secret weapon.” Ned wore a black vest emblazoned with the Wild Harbor logo. With his nearly white, curly blond hair and football build, Ned had charmed his way into the hearts of too many girls in high school —was probably still leaving broken hearts scattered around Deep Haven. Hanging with Ned had cemented Casper with a similar reputation, although he’d never been the kind to take relationships casually.
Which clearly led to today and Casper’s struggling to assemble the pieces of his shattered pride.
“You know, you have a future in retail if you want it.” Ned’s father, who purchased the trading post twenty years prior, had recently left the management in his son’s hands while he headed to warmer climates. “I need a good manager, and I think I’m looking at the perfect candidate.”
“I dunno, Ned.” Casper headed back to the ski-fitting area, where the man and his wife had tried on boots, and closed up boxes. “I’ve never seen myself as a manager.”
“Maybe it’s time to start. You can’t be a treasure hunter forever.”
“Archaeologist.”
“Whatever. You’re good at this. Think about it.” Ned checked his watch. “And take a lunch break, will you?”
Ned disappeared to the front of the store to help a customer while Casper returned the boxes to the back room, located upstairs. Speckled, graying pictures of fishermen docking their boats and hawking their catch lined the store, the place filled with legacy and legend. Sometimes, when he worked late, Casper could hear the voices of the past, feel the hum of adventure and conquest, of courage bred into the early voyagers, and feel like he hadn’t completely betrayed himself.
You’re good at this. Think about it.
Shoot, he didn’t want to be good at this. But maybe if he wanted to start over, get the past out of his system, find his footing, he’d have to embrace a new kind of life.
He jogged downstairs to the office and grabbed his jacket. “I’m going to Pierre’s. Want a slice of pizza?”
Ned shook his head as Casper stepped out into the bright sunshine. Frigid wind off the lake bullied its way down the collar of his jacket, and he zipped it up, bracing himself against the subzero temperature. His dress pants did nothing to protect him, so hehustled down the street, away from the lake, cutting through the park on his way to Pierre’s. At least he’d worn his hiking boots instead of silly dress shoes.
He ducked into Pierre’s Pizza and added himself to the line.
“Casper, you’re back!” This from Claire, who now managed the restaurant. She and her husband, his brother’s friend Jensen, worked as caretakers of the resort homes across the lake from Evergreen. The homes untouched by the forest fire two summers ago.
Pixie Claire wore her short dark hair back in a blue bandanna. As Casper approached the counter, he noticed the baby shape under her apron. For the love of pete, he couldn’t escape this sudden bloom of pregnant women. “I see congratulations are in order.”
“Oh, I still have about five months left.” She ran her hand over her tummy. “But Ivy and I will have school chums.”
He managed to keep his smile intact, but frankly, everywhere he turned, something reminded him of Raina. Of the baby.
“How long have you been home?”
“Just a couple weeks. I’ve been helping Darek repair one of the cabins. We had a pipe burst and had to gut the place.”
“Oh no —”
“Yeah, but he knows what he’s doing. He hopes to have it ready for Valentine’s weekend.”
“I have no doubt he’s glad to have you home. If anyone can help him fix the place up, it’s you.”
Right. “Well, I’m working at the Wild Harbor too.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Really.”
“No judging. A guy has to earn a living.”
She laughed. “Casper, the day you settle for a suit and tie is the day I stop singing love songs. We all depend on you to live the wild adventure we can’t have.”
He knew she meant
Which clearly led to today and Casper’s struggling to assemble the pieces of his shattered pride.
“You know, you have a future in retail if you want it.” Ned’s father, who purchased the trading post twenty years prior, had recently left the management in his son’s hands while he headed to warmer climates. “I need a good manager, and I think I’m looking at the perfect candidate.”
“I dunno, Ned.” Casper headed back to the ski-fitting area, where the man and his wife had tried on boots, and closed up boxes. “I’ve never seen myself as a manager.”
“Maybe it’s time to start. You can’t be a treasure hunter forever.”
“Archaeologist.”
“Whatever. You’re good at this. Think about it.” Ned checked his watch. “And take a lunch break, will you?”
Ned disappeared to the front of the store to help a customer while Casper returned the boxes to the back room, located upstairs. Speckled, graying pictures of fishermen docking their boats and hawking their catch lined the store, the place filled with legacy and legend. Sometimes, when he worked late, Casper could hear the voices of the past, feel the hum of adventure and conquest, of courage bred into the early voyagers, and feel like he hadn’t completely betrayed himself.
You’re good at this. Think about it.
Shoot, he didn’t want to be good at this. But maybe if he wanted to start over, get the past out of his system, find his footing, he’d have to embrace a new kind of life.
He jogged downstairs to the office and grabbed his jacket. “I’m going to Pierre’s. Want a slice of pizza?”
Ned shook his head as Casper stepped out into the bright sunshine. Frigid wind off the lake bullied its way down the collar of his jacket, and he zipped it up, bracing himself against the subzero temperature. His dress pants did nothing to protect him, so hehustled down the street, away from the lake, cutting through the park on his way to Pierre’s. At least he’d worn his hiking boots instead of silly dress shoes.
He ducked into Pierre’s Pizza and added himself to the line.
“Casper, you’re back!” This from Claire, who now managed the restaurant. She and her husband, his brother’s friend Jensen, worked as caretakers of the resort homes across the lake from Evergreen. The homes untouched by the forest fire two summers ago.
Pixie Claire wore her short dark hair back in a blue bandanna. As Casper approached the counter, he noticed the baby shape under her apron. For the love of pete, he couldn’t escape this sudden bloom of pregnant women. “I see congratulations are in order.”
“Oh, I still have about five months left.” She ran her hand over her tummy. “But Ivy and I will have school chums.”
He managed to keep his smile intact, but frankly, everywhere he turned, something reminded him of Raina. Of the baby.
“How long have you been home?”
“Just a couple weeks. I’ve been helping Darek repair one of the cabins. We had a pipe burst and had to gut the place.”
“Oh no —”
“Yeah, but he knows what he’s doing. He hopes to have it ready for Valentine’s weekend.”
“I have no doubt he’s glad to have you home. If anyone can help him fix the place up, it’s you.”
Right. “Well, I’m working at the Wild Harbor too.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Really.”
“No judging. A guy has to earn a living.”
She laughed. “Casper, the day you settle for a suit and tie is the day I stop singing love songs. We all depend on you to live the wild adventure we can’t have.”
He knew she meant
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