Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
So yeah, maybe the sight of a grumpy but sexy NFL running back shielding his daughter from the rain is enough to make me wet my underwear the tiniest bit.
Or maybe my bar is too low. It’s not like Star Lake is a thriving metropolis of single, available dick. Slim pickings, if you will.
My dating pool is less a pool and more a birdbath. A shallow one. With many dead, crumpled leaves floating on top.
Blah.
My options are limited—and I do not count tourists.
With a sigh, I reopen my laptop, close out of the browser, and reopen my emails, scanning for anything new. Anything exciting to cheer me up. But come up empty handed. Just a complaint from Elenor Winfred about a pothole on Main Street, which is not my department!
I write the activity guide! I’m the cool, hip substitute teacher!
Rubbing my temples, I resist the urge to bang my forehead against the desk until either the stress goes away or I knock myself out cold.
Both sound like the perfect solution to my predicament.
I glance at the clock: Ten o’clock.
“Great. Only five more hours until I can leave.”
Chapter 1
Layla:
Hello Hayes, I hope you don’t mind me messaging you, but I’m friends with Maverick and Annabelle and she gave me your number. I was hoping we could touch base about the Fall Festival I’m organizing, so I can provide you with some details.
Hayes:
What’s up.
Layla:
First I want to say Thank You so Much for agreeing to do this. I understand you’re very busy and your season starts in a few months, but knowing you’re going to be there to draw a crowd gets me SO excited.
Hayes:
Yup.
Layla:
Yeah, so. Besides the dates that I’ve already emailed to your agent and manager, were there any questions you have?
Hayes:
Nope.
Layla:
Okay, good. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t have any concerns. Schedules can get messy.
Hayes:
I’ll be there.
Layla:
Great. And you’re okay with all the flight information? Do you think you’ll need a driver to pick you up from the airport?
Hayes:
Doubt it.
Layla:
Okay, cool, cool. Um. If you decide you’d like to be picked up, please just shoot me a text and I’ll have it handled.
Hayes:
Gotcha.
Layla:
Right.
Layla:
I’ll send you the information for the Lodge again closer to the event. It’s roughly an hour and a half ride to the airport from Star Lake.
Hayes:
Yup.
Layla:
You don’t have to sound so thrilled . . .
Hayes:
Not much of a texter.
Layla:
Got it. I’m sorry if I’m coming off as annoying. Event planning mode has me feeling intense.
Hayes:
You’re not annoying.
Layla:
Was that a compliment?
Hayes:
No.
Layla:
LOL
Layla:
Well, either way, thank you again. Everyone in the office is excited you’re coming to help us out. Especially since you’re bringing your daughter.
Hayes:
Yup. She’s been counting down the days.
Layla:
That makes me so happy to hear. How old is she again?
Hayes:
Nine. Going on twenty-five.
Layla:
What’s she most excited about?
Hayes:
Trees, woods. Mountains. Swimming.
Layla:
Good news then. Star Lake has plenty of that.
Hayes:
She’ll love it.
Hayes:
She doesn’t usually get this excited about trips—she sees the inside of too many boring hotel rooms. So. Thanks for giving her something to look forward to.
Layla:
You’re welcome. And tell her I’ll make sure she gets the *very best* view of the lake. Perks of knowing the event organizer.
Hayes:
Cool.
Layla:
Perfect. Oh, and just so I cover all my bases—are you bringing a significant other? I want to make sure all your needs are being met.
Hayes:
Didn’t realize event organizers offered that level of customer service.
Layla:
Shit.
Layla:
No!! Not like That. By “all your needs” I meant—do you need more rooms booked? Extra space? Privacy?
Layla:
Ha ha. Delete that from your memory immediately.
Layla:
Setting aside my accidental proposition, do you need additional rooms?
Hayes:
Nope. Just me and my kid.
Layla:
Copy that. Double-checking because the Lodge books up fast during Fall Fest. We’ve got wood-carving demos, a chili cook-off, pie-eating contest, live music on the dock and as you may have heard from Harris: Lumberjacks.
Hayes:
Great. My daughter will eat that shit up.
Layla:
Do either of you have any allergies? Logistical needs? Requests? I can prepare a rider for you if you’d like . . .
Hayes:
I’m not a celebrity—I don’t need a rider.
Layla:
Okay. Just asking . . .
Hayes:
No allergies. No wrangler. I’m in and out with a few dips in the lake. No special snacks unless you want to add sour gummies to the welcome basket. She loves anything blue.
Layla:
Perfect. I should mention that while the lake is big and gorgeous and will have tons of activity . . . the water isn’t going to be warm. Since it’s fall and all.
Hayes:
Kids don’t usually give a shit. She’ll be fine. And for what it’s worth, thanks for thinking about my kid.
Layla:
Of course. What kind of monster ignores a nine-year-old’s need to swim in a lake?
Hayes:
A tired one.
Layla:
Are you tired?
Hayes:
Always.
Layla:
Sorry. I forget that being a professional athlete probably isn’t all it’s cracked up to be or what you see on television.
Hayes:
Naw. It’s mostly ice baths and being told I played like shit and being screamed at.