Dylan's Daddy Dilemma (The Colorado Fosters Book 04) by Tracy Madison Page A
Authors: Tracy Madison
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wearing Mom’s wedding dress, supposing I can find it easy enough, so there won’t be any dress shopping,” Haley said quickly. “And we don’t want Dad to pay for anything.”
“There won’t be much to pay for,” Gavin said, taking over the conversation. “The guest list is small, minimizing the cost of food and drink. Our venue is here, so that’s free, and we just don’t want a lot of fuss. We want a simple, fun celebration.”
“Okay, but why can’t you have all of that and let the family in on the news? Everyone will be fine with whatever you two want,” Dylan said. “You know that’s true.”
“It is true, but weddings have a habit of getting out of control, of becoming a lot more about the presentation and the...the frills, I guess. Our wedding is going to be about what
we’re
grateful for, and we want to share that with our family and friends,” Haley said, her tone emphatic. “Our decision is set. But it would mean the world to have your support.”
“You have that, in spades,” Dylan said instantly. “And I’ll help however I can.”
Haley leaped off of Gavin’s lap and held her arms out to her brother. He stood and crushed her into a hug. When they separated, she said, “Thank you, big brother.”
Chelsea watched and listened with interest, but couldn’t understand what any of this had to do with her or why Haley and Gavin had decided to bring her into the discussion. Refraining from glancing at her watch again, she said, “Congratulations! I’m also happy for you two. And I hope the wedding is beautiful. Now, though, I need to—”
“Hold on. We’re not done,” Gavin said. “Now we can get to the part that involves you.”
Returning to Gavin’s lap, Haley grinned at Chelsea. “Dylan mentioned that you’re in need of a job, and we’d like to offer you one. Temporary to start. And because we’d need you to be here while we’re on our honeymoon, room and board. We can’t pay a lot, but—”
“Wait a minute...what?” This came from Dylan, but his question and confused tone expressed Chelsea’s thoughts and feelings perfectly.
A job offer, room and board,
and
a small salary? It seemed too good to be true.
“It’s simple,” Gavin said. “There’s a lot of work and planning to do for the camp before the first group of boys arrives in June. Unless we have someone here who can deal with the administrative necessities as they come up, we won’t be able to have a honeymoon.”
“But this isn’t only about the wedding,” Haley said. “Beginning in October, the number of campers will increase. This means stricter guidelines, which means more paperwork, more fund-raising needs, more...everything. I need an extra set of hands, period. We just want to be sure we have the right fit. So, what we’re offering is a temporary, part-time position to begin, but with the possibility of becoming full-time and permanent. Assuming all goes well.”
At those words, Chelsea sat up a little straighter. Oh, Lord, this could be her saving grace.
“Got it,” Dylan said, his voice sharp. “I understand the necessities, but I don’t know if offering the position to Chelsea so fast is well thought out. She...that is, she could be a...I don’t know, a nefarious diamond-and-gold-nugget thief, on the lam. Or an ax murderer!” He cringed. “Perhaps not either of those, but I think you’re jumping the gun.”
“Diamond-and-gold-nugget thief?” Haley grinned in pure delight. “Are you on the lam, Chelsea? Or do you go around murdering innocent folks with big, bad axes?”
“Nope. I only murder guilty folks, and my ax is rather dainty and small.” She gave Dylan a dirty look. What was with him? One second he was trying to throw money at her, and the next he was throwing her under the bus. “I’m neither a thief nor an ax-wielding serial killer, and if I was on the lam, I’d go somewhere warm. With a beach.”
Dylan swiped his hand over his forehead. “That was rude. My
“There won’t be much to pay for,” Gavin said, taking over the conversation. “The guest list is small, minimizing the cost of food and drink. Our venue is here, so that’s free, and we just don’t want a lot of fuss. We want a simple, fun celebration.”
“Okay, but why can’t you have all of that and let the family in on the news? Everyone will be fine with whatever you two want,” Dylan said. “You know that’s true.”
“It is true, but weddings have a habit of getting out of control, of becoming a lot more about the presentation and the...the frills, I guess. Our wedding is going to be about what
we’re
grateful for, and we want to share that with our family and friends,” Haley said, her tone emphatic. “Our decision is set. But it would mean the world to have your support.”
“You have that, in spades,” Dylan said instantly. “And I’ll help however I can.”
Haley leaped off of Gavin’s lap and held her arms out to her brother. He stood and crushed her into a hug. When they separated, she said, “Thank you, big brother.”
Chelsea watched and listened with interest, but couldn’t understand what any of this had to do with her or why Haley and Gavin had decided to bring her into the discussion. Refraining from glancing at her watch again, she said, “Congratulations! I’m also happy for you two. And I hope the wedding is beautiful. Now, though, I need to—”
“Hold on. We’re not done,” Gavin said. “Now we can get to the part that involves you.”
Returning to Gavin’s lap, Haley grinned at Chelsea. “Dylan mentioned that you’re in need of a job, and we’d like to offer you one. Temporary to start. And because we’d need you to be here while we’re on our honeymoon, room and board. We can’t pay a lot, but—”
“Wait a minute...what?” This came from Dylan, but his question and confused tone expressed Chelsea’s thoughts and feelings perfectly.
A job offer, room and board,
and
a small salary? It seemed too good to be true.
“It’s simple,” Gavin said. “There’s a lot of work and planning to do for the camp before the first group of boys arrives in June. Unless we have someone here who can deal with the administrative necessities as they come up, we won’t be able to have a honeymoon.”
“But this isn’t only about the wedding,” Haley said. “Beginning in October, the number of campers will increase. This means stricter guidelines, which means more paperwork, more fund-raising needs, more...everything. I need an extra set of hands, period. We just want to be sure we have the right fit. So, what we’re offering is a temporary, part-time position to begin, but with the possibility of becoming full-time and permanent. Assuming all goes well.”
At those words, Chelsea sat up a little straighter. Oh, Lord, this could be her saving grace.
“Got it,” Dylan said, his voice sharp. “I understand the necessities, but I don’t know if offering the position to Chelsea so fast is well thought out. She...that is, she could be a...I don’t know, a nefarious diamond-and-gold-nugget thief, on the lam. Or an ax murderer!” He cringed. “Perhaps not either of those, but I think you’re jumping the gun.”
“Diamond-and-gold-nugget thief?” Haley grinned in pure delight. “Are you on the lam, Chelsea? Or do you go around murdering innocent folks with big, bad axes?”
“Nope. I only murder guilty folks, and my ax is rather dainty and small.” She gave Dylan a dirty look. What was with him? One second he was trying to throw money at her, and the next he was throwing her under the bus. “I’m neither a thief nor an ax-wielding serial killer, and if I was on the lam, I’d go somewhere warm. With a beach.”
Dylan swiped his hand over his forehead. “That was rude. My
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