hadn’t called him. Sure, Phillip was closer—around half an hour instead of at least double that for Shaun—but Shaun could have come in a little earlier, at least.
No matter. He was there now, and he could talk to Jimmy about the rest once he’d recovered.
AT MIDAFTERNOON, the side door opened, and Cory came in, looking worse for the wear. “Hey,” he said, giving Shaun a wan smile as he approached the desk. “Just wanted to stop by and give you an update. Jimmy’s still on just Gatorade. He tried some toast but didn’t manage much.” He sighed. “I hate to ask, but do you think you could stay overnight? Even if he’s eating by then, I don’t think he’d be up to dealing with any problems.”
“Sure,” Shaun answered immediately. “I’ll call my gran. I’m not usually home until pretty late on Thursdays.” He nodded toward the computer. “I just ran the weekly reports, so I know we have a couple of empty cabins. I can stay in one of those and put my cell phone number on the door.”
“Perfect.” Cory smiled. “We can lend you anything you need, or I’ll even run a load of clothes if you like.”
Shaun shook his head. “I keep a change with me in my backpack, since it’s so far back to the house. And we have basic toiletries and stuff in the cabins.”
“Cool. I will feed you, though. I’m making chicken noodle soup for dinner. I’ll bring you a bowl when it’s ready. And a big cup of sweet tea. And cake for dessert.”
Shaun laughed. “You don’t need to do all that, but I’m not about to say no. And just for the record,” he added, “feel free to call me if something like this comes up. I can come in early or stay late most anytime if Jimmy needs me to.”
“He knows that,” Cory said. “He just didn’t want to take advantage.”
“I know. The offer stands.”
Cory smiled, though in his obvious exhaustion, it was hardly a shadow of his usual. “I’m headed back to check on him and get dinner started. Mikey has to go into town for a special seminar tonight, but he doesn’t want to leave. Knowing you’ll be staying over helps us stack the deck to get him to go.”
“Well, then, you’re doubly welcome. And tell Jimmy I said he needs to get better soon. Someone’s got to keep the rest of us in line.”
“Will do.” Cory sketched a lazy salute and headed back outside. As he left, Shaun wondered where Con was in all this. Last Shaun heard Con was working on upgrading the Wi-Fi access in the cabins, now that all the upgrades in the main building were done. In addition to the new computer, networking, and backup systems, he’d installed an alarm system that direct-dialed 911 and included a panic button under the desk.
“I doubt you’ll ever need it,” he’d said when he’d shown Shaun how it worked. “But you’re far enough away from the nearest fire and police services that getting the alarm sounded a few minutes faster can make all the difference.”
Shaun pulled out his phone again. Are you around?
After a few minutes, Con’s reply came back: In cabin six. Found some stripped wire, so it’s taking longer than I thought. Everything okay? How’s Jimmy?
Better. Cory asked if I’d stay over tonight in case anything comes up.
The next reply took only seconds: Plenty of room in my cabin….
Shaun smirked. He knew he’d get a response like that. Down, boy. I’ll be on duty, and we have empty cabins.
Party pooper.
Get back to work, slacker.
Con sent back a kissy-face emoticon, and Shaun just shook his head with a smile as he set down his phone and went back to work.
CON FINALLY made an appearance a couple of hours later, looking fresh enough that Shaun knew he had to have showered and changed. Sure enough, when he came closer, he smelled of soap and mint, not sweat and dust, and the tank top and shorts he wore were crisp and unwrinkled.
“How’s it going?” He leaned against the counter, all long arms and dark skin, and Shaun caught
No matter. He was there now, and he could talk to Jimmy about the rest once he’d recovered.
AT MIDAFTERNOON, the side door opened, and Cory came in, looking worse for the wear. “Hey,” he said, giving Shaun a wan smile as he approached the desk. “Just wanted to stop by and give you an update. Jimmy’s still on just Gatorade. He tried some toast but didn’t manage much.” He sighed. “I hate to ask, but do you think you could stay overnight? Even if he’s eating by then, I don’t think he’d be up to dealing with any problems.”
“Sure,” Shaun answered immediately. “I’ll call my gran. I’m not usually home until pretty late on Thursdays.” He nodded toward the computer. “I just ran the weekly reports, so I know we have a couple of empty cabins. I can stay in one of those and put my cell phone number on the door.”
“Perfect.” Cory smiled. “We can lend you anything you need, or I’ll even run a load of clothes if you like.”
Shaun shook his head. “I keep a change with me in my backpack, since it’s so far back to the house. And we have basic toiletries and stuff in the cabins.”
“Cool. I will feed you, though. I’m making chicken noodle soup for dinner. I’ll bring you a bowl when it’s ready. And a big cup of sweet tea. And cake for dessert.”
Shaun laughed. “You don’t need to do all that, but I’m not about to say no. And just for the record,” he added, “feel free to call me if something like this comes up. I can come in early or stay late most anytime if Jimmy needs me to.”
“He knows that,” Cory said. “He just didn’t want to take advantage.”
“I know. The offer stands.”
Cory smiled, though in his obvious exhaustion, it was hardly a shadow of his usual. “I’m headed back to check on him and get dinner started. Mikey has to go into town for a special seminar tonight, but he doesn’t want to leave. Knowing you’ll be staying over helps us stack the deck to get him to go.”
“Well, then, you’re doubly welcome. And tell Jimmy I said he needs to get better soon. Someone’s got to keep the rest of us in line.”
“Will do.” Cory sketched a lazy salute and headed back outside. As he left, Shaun wondered where Con was in all this. Last Shaun heard Con was working on upgrading the Wi-Fi access in the cabins, now that all the upgrades in the main building were done. In addition to the new computer, networking, and backup systems, he’d installed an alarm system that direct-dialed 911 and included a panic button under the desk.
“I doubt you’ll ever need it,” he’d said when he’d shown Shaun how it worked. “But you’re far enough away from the nearest fire and police services that getting the alarm sounded a few minutes faster can make all the difference.”
Shaun pulled out his phone again. Are you around?
After a few minutes, Con’s reply came back: In cabin six. Found some stripped wire, so it’s taking longer than I thought. Everything okay? How’s Jimmy?
Better. Cory asked if I’d stay over tonight in case anything comes up.
The next reply took only seconds: Plenty of room in my cabin….
Shaun smirked. He knew he’d get a response like that. Down, boy. I’ll be on duty, and we have empty cabins.
Party pooper.
Get back to work, slacker.
Con sent back a kissy-face emoticon, and Shaun just shook his head with a smile as he set down his phone and went back to work.
CON FINALLY made an appearance a couple of hours later, looking fresh enough that Shaun knew he had to have showered and changed. Sure enough, when he came closer, he smelled of soap and mint, not sweat and dust, and the tank top and shorts he wore were crisp and unwrinkled.
“How’s it going?” He leaned against the counter, all long arms and dark skin, and Shaun caught
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