“So if we’re going to have more guests with the addition, what does that mean for staffing?”I asked the obvious question.“We’re stretched thin as it is.”
Haven glanced over.“It means we’re going to hire.That’s what it means,” he said flatly.
“Okay, but…” Cole glanced over.“How do we feel about hiring?”
“What do you mean, how do wefeelabout it?”I countered.
“We’re going to find people that are a good fit,” Haven said, a hint of irritation in his tone, which let me know he was worried about this.
“It’s always just been family.Always,” Cole commented.
Haven sighed and idly spun a tape measure in his hand.“I know, and I’m not sure.I’ve been trying to think of other options.We don’t have to have full-time staff who live here, but maybe we can expand our group sizes a little bit.Or, we take more of a touristy approach.”
“Touristy approach?”I prompted.
“What the hell does that mean?”Asher added.
“We offer a certain number of trips, and that’s it.We don’t have to have everyone be all-out with the wilderness stuff all the time,” Haven explained.
Asher nodded slowly.“You know, I think that’s the way to handle it.I’m not opposed to hiring staff, but my biggest concern is staff who can handle the more serious expeditions.”
“These are all the things I’ve been worrying about,” Haven replied.
“We should ask Chloe about it,” I interjected.
“Ask Chloe what?”Haven’s brows hitched up.
“Creating a set schedule for the trips we offer.”
“I’ll talk to Mom,” Haven said.
I glanced at my watch.It was approaching midnight.“Do we get to call it a night yet?This is late for all of us.”
“Yeah, we gotta roll,” Cole replied.
We slowly filtered apart.Once again, I went to bed wishing I was somewhere else.Actually, it wasn’t a place, but with a person.
I wished I was with Kendall.Full stop.It was that simple.
I tapped out a text to her before I fell asleep.
Tomorrow night.
ChapterTwenty-One
Kendall
Tomorrow night.
The next morning, I stared at that text, wondering precisely what Jude meant.
Just the thought of him and butterflies massed in my belly.Heat spun like pinwheels over the surface of my skin, my pulse skittering wildly out of control.
“Jude probably just means some kind of reminder,” I muttered to myself.“Reminder for what?You haven’t seen him since you guys actually spent your first night together.This could mean…?What?”I kept on talking to myself.
Travis came trotting over, circling me and pressing his head against my hip.He looked up at me with his knowing, understanding eyes, bright blue and piercing enough that sometimes it felt like he could see right into my heart.
“You heard Jude’s name, didn’t you?You like Jude.”I scratched behind Travis’s ears.
