“Donations mostly. We charge a small fee, but we try to cover most of the costs ourselves. Unfortunately, I think we’re going to have to cut down on the number of trips this year. We’ve haven’t gotten as many donors this year.”
“Put in a grant application with the foundation,” she said.
Jase swiveled in his chair to face her. “So that would mean you would give me money?”
“No.” She was confused by the bite in his voice. “It means you submit an application and the board votes whether to approve and fund it.”
“But if you push it, it gets approved, right?”
“Actually no, I have no say in the matter. It’s a requirement that if a board member knows an applicant, they have to abstain from voting. Members can actually be kicked out of the discussion if it becomes necessary.”
Jase crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “So you’ll have no say in whether I get approved if I apply for funding?”
“More than likely, I won’t even see the application.”
“And I suppose you won’t give me any advice on what to say on the application, either.”
Bree cocked her head. “No. What are you trying to say?”
“I don’t want your money, Bree,” Jase told her.
“Okay. I didn’t offer you any money. I told you to apply for a grant from a foundation my grandfather established.”
“Which basically means your money.”
“Jase.” She set her hands on her hips and fought her annoyance. “I have no more say in where the foundation gives grants than the other twelve people on the board. If I wanted to give you money, I’d make an anonymous donation. Why are you getting upset?”
“I don’t want you—” He leaned forward and rested his forearms against the edge of the desk. “I don’t want you to think…”
“That you want my money? I wouldn’t be here if I thought that. Not for a minute. I’m not offering you money and I’m not trying to give you a handout. I’m telling you about an opportunity you can take advantage of, if you choose to.”
Jase ran his hands through his hair. “Thank you.”
She strolled over to the chairs facing his desk. “Don’t thank me yet. You haven’t seen the application. If Carol got you your 501c approval, you might want to give it to her.”
Jase grinned. “Duly noted.” He turned his attention back to his computer. He clicked the mouse several times in a row. “Damnit.”
“Computer freeze up?”
“No. One of the volunteer guides uses the campsite to go hunting on his off days. He sent an email saying there’s pretty bad damage from the storms a couple of days ago. I’m going to have to go up tomorrow to clear the site instead of on Thursday like I had planned.”
“When will you be back?”
“Late Sunday.”
“Okay,” she said with a nod.
“That’s it? Okay?”
“Um, have fun?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to disappear again, are you?”
“Kind of hard to disappear when you know where I live.”
“Do me a favor? Check in with Tim while I’m gone? I won’t have cell service while I’m on the trip. I don’t like that the cops don’t know what’s going on. I’d feel better if you let him know you’re okay.”
It was an easy enough thing to do. She’d feel better with someone knowing she was okay. She wasn’t going to admit that to Jase, though. Totally ruin her image. Denise would check on her, but she’d also charge over guns blazing and there was no telling how that might turn out.
