Tim kept his expression neutral, even as his internal alarms went off.Thisweek? Of all weeks?
Maisie wrinkled her nose. “And she’s bringing her friend. Or ... actually, her friend is bringing her. Rebecca Woodbine. Remember? I’d told you about her.”
Tim had no memory of a Rebecca Woodbine. But any friend of Thea’s was ... worrisome to him. His stepdaughter was free-spirited. Hippie-dippie. He worked hard to keep his face calm when he felt anything but.
And his small living quarters—how could he possibly add more guests? All female too. One bathroom. One bedroom.
The door burst open before he could fully process it.
Frankie strolled in, all energy and no awareness. “What’s the latest?”
Scowling, Maisie mumbled a few words. If Tim heard her correctly, she had said, “You and Sophie.That’swhat.”
Who was Sophie? Tim was always confused when it came to Maisie and Frankie.
Frankie flopped into a chair and propped his boots up on Tim’s desk like he owned the place.
Tim immediately pushed them off. “You’re back on Baker Island duty.”
Frankie grinned. “Sweet! Off horse cleanup detail.”
Maisie narrowed her eyes. “Which you didn’t do much of.”
“And also starting tomorrow, you and I will be tent living.”
“Tent living?” Frankie sat up, looking properly horrified. “Withyou?”
“That’s right. Each evening, we’ll be patrolling the park to keep an eye out for gold hunters.” Tim gave him a slow, satisfiednod. It might be a little mean, but he took some pleasure in keeping Frankie in his place.
Maisie clapped her hands together in little pats. “No time left for Sophie.”
Frankie shot a look at her. “Who’s gonna take my dad around the park?”
Tim’s pleasure evaporated. “Your dad?” Frankie’s dad was the deputy director of the National Park Service. The entire system. “He’s coming here?”
“Yeah. When I told him about the gold, he said”—Frankie made air quotes—“that it sounded like a golden opportunity to visit Acadia.” He smirked. “Dad’s humor is pretty lame.”
Tim exhaled sharply. The storm had just changed course.
Sunday night church.Ugh.Who started that idea, anyway?
Maisie was in a foul mood. She slumped in the passenger seat as Pops drove them down the road toward his church. “Why do we have to go?”
“Because I’m facing a very demanding week. I need fortification, and this is how I get it.” Pops’s tone left no room for argument.
Demanding for him, maybe. But for Maisie, this week looked like it was heading toward a train wreck.
She scowled out the car’s window. Her mom had called to ask about the weather in Acadia and if she needed mosquito repellent, and Maisie had made the mistake of telling her that Frankie’s dad might be in Acadia this week.Might.Mom went nutso. Said she had to hang up immediately and go shopping for new clothes. New clothes. Because apparently, the fact that she and Frankie’s dad had once shared a moment back in Grand Teton meant this week would be their destiny.
Yeah, right.
Maisie had been excited when Mom said she was coming.But the second Frankie’s dad entered the equation, Maisie ceased to exist.
And as if that weren’t enough, Frankie hardly knew she existed too.
Inside the church, Maisie followed Pop into a pew and sat down. She saw someone a few pews in front of her and did a double take. Scout? She hardly recognized her. She looked adorable in a blue blouse. See? Maisie knew she’d be adorable in something that wasn’t ranger green. Blue looked good on Scout.
Blue.
