Welcome Wagon (River's End Ranch Book 13) Read online

  Gwen came to a stop and rested her elbow on the check-in counter. “The Haskells will be here around nine on a late check-in. They have a service dog with them, so I’ve put them in room one.”

  “Got it.”

  “Oh, and be sure to tell Natasha that Mrs. Haskell has requested vacuuming twice a day. I would have told her myself, but her shift ended before Mrs. Haskell called.”

  “Okay.” Carly made a note on the pad next to the computer.

  “And be sure—”

  “Gwen.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Relax. I’ve got it. You’re kind of acting like I’ve never run the front desk before.”

  Gwen laughed. “You’re right—I’m sorry. I’m just nervous.”

  “Yeah, I gathered that.”

  “Do I look all right? Should I have worn a skirt?”

  “No, those slacks look like they were made for you.” Carly smiled. “You’re going to have a great time. You just need to chill.”

  “I’ll try.” She took a deep breath and then exhaled. “I can do this.”

  When the elevator doors opened and Gabe stepped into the lobby, Gwen had to give herself yet another pep talk. His look of appreciation did a lot to make her feel better, though.

  “Shall we go?” he said, holding out his arm.

  She slid her hand into the crook of his elbow, and they walked outside onto the porch.

  And right into a cloud of the most awful stench Gwen had ever smelled in her entire life.

  “Ew! Gross! What the heck?”

  “Gwen?” Wes stepped out from behind one of the bushes that flanked the porch steps. “Gwen, I’m so sorry. I had no idea you were coming out just then.”

  “What in the world are you doing? What is that stuff?”

  “Bigfoot spray,” he said sheepishly, holding up a bottle.

  “But Kelsi already caught you doing that. Why are you doing it again? And it’s all over me! Wes, you nerd!”

  “I’m sorry,” he said again, and then he seemed to see Gabe. “Hello. I’m Wes Weston. Welcome to River’s End Ranch.”

  Gabe nodded, a slight smirk on his face. “You’re Wes?”

  “I am. How are you enjoying your stay so far?”

  “Very much. This is quite the place you have here. I’m glad Amber told me I should come.”

  “I’m glad she did too.” Wes turned back to Gwen. “So, um, have a good night, you two.” He headed off the other direction, carrying his squirt bottle and looking ashamed of himself.

  As he should.

  “Bigfoot spray?” Gabe asked as Wes rounded the corner.

  “His little sister Kelsi is obsessed with finding Bigfoot. It’s a running joke around here—he’s always trying to make her think Bigfoot’s here. But sometimes it gets way out of hand.” She coughed a few times, trying to clear that horrible stuff out of her lungs.

  “You can tell me more while we drive.” He opened up the door of his car, and she slid inside.

  As they pulled out onto the road that led to Riston, Gabe adjusted the vents, then opened the windows, then finally said, “So, where do you live, Gwen?”

  “I have a little apartment in town. It’s handy for work.”

  “Do you mind . . . could we stop by there on our way to dinner so you can change? I thought you’d air out, but I think it’s getting worse.”

  Heat flooded Gwen’s face. She knew she could still smell it, but she’d hoped it wasn’t bothering him. “Yes, please. Turn left up there.” She should have changed into one of the spare outfits she kept at the ranch, but she hadn’t realized just how bad it was.

  She guided him to her apartment, then left him sitting in front of the TV while she changed. Thankfully, all the scent had landed on her clothes and not in her hair—otherwise, she’d have to shower. As it was, she washed her arm really well, changed her slacks and her top, and made plans to burn what she’d been wearing when she got back home.

  “Ready?” she called out as she came down the hall.

  “Just a sec. What movie is this?” Gabe asked, nodding toward the TV.

  She watched it for a minute. “Oh, this is Penny Serenade. One of the most depressing movies Cary Grant ever made. He was nominated for an Academy Award for it, though.”

  “You know, I’ve always liked his last name,” Gabe said, wiggling his eyebrows.

  “Uh-huh. Are you ready?”

  “Just a sec,” he said again, his eyes having found the screen again.

  Gwen chuckled. “You know what, this is half over, and I have the DVD. Why don’t we get dinner to go, bring it back here, and watch it from the beginning?”

  He grinned. “If you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Me? Mind? Watching a classic movie on a date?”

  “Yeah, I should know. Let’s go.”

  They placed their takeout orders at Figs, then returned to Gwen’s and settled in on the couch. From the first scene, Gabe was mesmerized, and Gwen found her eyes flicking to his face every time something sad or surprising happened. She loved watching her friends watch movies, seeing if they were enjoying it as much as she was, if they laughed in the same spots. It made her feel more connected to them, as though by having the same experience, they could now understand each other better.

  “That was rough,” Gabe said as the movie came to an end. Their takeout containers were scattered all over the coffee table, the dessert boxes on top, and they’d kicked off their shoes an hour ago. Everything was just how Gwen liked it.

  “It was. But not every movie has to have a happy ending, does it? Life doesn’t always have happy endings.”

  “I’m just glad they got a second chance in the end,” Gabe replied. He looked down at the table and then back up at her. “Do you believe that life gives us second chances? Or is that just for Hollywood?”

  “Of course life gives us second chances. We get them every single day. Otherwise, what would be the point?” She tried to keep her tone light, but this was getting very deep very quickly. They’d both relaxed out of their awkwardness during the movie, and now they were turning down a path she didn’t know if they were ready to explore.

  “Do you ever think . . . do you ever wonder . . .?”

  “Yes. How could I not? But the past is the past, isn’t it?” She picked up her glass and finished off the last of her water. She was so thirsty all of a sudden.

  “What happened to you after . . . Where did you go?”

  That question was a lot easier to answer. “After I graduated, I got a job working at a resort in Vail. I was head of housekeeping, but I really wanted to manage the hotel, and I did for a little while, but I didn’t like the impersonal atmosphere of the place. Mr. and Mrs. Weston passed through Vail on a trip one winter, we got to talking, and they offered me a job. I’ve been very happy here ever since.”

  “Sounds like serendipity,” Gabe said, toying with his own water glass. Maybe it was time to get them both a refill.

  Gwen stood up, moved into the small kitchen off the living room, and filled up a pitcher with ice water as she spoke. “It really was. I get along great with the entire staff, you can’t beat the location, and I get to swim and hike and go horseback riding to my heart’s content.”

  “That’s right. I remember you telling me that you had a horse when you were a little girl.”

  “We have to blame National Velvet for that one.” Gwen laughed as she carried the water into the living room and filled their glasses. She made sure to let some of the ice cubes clink into Gabe’s cup—he liked ice.

  “And what about you? Obviously, you made judge.”

  He shook his head. “Nothing spectacular really happened along the way. I worked as a lawyer for a while, climbed the ladder, paid my dues. Won a few important cases.”

  “I’m sure you’re downplaying it.”

  “I probably am. I’m more interested in the here and now than I am in rehashing every boring minute of my life.”

  “Hey!” she protested. “You aske
d me to rehash my boring life. Not fair.”

  “Yeah, but your life isn’t boring.” He took a sip of his water and then settled back in the couch, grinning at her. “So, what are you doing the rest of this week?”

  “I work seven a.m. to seven p.m. every day,” she replied. “With an hour off for lunch.”

  “Twelve-hour shifts?” He raised his eyebrows. “That seems a little much, doesn’t it?”

  “It sounds dreadful, but it’s actually not,” she replied. “That door behind the check-in counter leads to a little breakroom with a fridge and a microwave and a TV, and as long as I’m at the counter whenever someone comes in, I can step back there as needed. When it’s really slow, I’ll throw a DVD into the computer there at the desk.”

  “But how do you know when someone’s coming in?”

  “There’s a sensor on the porch and another one in the lobby. Whenever someone crosses either sensor beam, a bell goes off in the breakroom. It’s impossible to cross the lobby from either direction without someone on staff knowing about it.”

  “But what if the sensor system goes down?”

  “We have security monitors that are also broadcast into the breakroom.” She noticed the look on his face and smiled. “Let me guess. You’re thinking of all the possible ways a person could circumvent that system.”

  “I admit, I am,” he said. “I deal with criminal cases all the time, and many of them involve faulty security systems. My mind automatically goes there.”

  “And I don’t blame you. It goes along with the job. We’ve never had any issues, though.” She raised an eyebrow. “Unless you’re really a criminal masquerading as a judge, and you’re going to take this information and use it against me somehow and steal all the secrets of the hotel and who is sleeping in what room tonight.”

  “Who, me? Never.” Gabe looked appropriately shocked. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

  “What question is that?”

  “What you’re doing this week. After work, of course.”

  Gwen shifted on the couch to face him better. “Eating dinner, watching movies, doing my laundry.”

  “Would you mind if I tagged along? Well, for the dinner and movies part. I believe I’ll leave the laundry to you.”

  “Oh, come on. You mean you don’t want to help me separate the bath towels from the kitchen towels and match socks?”

  “I’d really rather not.”

  “Fine, I’ll do the laundry all by myself. But yes, I think dinner and movies would be fun.”

  “I’m glad about that.” He reached out and ran a finger across the back of her hand. “I’ve missed hanging out with you.”

  “I’ve missed it too,” she said softly.

  “And it’s eleven o’clock and you’ve got work tomorrow, so I’d better go.” He stood up and gathered the takeout containers into one stack. “Where’s your trash can?”

  “In the corner of the kitchen.”

  After he’d thrown away all the garbage and placed his glass in the sink, Gabe paused in the doorway. “Wait. We drove here in my car—how will you get to work in the morning? Can I come back and get you?”

  Gwen waved that off. “Deena, one of the maids, lives just around the corner and we sometimes ride together. I’ll text her in the morning—it’s all good.”

  “You sure? Because I wouldn’t mind.”

  “That’s sweet, but seriously, it’s fine.”

  “Okay.” He paused again. “Thanks for tonight, Gwen. I really enjoyed it.”

  “I did too.”

  He opened his mouth, looking like he was going to say something else, but then he simply told her goodnight and walked out the door.

  She stood there staring after him, wondering what he was going to say before he stopped himself. Would it be half as good as what she was imagining?

  Chapter Five

  When Gabe arrived back at the bunkhouse, he walked up to the check-in counter where a friendly blonde young woman stood ready to greet him. “Carly, right?”

  “That’s right. What can I do for you tonight, Mr. Grant?”

  He grinned. “Do you know all your guests’ names?”

  “Of course. And it also helps that Gwen mentioned you a few times.” She grinned in return.

  Gwen had been talking about him? That made Gabe feel like a twitterpated teenager. “So, Carly. Listen. You have the night shift, Gwen has the day shift . . . do either of you get days off? Hypothetically speaking, if I wanted to take Gwen on a picnic or something in the middle of the day, how would I go about that?”

  “Oh, we have a few people we can call on when there’s a schedule that needs to be changed. The three maids—Natasha, Deena, and Mira—are all trained on the front desk. And so’s Pastor Kevin.”

  Gabe blinked. “Your pastor sometimes runs the hotel?”

  “He does just about everything. But we’d most likely have one of the maids help out. That is, you know, if this hypothetical picnic were to take place. And we’re supposed to be getting a new employee soon.”

  “Good to know. Thanks, Carly.”

  “You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “No, that was all. Goodnight.”

  As Gabe climbed into his extremely comfortable bed, he couldn’t help but relive the moment when he’d touched Gwen’s hand. Electricity zapped up his arm, and he wondered if she’d felt it too. It could have been his imagination, but he doubted it. He wasn’t the kind who imagined electricity. He was more the kind who excused it away when it happened. That might be why it happened so rarely—or maybe it happened rarely because it was only supposed to happen with one person.

  ***

  “What’s going on over here?” Amber crossed her arms and rested them on the counter. “I need details. Girly details. What have you said to him, what has he said in reply—spill it!”

  Gwen laughed. “Well, we’ve spent one evening together so far, considering that he got here yesterday. I think we’re making good progress for that short amount of time.”

  “Has he kissed you yet?”

  “Amber!” Gwen shook her head. “I think you’re even more antsy about this than I am. We’re still figuring it out. We’re not college students anymore, you know. We’re not going to be as spontaneous as we used to be.”

  “But that’s boring,” Amber replied. “Spontaneity is awesome. And romantic. And it’s pretty much how I ended up married to Wes.”

  “Yes, but you’re younger. You can do stuff like that.”

  Amber fixed her with a look. “Okay, so, first of all, I’m thinking you’re probably . . . what . . . thirty-eight? So ancient. And secondly, what makes you think that you, at your advanced age, can’t be spontaneous? Is there a law no one told me about? You have to remember, I’m a lawyer, so if there is a law, I should know about it.”

  “You’re right, you’re right. I’m just making excuses, aren’t I?”

  “Pretty much. So what are you going to do about it?”

  Gwen paused a minute to take a phone call from a guest who needed more towels, and sent a text to Mira to deliver them. Then she turned back to Amber. “We’re going to have dinner together every night while he’s here.”

  “That’s great. And then what?”

  “And then see where that takes us, I guess. The thing is, I need to make sure I really want to pursue it. I look back on our past relationship as being this perfect thing, but what if my memory’s selective and we weren’t as good together as I thought we were? And what if we don’t have that same connection now? I’m overthinking this—I know I am.”

  “Yeah. Just a bit.” Amber grinned. “I am here for another reason and not just to pester you. Wade called out to me while I was passing his office a second ago and asked me to send you over when you get a minute.”

  Gwen glanced at the duty roster. The maids were all cleaning rooms at the moment to get ready for new arrivals, and she didn’t have someone to cover the desk. “Can he wait . . . hm
mm. I need about an hour.”

  “Or I can watch the desk for a minute. I promise not to burn the place down.”

  “Thanks, Amber. We really do need one more person on staff around here.”

  “I think that’s what Wade wanted to talk to you about, actually.”

  Gwen smiled. “I sure hope so. I’ll be right back.”

  She stepped out of the bunkhouse and walked along the wraparound porch until she reached the main house. Wade’s office door was open, and he looked up as she entered.

  “Hey, Gwen. Thanks for coming over. Have a seat.”

  She plopped down on the wooden chair across from his desk. “What’s up?”

  He picked up a piece of paper and studied it. “With winter just about here full-on, we’re rearranging the staff, like we always do, and giving the summer people new winter jobs. I’ve been looking over everyone’s qualifications and noticed that Kaitlyn with a K has previous hotel experience. Would you be willing to try her out on your team?”

  Gwen chuckled. Their three female lifeguards were Catherine, Kaitlyn, and Caitlyn, known as the Kates, and they’d gotten used to specifying which one they meant. “Sure, she seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders. What will happen to the other Kates?”

  “Catherine got a job for the winter somewhere else, but she’ll be back when we reopen the pool in the spring, and Caitlyn’s going to waitress at the diner.”

  “Good. I’m glad they all have a place to be. When can Kaitlyn start?”

  “Any time, really.” Wade made a note on his paper. “Why don’t I have her stop by and the two of you can decide her official start date and training and whatnot?”

  “Sounds good. Did you need anything else?”

  “Yes, actually.” Wade leaned back and steepled his fingers. “You’ve been with us for a long time now, and we’ve come to depend on you quite a bit. You run the bunkhouse, doing a great job with the reservations and as the head of housekeeping and customer service, and you take appointments for all the different activities here on the ranch. I realized this morning that I’m grossly underpaying you.”

  “Well, I didn’t want to say anything, but . . .” Gwen let the tease hang, and Wade chuckled.