There were only two vehicles in the parking lot of Corinne’s Kitchen, so after a quick video chat with her parents, Hannah took a seat at one of the small tables without feeling guilty. She was tired and sitting on a stool didn’t appeal to her. If they started filling up, she could always move to the counter.
When Kenzie brought her a menu, she was surprised because it seemed like an awfully long shift. “You were working this morning.”
“And I’ll be here working tomorrow morning.” Kenzie sighed. “I have a high schooler who works part-time, but it’s a busy time of year for seniors. What can I get you?”
“I’ll have a water, please. And a small garden salad with ranch.” Hannah hesitated, glancing at the menu. “With a side of cheeseburger, medium-well, with mayo and pickles, please.”
Kenzie laughed and wrote out the order before taking the menu. “Good call. My dad makes a pretty good burger.”
When she walked away, Hannah pulled out her book, but she didn’t open it. There were a bunch of ads for local businesses printed on the paper place mat, and she looked it over. She didn’t really need excavation work or an alarm system, but there was an ad for a camper repair company she hoped she wouldn’t have to call. It was nice to know there was somebody local, though.
“Are you just in town for the weekend?” Kenzie asked when she brought her a tall glass of ice water.
“No. I’m staying at the campground for the season. Birch Brook. They opened for seasonal campers today.”
“I’m glad they bought that place and reopened it. It’s not only good for my business, but it was sad to see it closed. And the guys—the Kowalski brothers—they come in here a lot, and they’re good guys.”
There was something about the way she said it that made Hannah wonder if she’d witnessed Rob trying to talk to her that morning. “They do seem nice.”
“Do you have anybody else with you?”
“Nope. Just me.”
“Wow.” Kenzie tilted her head. “You just travel around alone?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s awesome. I wish I could do that. Just pick a place on a map, park a camper and see what’s there to be seen.” Kenzie sighed wistfully, and then shrugged. “Maybe someday.”
“Sometimes you have to just decide it’s someday or it never comes.”
“True. I was going to leave once. I had a plan to start with Boston and then figure it out. But my mom passed away and there’s this place. It’s her legacy, I guess. And without it, my dad would have nothing, really. So here I am...until someday.”
“I’m sorry about your mom.” Hannah couldn’t even imagine not having hers. Even now, while she was clear across the country, she could hear her voice on the other end of the phone whenever she needed to.
“Thanks.” The door opened and an older couple walked in. “Guess I’ll get back to it.”
With other people coming in, Hannah opened her book and read until her burger arrived. It started getting busy around the time Hannah finished eating, so she didn’t get another chance to talk with Kenzie, other than when she paid her bill.
After running to the store to grab the necessities—which always included ice cream—Hannah drove back to the campground. It was nice to not be hauling the camper behind her, and it definitely made pulling into the campground’s driveway easier. As she slowly made her way toward her site, she spotted Rob.
All four of the Kowalski brothers were standing with another man, and all five of them had their arms crossed as they looked at a camper that had ended up wedged between a couple of trees and a large rock.
Rob glanced over as she drove by, and she lifted her fingers off the steering wheel in a wave that felt like an acknowledgment without being too awkwardly enthusiastic.
And good lord, she could see that smile from here. He lifted his hand in greeting, and then she saw Joey point to something, which took his attention away from her.
But just before she took the turn that would take her into the tree line, Hannah glanced in her rearview mirror, and Rob was definitely watching her.
Chapter Five
Rob wasn’t sad to see Danny pull out of the campground, headed south. Joey had left an hour earlier, as soon as the breakfast dishes were washed, and now it was just him and Brian.
Splitting the work between two instead of four didn’t seem great on the surface, but the workload changed now that they were semi-open. It was less about the physical work of getting the campground ready after a harsh winter and years of owners who let the upkeep slide, and more about the day-to-day running of the place. And the energy between him and Brian was different when the older two weren’t around. Calmer, somewhat, with less fighting for attention. Maybe it was their personalities or maybe it was being the youngest two of four boys, but they’d always gotten along better when it was just the two of them.
“How’s the pool doing?” Brian asked as he unlocked the store for the day.
“I’m almost afraid to say it out loud, but I think it might be good. The chemical cocktail will dilute and I should have the feel for that line between no slime but safe for the little humans by Memorial Day.” Rob watched Stella walk past the dog bed that had her name on it and hop onto one of the leather chairs they’d put in the store for rainy days. “It’s supposed to be a nice day, so I’m hoping to get some good photos for the website and social media. It looks a lot better now that the cement’s painted and the water’s clear.”
