he’d finish applying for approval to hire a new education director.
Why was he so tired all of a sudden?
“Well, now, I wondered when I might see you again,” Macy drawled as she strolled over to block the pathway to his office. That was how she got him to stop: a full-blown barrier. If they were boxers in a ring, she’d be squared up and ready to fight.
Getting over that hurdle was job number one.
He should have spent more time figuring out what to say.
“Yeah, haven’t seen you in some time.” Ash ran a hand down his nape and fought back a wince as her eyebrows shot up. Not the way to go.
“You think you can make jokes, Ash Kingfisher?” Macy wildly shook her head. “That’s just another sign the world is off-kilter. Out. Of. Control. You don’t make jokes. You grunt. Sometimes you complain. Other times, you do thoughtful things that keep me from seriously considering doctoring your coffee in a bad way. But now, details. I want them.”
“Fine. Leland called me to Knoxville, where he and the Callaways questioned me about the environmental impact study I commissioned on the building plans at The Aerie. As I hope you’ve guessed, I had no information to give them. This isn’t me, but convincing anyone in Knoxville of that is going to take some effort. Leland told me to lay low all week, avoid the press and the staff of the Reserve, but I couldn’t.” The urge to tell her he’d missed her smile even more than he’d missed his desk or Otter Lake was strong, but he fought it back. To her, he was just the boss and not...anything else.
He dodged her to head straight for the coffeemaker, grateful his bum leg made it possible. His mug was sitting in front. Like she’d expected him. He filled the fish-shaped mug and covered the Don’t Bait Me on the side with both hands as he took the first sip. When he opened his eyes, Macy was propping one shoulder against the door frame, doing her best impression of a patient woman. Not a hair was out of place, but the temperature in the air suggested he was pressing his luck. “The fact that I requested the study, Winter’s engaged to a Callaway, the construction company is owned by a Callaway, the Reserve is involved... I’m right in the center of all the speculation and it makes sense to anyone who doesn’t know me.” He took another long drink of the coffee, acknowledged his burned taste buds and enjoyed the slow roll of caffeine into his system. “Was it terrible here?”
Macy tilted her head to the side. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. Would have been nice if I’d had a warning.”
That wasn’t what Brett told him when he’d called for status reports.
“Yeah, me, too.” Their eyes met. She understood him. Neither of them had been prepared.
He should have called her, but that had seemed impossible. With Brett, he could demand facts and make yes-and-no decisions accordingly.
For Macy, he’d want to charge in to the rescue.
Macy took his mug and topped it off. “Let this one cool down first.”
This was the reason things weren’t quite as simple with Macy. In a hundred different ways, they were more than coworkers. She looked out for him.
He would do the same for her, but he never tried to give his feelings for Macy a name. That could be scary.
“You know I was sure you could handle whatever came up here, right?” Ash didn’t meet her stare because he was leaving his comfort zone quickly. Feelings and saying them out loud? Not his MO.
“I did need help.” Macy retreated to the doorway. “On the first day. Since then, the calls have died down a bit. A few picketers showed up yesterday, but this cold weather is probably slowing them down. If word gets out that you’re back, that will change. What do you want me to say?”
Lie for me. Tell them I’m not here.
She would do it, too, because Macy supported the Otter Lake Ranger Station fully.
But asking her to do that would do little to restore his own balance, so Ash didn’t.
Macy’s exaggerated eye roll would have been insubordination on any other day with any other employee. Today, it made him laugh. “So much respect.”
Macy marched over to his desk and thumped her hand on a towering stack of white paper. “Here’s my respect. Perfect paperwork every time. Stacked in order of priority. Just like every time.” She made the signing motion. “Waiting on you to finish.”
She left off the every time, but it was present in the room.
“Where are the newspapers?” Ash had never expected to become so set in his ways, but the idea of diving straight into spreadsheets without first meandering his way through the day’s headlines further upset his queasy stomach. He sipped his coffee, hoping it would drown the acid of worry.
“On my desk.” She planted her feet firmly. “You don’t want to see them. Neither does Brett, but I have plans to make sure he gets a good look at a certain photo, lipstick smear in full color, in the Sweetwater Sentinel.” The gleam in her eyes suggested they might all have a real laugh about something. The warning about the rest of the papers? Not good.
“You better show them to me.” He stared hard at the red light on his phone. “I might have messages waiting about them.”
Macy nodded once and then marched away. Normally, the noises she made as she moved in the lobby were soothing background sounds. Today each step clicked like hands on a clock.
Or a ticking time bomb.
Instead of plopping the newspapers down and then sailing away, like she would usually do, Macy eased them down and lingered. There was no other word for her watchful waiting.
“Don’t hover.” Ash sipped his coffee and then carefully stared at her until she held up both hands in surrender.
“I’ll be outside if you need me.” Macy paused in the doorway, her long blond ponytail swinging to punctuate her irritation. “You never did tell me what you want me to do with callers who ask for you. I’ll tell them you aren’t here. Give you some time to catch up.” Satisfied with her own answer, she turned to go.
“Put them through to me. I’ll handle it, Macy.” Ash waited for her to meet his stare and nod. He still didn’t fully trust her to do as he’d asked, mainly because she was almost always certain she had a better answer, but he’d done the right thing.
It was also the hard thing, but that seemed to be the case more and more.
On top of the stack of newspapers was a shot of Ranger Brett Hendrix standing out in front of the visitor center. He seemed to have full control of the situation. Macy had his back, her pen ready. The two of them were a credit to the Reserve.
Ash slipped on a pair of reading glasses he kept in his desk to study the fine print.
“Lots of questions. No answers. So, basically the same as every other news outlet.” Satisfied he’d gotten the main idea, he moved to turn to the next page and caught a red smear on Brett’s cheek. Lipstick. On his face. In a photo on the front page.
No wonder Macy was delighted. She’d be back in soon to reclaim her prize.
Brett Hendrix was the kind of employee every boss would be lucky to find. He was dedicated to his job. Smart. Followed procedure without complaint and served with the highest standards.
After a rocky period where family stress caused some distraction for him, he’d settled into the job and performed at the highest level. The guy made no mistakes.
This photo would drive him nuts.
Ash smiled as he set the newspaper down on top of the documents Macy was antsy to have reviewed and signed. When she asked, he’d tell her that the news was causing the delay. Picturing her death glare made him smile again.
Things could not be that bad. Life at the Otter Lake Ranger Station was close to all right that