It was Elsie.
Hey, just checking in. Did you want to take a break from the swap? So sorry to hear about Alice!!
Krista showed Joe the message.
“That’s your call. I understand if you want to pull it,” Joe said.
“No, I don’t. I just might not get much work done on my side today, but I don’t want to quit.”
No, we’re still good. Joe will work the Hideaway today, and I’ll send you something tonight from the tent.
Okay, perfect. Let me know if you need anything! Today’s sponsor is the Maple Leaf Café. I’ll let Anita know it’s still on!
Krista relayed the message to Joe, even though he was included in the text thread, and then switched over to the group chat, where she had dozens of missed texts.
Madison: Give Alice our love.
Zoe: Do you guys need anything?
Zach: Doing a morning remodel, but I can swing by the campground later and lend a hand.
Liam: Same. I’m free tonight.
Kit: What’s your gramps’s favorite food?
Krista smiled, reading through all the texts.
“Everything okay?” Joe asked, as Krista scrolled through the messages.
“What? Yeah. Just the gang, checking in on Gram.”
“That’s pretty nice. You got a solid group of friends here.”
“Yeah, I know.” Krista couldn’t help but think how much she wanted to include Joe in on that group thread, but she knew it was too soon. Yeah, they’d talked about making something work long-distance, but right now that was just talk. And as much as she wanted to fully integrate him into her life already, something held her back. She tried not to think on it too much, and instead, fell back into Joe’s arms.
“So…Swap Day Three…” she finally said.
“I’ll cover the Hideaway…”
“And I’ll go see Gram,” she said. “Check in on her and the rehab plan. Be back in your tent tonight.”
Joe’s hand slid down to find hers, their fingers lacing together. “If you need me to do anything else, just let me know,” he said.
She squeezed his hand. “Thank you.”
For once, she let herself let go of some of the weight of her responsibility, lean on him. The way he stepped in without making her feel weak; it was like he saw her, and she didn’t have to hold it all alone.
If only their time together didn’t have an expiration date.
TWENTY-EIGHT
JOE
Sunday, Day Three of the Summer Swap
By early afternoon, the Hideaway had settled into that lull between the caffeine rush and the cocktail crowd. A few regulars lingered on the patio, sipping iced lattes and letting the warm sun soak into their shoulders, while bumblebees meandered, enjoying the summer like everyone else.
On the deck, two teenagers argued good-naturedly over whose turn it was to man the kayak shed that stood in the blazing heat. Joe made a mental note to set up a fan for them—something battery-operated.
