Everlasting Love. Valerie Hansen

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      Megan made a face. Clearly ignoring her sister’s muffled squeal of protest she said, “Hmmm. This could take a bit more than dusting.”

      “Exactly.” James started to pull the door closed. “So, what’s your second choice?”

      “I don’t have one. I want this cabin.”

      “You must be kidding.”

      “No. Not at all. Like I said, it’s perfect for my needs. Think you can have the junk out of it by Monday?”

      He rolled his eyes. This woman was not only stubborn beyond reason, she was also nuts. “Monday? Of next month, maybe. This is already Friday. There’s no way I can spare the time to do the hours of work this place will need. It’s impossible.”

      “Nothing is impossible if you want it badly enough,” Megan argued. “And I want this cabin. If you can’t clean it out, we’ll do it ourselves.”

      “No way! Not me.” Roxy retreated and scurried down the porch steps.

      All James could do was shake his head. He’d never met anyone as inflexible as Megan White. Nor anyone so determined. How did all that stubbornness fit into such a compact package? When he’d been tossed out by his parents and shipped off to military school as a young teen, he’d thought those instructors were unbelievably rigid. But they’d been softies compared to this woman.

      “I can’t let you do that.” He cast around for a plausible excuse, settling on “It’s against camp policy” before he realized she’d be privy to the details of actual camp policy through her mentor.

      “I’m starting to get the idea you don’t want us here,” Megan chided, breaking into a silly grin. “Well, you can forget about scaring us off. Roxy and I are moving in on Monday, with or without your help. Now, where do you want us to put all this junk after we drag it out the door?”

      He knew when he was licked. “Okay, okay. I’ll help you. Let me go get the old dump truck we use to haul trash. We can back it up to the porch and toss stuff into it from there so we won’t have to handle anything twice. I have a bad feeling this place is loaded with spiders, not to mention other crawly things.”

      It pleased him to note Megan’s barely perceptible shiver. She’d listened to that warning, at least. He was in favor of anything that fostered caution and slowed her momentum. Which gave him another idea.

      “You could be settled in one of the regular cabins down the hill in a few hours, you know. Today.”

      When she whirled to face him, hands fisted on her slim hips, she didn’t have to say a word to inform him his sensible suggestion had been in vain.

      He shook his head in resignation. “Okay, okay. You win. I’ll go tell Inez and Aaron to keep watching the kids for me and I’ll get the truck. Don’t try to move anything until I get back. Understand?”

      “Perfectly.”

      As he started away, Roxy hurried to match his stride. He slowed for her. “Aren’t you going to stay and help your big sister?”

      “No way. That place is too creepy. I don’t do spiders. Or windows, either.”

      “I don’t blame you for hating spiders,” he said soberly. “I’m not real crazy about them myself.”

      “Are you married?”

      James faltered and almost tripped. “No. Why?”

      “Just wondered.”

      “Are you asking for yourself, or did your sister put you up to it?”

      “Her? Naw.” Roxy made a face. “Meg doesn’t care. She’s never had lots of dates like I have. I’m a cheerleader, you know. Varsity.”

      “Congratulations.”

      “Thanks. How old are the boys who live here?”

      “Younger than you,” he said dryly. “And while we’re on the subject, I want you to understand something. These kids are already confused and worried when they come to camp. If you do or say anything to upset them further, I’ll have to end your sister’s project early and send you both away. Is that clear?”

      Roxy shrugged. “Sure. It’s not my problem. I’m only here because my mother didn’t want to be bothered with me.”

      “I thought you came to help Megan.”

      “Whatever. It wasn’t my idea.”

      Thoughtful, James refrained from further comment. He hadn’t been crazy about the idea of bringing animals into the camp in the first place. Now that Megan had added a troubled teen to the mix, he was even less inclined to endorse the project.

      It’s only for fourteen days, he reminded himself. Two weeks. Surely, not much could go wrong in that short a time.

      When James returned with the dump truck he was alone. He handed Megan some leather gloves and donned a matching pair. “Your sister decided to stay with Inez.”

      “Not a big surprise.” The gloves were miles too big. Nevertheless, Megan expressed gratitude as she put them on. “Thanks. It was nice of you to think of bringing these for me. If I’d known I was going to be doing a lot of manual labor today I’d have come better prepared.”

      “You’re welcome. There’s bottled water in the cab of the truck, too. I don’t want you using the taps in the cabin until I’ve had a chance to flush them out. Might make you sick.”

      “Aren’t you sweet? Thanks.”

      “Me? Sweet?” He chuckled. “You’re the first person who’s ever called me that.”

      Slightly disconcerted, he reached for a stack of cardboard boxes, looking them over carefully while brushing away spiderwebs with one gloved hand. “All these old records are in our computer system so it’ll be okay to pitch them. I’d forgotten this stuff was still around.”

      “You’ve worked here a long time?”

      “On and off. I started volunteering when I was still in school. After I got my degree, I went into teaching but it wasn’t satisfying enough. I finally chucked it all and came back here to stay. Been here ever since.”

      Megan nodded. “Why don’t you do the heavy work and leave those boxes to me? I can move them by myself if I only lift one or two at a time. I know I can’t handle the mattresses.” Pointing, she gifted him with her most convincing smile. “Please?”

      “Okay.” James straightened. “Just keep your gloves on and watch out for spiders. We have a lot of brown recluse up here. I fight them all the time in the bunkhouses.”

      “You be careful, too. Looks like the wasps have taken over that end of the cabin.”

      “Mud daubers. They’re everywhere, especially in attics. Chances are they even managed to find a way into some of those boxes you’re about to handle.”

      “Terrific.” She made a silly face СКАЧАТЬ