I’d worked in a Yellowstone gift shop in Montana for four months before getting a job driving a bus from the Seattleairport to a cruise ship port and I was excited to be close to that park again as well.
I’d found an attraction in Rexburg, which takes about the same amount of time to drive as it will to drive to Timpanogos, that was a drive-thru wildlife experience with black and grizzly bears and other animals that I couldn’t wait to visit when I more settled in my new space.
Maybe I could ask Elle to go with me.
OR maybe I could stop being a weirdo and find friends outside of my workplace.
Jude finds a parking spot under a tree and once he throws it into park, I hop out and stretch my arms in the air, bending side to side in an attempt to wake up my muscles. After about an hour into the drive, Jude finally broke the silence and asked me how I was liking the Farm so far. I had no complaints and shared my excitement about getting this program up and running. That led to a more in-depth conversation about how Jude came to work at the farm.
Jude chuckled as he reminisced about how his best friend Mason has begged him to work a summer at the Farm because he has a crush on the Warren twins. Mason had only lasted that one summer, as he hadn’t caught the attention of Lola or Paul, but something had clicked for Jude while he was on the Farm and he never left.
This was the most I’d ever heard him talk. I was honestly shocked he shared so much.
I was less shocked when he decided to turn the focus on me.
From the questions he asked, I could surmise he had seen the messiness of the resume I sent over. I told him about my favorite jobs and how no matter where you are, people are typically the same. Jude seemed to perk up when I mentioned working as a surf instructor while I couch hopped around Cancun for 8 months.
Who would have thought the giant of Warren Farms would be interested in surfing.
I chuckle to myself again thinking of it as Lola’s car pulling into the spot next to us while I was still stretching, my arms up in the air.
Chapter Seventeen
ELLE
Idecided to stop pretending to nap roughly fifteen minutes before we made it to our destination. Once I had calmed down I decided that I didn’t want to have Lola and Mabel’s guilt poison this hike. I needed this time in nature, even if the biggest reason for my need was going to be here. I would stay unhappy about the secrets and the fact that not only my Intruder now knows my government name but Jude as well.
I’d kept my full name close to the chest, I could count on one hand the people who I associated with frequently that knew it.
I couldn’t say that now and I placed the blame completely on Lola and Mabel’s shoulders. I wasn’t a monster, most of the time, so I sat up and took my headphones out. “Alright, let me hear it.” I stretch my neck out while my sisters glance at each other.
“Elle, we are so sorry.” Lola starts, “I only remembered about the hike on Friday and you know it’s tradition to bring new employees up.” I gave a brief nod, I did know about that but still, they could have given me a heads up. “Lola would have said something but she was stuck being a referee between me and one of the farmhands who was being a jerk.” Mabel adds in.
Well.
Mabel wasn’t one to get into disagreements easily. I was surprised it would have gotten to a point that Lola felt like she needed to step in.
I suck in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. As long as this isn’t some weird set up or whatever the fuck. I’m tolerating sharing my space with him but I don’t want to do more than that, got it?” Lola nods, pulling into a parking space and Mabel smiles. “Of course Elle.” I don’t trust her tone but decide to drop it, we’ve arrived and I’m ready to escape into nature.
We unfold ourselves from Lola’s car, doing random quick stretches to wake up our solitary muscles. A two hour car ride isn’t the most ideal before a hike like this but the cabin hadn't been ready in time to make a weekend out of it.
I continue my stretching as everyone else starts to make their way to the guest service center where tickets to enter the cave are sold.
As planned, I hang back, trying to kill as much time as possible. Without my instruction my eyes find Patrick’s back and follow him until he walks into the building.
Fuck he has a nice butt.
My group steps back out quickly which raises my hackles. “Come on slowpoke! I got everyone’s tickets!” Lola waives the offending tickets in the air.
Shit sandwich.
Of fucking course she bought everyone’s tickets. How would that reflect the Farm if the owner made her employees pay for their own tickets? Like anyone would fucking say anything. The Farm pays their employees more than fair and I can’t see Jude or Patrick having a problem with paying for themselves.
I can feel the scowl as I pick up my backpack and sling it over my shoulders. I decide to block out the thought of the cave until we get to the top of the mountain. “Let’s do this!” Mabel whoopsand we start our hike. I take a lung full of the fresh air and make a promise to myself to have a good time.
Chapter Eighteen
PATRICK
