“Wish I could get paid to be wrong all the time,” Walker commented. “At least we don’t have anywhere to go tonight. You know you’re all welcome to crash here with the kids.”
“In that case, anyone want another beer?” Brody asked, already getting up from the table to head toward the refrigerator.
It wouldn’t be the first time we’d stayed over at one of the guys’ houses after poker night. My kids were just as comfortable at Walker’s as they were at home. Maybe even more since he had a bigger TV.
“How are things going with your new hire?” Tucker asked, not even bothering to hide his smile. “I couldn’t help but notice your picture with her hanging on the wall at the Hog & Hickory.”
“You and everybody else,” I mumbled. Seemed like there should be more important things for the folks in Big Wood to worry about than my love life, but rumors had been flying since Delaney made a name for herself at the hog call competition.
“Anything you want to talk to us about?” Tucker teased. “The two of you looked real cozy in that photo.”
“Give it a rest.” I clenched my jaw and looked around the table at my closest friends. They’d been there for me through everything. If it weren’t for them helping me figure out how to put the pieces of my life together after my ex walked out, I probably would have tucked tail, moved back to Texas, and begged Mama Mae to help me raise my kids. Still, I wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about the thoughts I’d been having about Delaney.
Brody sat back and cocked his head. “Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. This woman was practically made for you. She likes playing in the dirt, cooking out on an open fire, and probably gets off to the sound of cicadas.”
“Keep it down. My kids are in the other room,” I said.
“Yeah, your kids who are both head over heels for that woman,” Brody added, though he did lower his voice a notch.“What’s wrong with taking a shot at happiness? How long’s it been since Michelle walked out?”
“Can’t we just play poker?” My shoulders sagged.
The three of them stared back at me. Waiting. Stubborn motherfuckers.
“Sure. Delaney looks good on paper,” I started.
“Looks pretty damn good in person too,” Walker joked.
He was right. The curvy brunette with the wide brown eyes had me on edge since the day we met. I didn’t have to admit it. The guys already knew. “She works for me. Just the thought of making any kind of move could get me fired.”
“So, you have thought about it.” Brody practically crowed.
“Technically, she doesn’t actually work for you. She was hired through an education grant.” Tucker shot me a knowing grin.
“Fine. But technically, she’s also just here for the summer. No sense investing any effort into something that would be over before it even started.” I had them there. Nobody could argue with me that Big Wood, Tennessee was the location of someone’s dream job.
“Maybe that’s what you need. Something just for the summer to get you out of the eight-year funk you’ve been in.” Walker leaned forward.
I shook my head, already thinking of logical reasons why that would never work. My phone buzzed on the table. Grateful for the distraction, I grabbed it, surprised to see the number of the park office on the screen. I pushed back from the table and stepped into the hall for a bit of privacy.
“Ramsey here. What’s going on?” I kept my voice even, though I immediately knew something was wrong. Had to be if someone was calling from the office this late.
“We’ve got a staff member on the south outer trail who hasn’t checked in yet,” Janice said.
Before I even asked, I knew it was Delaney. The knot in my gut told me so, but I needed confirmation. “Who is it?”
“Delaney. Looks like she signed out a radio a couple of hours ago. I was just wrapping things up before closing the office for the night and saw she never checked it back in. She’s not responding to the radio or on her cell. With the way the storm turned?—”
“I’m on it.” Forcing myself to keep my tone steady, I was already heading toward the table to grab my jacket off the back of my chair. “Go ahead and close. She’s probably waiting out the storm by that bend in the creek. I’ve never been able to get a good signal there.”
“Let me know if you want me to alert anyone else,” Janice said.
“I’m ninety-nine percent sure I know where she is. I’ll check in when I find her.” Shoving my arms into the sleeves of my jacket, I ended the call, my pulse ricocheting through my veins. “You got the kids tonight.”
Walker nodded. “Anything you need, man.”
“Thanks. I’ll be by in the morning to pick them up.” By the time I got Delaney back to her cabin, it would be way too late to drive over to get them.
“Do you need a hand?” Brody asked.
