be going to prison for life for what we've done. I want my freedom. I deserve it," said Quint.
They weren't innocent. Their actions came from a desperate existence they tried to escape. They lived their life doing a crime for a crime until the only way to gain control of the situation was to take out every single one of the men.
The loss of Two-crow was still raw. It pained him every day that his friend would never see the end with them. That Joney—who'd never escaped—rested easy, knowing they'd avenged his death.
"I don't want anyone pressuring Katelynn about Jaster." Quint leaned forward. "When I had her keep an eye out for him and McCloud, I let her believe they were bad guests at the campground and weren't allowed on the property."
"She believed you?" Anders, having confided in Iliana about his past, still kept the crimes they committed as a group away from his girlfriend. While Iliana knew of the dangers of the two remaining men, she was never told the extent of what each of them had gone through. Only enough to keep her safe.
But, it was different between him and Katelynn. He couldn't confide in her. They weren't together, despite her living with him. He wanted to see her go on with her life without any worries.
"At the moment? Yeah, she does. But if we talk too much, she'll have questions. I rather not lie to her. She doesn't deserve that." He stood, needing a smoke. "I'm going to step out for a sec."
"Go ahead." Anders straightened. "When you're done, we'll go downstairs and meet the women for dinner."
He escaped the room and rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the tension. All he wanted was Katelynn beside him. To take her back to his cabin and hole up inside, making sure nothing happened to her.
But they needed answers about Jaster, and she was the only one who could help them.
ILIANA CARRIED TWO pretty pink drinks from the bar and sat them on the table. "I think you'll like this. It's fun and fruity, which Anders doesn't appreciate. I usually only have one when my sister comes to visit. I had the bartender make yours without alcohol."
Katelynn sipped, glad that Iliana remembered she didn't drink. "Mm. That is good."
"Right? So addicting." Iliana sat down across from her. "How do you like your job at the campground?"
"Surprisingly, I enjoy being close to nature and the campers are much friendlier than working in retail." She looked around the bar area after having toured the casino on the other side of the building. "It's nothing like here, though. This place is incredible and hopping with energy."
Iliana laughed. "It's like this twenty-four/seven. I love it on the weekends when I sing, but it's so nice to be able to slip upstairs and shut out all the noise and people."
"You guys have the whole upstairs to yourself?" Katelynn sipped her drink.
Iliana grinned. "I stole you away from Quint too fast when we were up there, but I'll make sure to show you the upstairs later before you leave. Right now, I'm hungry for female companionship."
"Hm." Katelynn nodded. "It is nice to have another female to talk to."
"You must be around my age. Are you finding that the last couple of years your circle of girlfriends has drifted further apart?"
She nodded. "It was like that back home in Vancouver. I rarely went out with people I knew when I was in school."
"Exactly." Iliana leaned forward. "Friends who I thought would be in my life when I graduated moved away, lived with boyfriends, or are so tied up in their jobs, they have no social life."
Katelynn cupped her drink with her hands. "Same here. Though, I'm to blame, too. I threw myself into working because everyone else my age went away to college. My social life revolved around Facebook and Snapchat to keep in contact with everyone."
Iliana nodded. "Me, too. I was singing at different gigs and let friendships slip away."
"Look at us." Katelynn grinned. "Finally maturing and seeing what the adulting is all about."
"Too true." Iliana sighed in contentment. "Though, I'm so happy with Anders."
"That's awesome." She swallowed down the loneliness.
Iliana lifted her brows. "What about you and Quint?"
"Oh, we're not together."
"No?" Iliana frowned.
Realizing her mistake, she looked around for Quint. What was she supposed to do now?
"I mean, not in that way. Not the way you and Anders are." She swallowed, forcing herself to shut up.
At the campground, it was easy to pretend they were together because they got along and worked side by side. This was the first time he'd taken her away, and she'd been separated from him.
