I ignored the comment and pressed on. “We need to do something bigger than give the store a makeover.”
He slammed the register door closed and turned around. “And I bet you have the perfect idea for that.”
“Lucky for you, I do. We’re going to host an Adventure Weekend. Customers can try out equipment before they buy it. We’ll have different events like wilderness hikes, product demos, and maybe even a group kayak down the river.” The more I thought about it, the surer I became about the concept.
But Harlan shot me down with a smirk. “No way. I’m not going to have you turn this place into a three-ring circus.”
“It won’t be a circus, and it’s exactly the kind of event we need to re-launch the store and get the town behind you. Right now everyone thinks about it as a convenient place to drop in real quick and pick up what they need, not a destination where they want to hang out and browse.”
“That’s because it is a convenient place to pick up what they need. I don’t want a bunch of people hanging around here all day. I get them in and out and on their way.” He scowled at me like I’d asked him to bring in all of his buddies to put on a male revue. Which, actually, might be a good idea if his two best friends weren’t my brothers.
I tapped my toe and crossed my arms. “And that right there is your fatal flaw, or at least the biggest one I can see.”
“How can a person have more than one fatal flaw, Jessa?” He practically growled my name. In my time away, I’d forgotten how much of a thrill it gave me to set him off.
“Adventure weekend is on. You gave me the right to do whatever I think is necessary, remember?” It was almost a sin how much pleasure I took from making him angry. Now I needed to deliver. If I didn’t, both of us were going to be screwed.
CHAPTER 3
HARLAN
By the time the next Friday night rolled around, I was fried. Being around Jessa for hours a day, watching her move through my space like she owned it, breathing in her scent, and trying to keep myself from reaching for her, had done me in. I almost thought about not showing up for Friday night Trail Supper but didn’t want to give anyone a reason to talk about me behind my back.
I let Bubbles lead the way to the clearing where we met every week. He was drawn by the smell of something sizzling over the campfire. Probably steak since it was Trace’s night to bring the main dish. I tightened my grip on the bag holding a few kinds of packaged cookies. I’d meant to swing by the cafe for one of Nellie’s pies but ran out of time since Jessa kept fussing over the window displays. She’d promised to lock up when she was done, so I finally left her there so I wouldn’t miss out on the food.
Thatcher saw me first. He held out his hand and gripped mine. “We were starting to think you might not show.”
“Need a drink?” Holt handed me a red plastic cup holding an inch of brown liquid. “Dane had to run to Missoula this week and brought back a couple of bottles from that new whiskey distillery near Hell’s River.”
“Thanks, man.” I downed it in one swallow. The whiskey burned down the back of my throat. Hopefully it would take the edge off and help me relax a little. I was wound up tighter than the strings on my grandpa’s old fiddle tonight.
“I bet he could use a couple more,” Ridge said. “Rumor has it you’ve been dealing with Baby J all week.”
I bristled at the nickname. We’d called Jessa that for years, but suddenly I didn’t like the way it sounded coming from another guy.
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Holt tipped the bottle to pour another inch into my cup. “She told me Nellie set her up to work at the outfitters for some experience.”
“She didn’t give me much of a choice,” I mumbled.
“Who? Nellie or Jessa?” Thatcher said with a laugh.
“Hell, I bet neither one,” Holt said.
“You’re right about that.” I tossed the bag of cookies onto the table and took a seat on a tree stump close to the fire. Thatcher sat down next to me while Bubbles worked the crowd. He knew the guys would have treats for him.
“Is she driving you up a wall yet?” Thatcher asked.
“Up and down and right back up again.” I lifted the cup to my nose and inhaled the comforting scent of corn and rye.
Thatcher grinned. “Jessa tends to have that effect on people. She came over for dinner the other night and talked about the deal the two of you made.”
My pulse ticked up. Though it never would have bothered me before, I didn’t like the idea of Jessa sitting around a table with her brother and his girl and complaining about me behind my back. “Oh yeah?”
“It’s a good thing you’re doing, letting her get some experience.” Thatcher nodded. “And with Wild Wilderness looking at Hard Timber, sounds like you could use the help.”
I still wasn’t so sure about that, but it was too late to turn back. I’d given her my word, and I intended to keep it, even if being around her every day was the ultimate test of my willpower. “Did she tell you about the Adventure Weekend she’s planning?”
“Yeah. Sounds like a good idea, though I was a little surprised you agreed to that.” Thatcher stared down into his cup and swirled the liquid around. “It’s not really your style to host a big public event.”
