“It’s been a couple weeks. You have a duty to date someone.”
Now he was getting frustrated. “Right back at you, sis. Who are you going out with? Do I know the guy?”
“I’m taking a break from men.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
There was a story. Ben saw it in her eyes, but wouldn’t push. If he set a good example, maybe she’d back off, too. “Okay. So you understand where I’m coming from.”
“Not really. You’ve had a very long break,” she started.
He barely held back a groan. She was like a bulldog with a favorite bone. How long would it take before she decided to let this go? He wasn’t opposed to dating, just wanted to do it in his own time, his own way.
He would go out when he met someone who intrigued him as much as Camille Halliday.
With a four-inch heel in each hand, Cam walked out of the bedroom into her suite’s sitting area. All the bigger, more expensive lodge rooms were on the top floor and she liked living here a lot. It was big, a convenient distance to work and the mattress was soft and comfy. Love seats covered in earth-tone stripes faced each other in front of the fireplace. There was a small kitchen and a cherrywood table in the dining area.
She stopped in front of the mirror over a small table in the entryway for a last check on her appearance before starting the day.
“Hair?” She nodded with satisfaction. “Check.”
Something about the water here in Montana brought out the best in her shoulder-length layered style.
“Makeup? Check.” It was flawless. She had the money to buy good skin care products and cosmetics and had paid big bucks for a professional makeup artist to teach her the techniques for perfect application.
“Clothes? Dressed for success.” She loved this lavender suit with the pencil skirt and fitted matching jacket. The heels matched perfectly.
“It’s Tuesday,” she reminded herself. “Maybe today I’ll get staff cooperation. And maybe I’ll flap my arms and fly to the moon.”
All those power of positive thinking seminars had been a waste of time for this exile in Blackwater Lake. So far the information and methods hadn’t achieved any measurable real-life results.
She was about to slip her heels on when shouting in the hallway shattered the silence in her room. “It’s too early for this,” she groaned. “Rocky and Apollo Creed couldn’t make it just one day without going a couple of rounds?”
Cam opened her door and hurried into the carpeted hall barefoot. Patty Evans and Crystal Ames, a housekeeping team on the staff, stood two inches apart, shouting into each other’s faces. They were in their early thirties and about the same height, which made them quite a bit taller than Cam, but she couldn’t spare the time for her shoes.
She tried to get between them, but they pretty much ignored her. “Ladies, this is unprofessional.”
“Stop flirting with him.” Patty’s hair curved under in a brown bob. She wore the black pants and gray, fitted smock shirt that was the department uniform.
A honey blonde, Crystal had her hair held back with a big clip. “I wasn’t flirting. Just being friendly. You’re paranoid.” She waved her index finger in the other woman’s direction. “And you need your head examined.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my head,” Patty retorted. “I know what I saw. You always want what’s mine.”
“You’re imagining things.” Crystal moved even closer.
Patty lifted her chin defensively. “Stay away from Scooter.”
Someone named Scooter was worth coming to blows? Cam had to break this up. The most expensive lodge rooms were nearby. Unprofessional behavior like this was inappropriate anywhere, but especially here. Social media being what it was, negative information could go viral on the internet and she had enough problems without that.
“Ladies—” She put a hand on each of their shoulders and used gentle pressure to move them back an inch or two. “That will be enough.”
Patty’s blue eyes blazed. “It’s not nearly enough. Not until she backs off my boyfriend.”
“How many times do I have to say this? I’m not coming on to him.” Crystal jammed her hands on her hips. “You’ve got quite an imagination. Get over it.”
“Stop it.” Cam raised her voice which she hated to do, but a sharp slap to snap them out of it wasn’t an option. “This is unacceptable—”
A door opened behind them. “Hi.”
Cam held in a groan. It was only one word, but she knew that deep voice. Before she could turn and respond, the two housekeepers relaxed their combative body language.
“Hey, Ben.” Patty smiled. “I heard you were back in town and staying here.”
“It’s been a while.” Ben was wearing surgical scrub pants with a long-sleeved white shirt beneath the matching shapeless blue top. “How are you, Patty? Crystal?”
The blonde flashed him a flirty smile. “Fine. How’ve you been?”
“Good. It’s great to be back.”
“We should get together for a drink and catch up.”
He nodded. “After work some time.”
“Sounds good.” Patty looked at her partner. “Speaking of that, we’ve got to get busy.”
“Right. Catch you later, Ben.”
“Have a good one.” He returned their wave before the two women moved down the hall to where the housekeeping cart was pushed against the wall.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Cam said.
“I actually didn’t see anything. Hearing is a different story.” He leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb that was right next to hers. “Are you still in trouble?”
“Tip of the iceberg. Those two are on a very long list of employees who do their own thing.”
“So, that’s a yes to trouble?” His dark eyes sparkled with humor, no doubt the memory of the other night on the deck.
“It is,” she admitted.
“Are you going to kick something?” When he looked down at her bare feet, his gaze turned decidedly, intensely sexy and suggestive.
“No. It was a lesson. I’ll use my words. Right after I get my shoes.” Every time she saw him it felt like a power struggle and she didn’t like feeling at a disadvantage. She also didn’t like the little shimmy in her heart when his eyes went all hot and smoldery. That couldn’t be good. “I have to get to work.”
“Don’t let me keep you.”
She nodded, then looked up. “And Ben?”
“Hm?”
“I’d consider it a personal favor if you forgot about the little disagreement. I really am sorry you had to see that and I intend to talk to them.” For the umpteenth time. If only she could promise him it wouldn’t happen again.
Ben glanced down the empty hall where the two women had been. “I take it Patty and Crystal don’t get along?”
There was no point in denying what he’d just witnessed for himself. “I referee practically on a daily basis.” Then his words sank in. “You know their names.”
“We went to high school together.”
“I see.” Small-town life, she reminded herself. “They’re good at their jobs. When not arguing.”
“Those