As Nolan approached the guard shack, he saw a vehicle parked in front of the metal barrier gate and a dark-haired man he didn’t recognize standing almost toe-to-toe in a threatening manner with their gate guard.
Whoever he was, he was clearly irritated. His tense shoulders were pulled back and his chest puffed out in an attempt to intimidate Kirk, a Navy veteran.
Nolan’s guess? Kirk wasn’t going to back down and would do whatever was necessary.
He parked the ATV up close to the barrier, blocking the lane, just in case, and as soon as he shut off the engine he heard, “I know she’s here!”
She?
“Let me in. I have every right to see my girlfriend.”
Girlfriend?
Did a guest book a stay without her significant other and this guy was bent out ofshape over it?
“You!”
A finger was jabbed in Nolan’s direction.
“Make this asshole open the gate.”
Nolan calmly asked Kirk, “Does he have a reservation?”
“No.”
“Is he on the visitors’ list?”
Kirk shook his head. “Nope.”
Even Nolan could tell Kirk was clinging hard to his patience.
Great. Good thing the gate was far from any guests so no one would be witnessing this shit show.
“I know she’s here. At this”—he flung a hand around, barely missing Kirk—"this place.”
Nolan pulled in a breath to cool his annoyance. “Who’s the guest you’re seeking?”
One side of the man’s lip pulled up in a sneer. “She’s not a guest! She works here.”
Great. “And her name?”
“Hope Reed.”
All the blood drained from Nolan’s face. This jack wagon had to be Darren, her ex. Because Nolan and Cam were her current boyfriends—and lovers—but he kept that important tidbit to himself.
Nolan wasn’t sure that Hope was even on the property since he didn’t check to see if her vehicle was still parked in front of the cabin. Sometimes she hung around the resort if she didn’t have to run home to teach another class from her home studio or get housework done.
“She’s probably at home,” Nolan forced through clenched teeth.
“She’s not. That was the first place I checked.”
The hairs on the back of his neckstood up.
First of all, why was Darren back in town? Second, why was he looking for Hope?
Whatever the reason was, it couldn’t be good.
It took everything in him to ask, “Did you try to contact her?” since he’d rather Darren not contact her at all.
