River Road (River's End Series, #4) (31 page)

Chapter One

Hailey Starr followed her blond, whining fifteen-year-old into the small office to check in at the resort. Brianna was prattling on in a running monologue/protest about being forced to accompany her for the summer and having to stay at the tiny resort/horse ranch smack dab in the middle of Washington state. She was about as happy to be there as a cow on its way to the slaughterhouse. Hailey turned a deaf ear to her moaning teen. Meanwhile, her twelve-year-old son noticed the horses they passed with an eager eye. He was the real reason they came there. It wasn’t about Brianna; even if she didn’t totally get that concept yet. All she needed was a curled-up lip to make it a full tantrum.

They walked into a large log house with a wonderful porch that ran the entire length of the building. The ranch perched over the land on a sloping hill. Looking behind her, Hailey got a breathtaking view of green fields dotted with horses and outbuildings, and beyond that, the river. Even further down the way, stood the tiny gingerbread houses and buildings that comprised the small town of River’s End.

A sign directed the guests where to check in. The front door was quite welcoming with an
Open
sign and another that said
Come in
. Hailey was first impressed by the river rock fireplace that rose all the way up to the roof, right through the second story. Its magnificence in the room literally took her breath away and she gasped audibly. She saw an open stairway and landing above them, and couldn’t stop whirling around, visibly awed. A small door to her left indicated the gift shop where she saw touristy trinkets and souvenirs as well as convenience items such as toothpaste, brushes, water bottles, and a variety of different snacks and foods.

Upon entering the foyer, she saw a desk, a table and to the right, some seating. The kitchen was located further back and small tables were scattered all over the front porch. The resort advertised a cozy, real home-cooking café that served lunch and dinner, except for Mondays.

Hailey was absorbing everything when a young woman, with soft, bleached curls walked in from a back room and smiled at her. “Good afternoon, are you here to check in?”

Hailey nodded, digging out her paperwork and wallet. “We are.”

“Welcome to the Rydell River Resort, I’m Marcy Rydell, and I can help you with anything you need.”

Hailey shook the woman’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

As the two women discussed the check-in procedure and resort amenities, Hailey glanced off only to find Brianna had vanished. Hastily, she collected all the brochures and other stuff Marcy so eagerly gave her, and hurried out to look for Brianna. In the gift shop, she found her flirting with a young man at the counter. He was leaning over her, his platinum hair falling onto his forehead as he nodded and pointed to a map spread out before him. Brianna was also leaning over the same counter, her tank top conveniently low enough to show the smooth, round globes of her cleavage peeking over the rims of her lacy bra. Hailey sighed out loud as she jammed all the pamphlets into her oversized purse and hiked it higher up on her shoulder.

Marching over to the counter, she said, “Brianna, go out with your brother.”

Brianna jumped at Hailey’s terse order and turned to glare at her after rolling her eyes. “Oh, my God, Mom. Chill out.”

Nearly launching herself forward, Hailey had the strong urge to grab her daughter’s cheek between her index finger and thumb, squeezing, just like she did when Brianna talked back to her at age five, and seven and twelve. But now? She couldn’t, even though her fingers twitched and ached to do so.

“Bri, knock it off!” Hailey hissed.

Brianna smiled at the man who had straightened up and was listening to them with visible amusement. Eventually, she sauntered out, exaggeratedly swinging her hips. Hailey glared after her, gnashing her teeth.

She glanced at the man. The stupid man. He was hot. Like, burn you up hot. Like a fantasy-come-true that should have been a pin-up. “She’s fifteen, mister. In case she wasn’t clear on that.”

The man smiled. Wow! Talk about white, straight teeth and the perfect, cocky-sweet-macho-little boy smile all rolled into one! The deep dimples in his cheeks and twinkling eyes that crinkled at the corners were nearly intoxicating.

“Yes, ma’am, I was pretty clear on that already.”

“That’s statutory rape, you know. And she’s far too young for you anyway.”

His smile dimmed, but he bit his lower lip, as if trying to keep his remarks to himself. She was sure of it. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, and his
ma’am
was over-exaggerated. “She asked me if anyone did white water rafting here. And since I happen to be the guide for that particular sport, I thought it prudent to answer her. I don’t care how old she is. I’m here to provide that kind of information to any of the guests.”

Hailey narrowed her eyes, sensing he was mocking her. So… what? Was he simply doing his job?

He lifted up the paper they were looking at on the counter and Hailey glanced down. It was a map of the valley with the river slicing through it. “I was simply showing her where we started and where we came out, which is right on the beach here. I was also advising her of the rules and telling her the rates, you know, the usual information that guests ask.”

“Oh.” Heat filled Hailey’s cheeks. She had nothing more to say. So what if she overreacted to that cozy, little scene, at least, she wasn’t wrong about Bri’s interest, just this guy’s. Part of why they came there was to keep Brianna out of trouble for the summer.

He held out his hand. “Joey.”

Hailey closed her eyes and blew out a long breath. “You work here?”

His grin grew wider. “Yes.”

Shaking his hand, she found it strong and tanned, but not all that much bigger than hers. He wasn’t very tall either. Pleasantly taller than she, without towering over her. “Hailey, mother of that fifteen-year-old girl, and a guest.”

“I caught the first part, and assumed the second.”

He leaned casually against the glass counter that was formerly a display case, one you might find in any store. “So… I take it she doesn’t want to be here?”

“How many girls who are going into their sophomore year of high school have you met who like vacationing on a ranch?”

“From around here? Quite a few, actually.”

“Oh. Good point. Well, she doesn’t.”

“Are you punishing her?”

“Perhaps. But her brother wanted to come here. He’s twelve and couldn’t wait.”

Joey reached under the counter and handed her another brochure. It showed a river raft swooping through white, foamy waves and smiling people with helmets and lifejackets, holding their paddles with their mouths open, screaming. “Might want to consider taking her. She seemed pretty interested.”

“In you,” Hailey muttered with another roll of her eyes.

“I’m not into little girls, ma’am, in case you’re worried,” he replied softly with barely a twitch of a smile on his lips. “I like
women
.”

Hailey jerked to attention and stepped back. Did he just say that to her in a flirting voice? No! Whoa! Just, no. The guy didn’t even seem to be on the upper side of thirty. He couldn’t have been flirting with her thirty-eight-year-old ass. Besides he just talked to her teenage kid, and was probably closer to Brianna’s age than he was to Hailey’s.

“Does all that flirting you do result in more women booking your white water trips?”

His bright grin went full wattage. “Doesn’t hurt sometimes.”

It was hard not to smile at his honesty and that damned adorable grin. “Well, watch whom you direct it towards.”

He saluted. “Yes, ma’am. Not at your daughter.”

Hailey turned and pushed at the door. “That’s right.”

“What about you?”

She stopped dead when his fading voice trailed after her as she started to exit. She turned back, scowling. He really shouldn’t insult paying guests. As if she’d fall for that load of hot, steaming horse crap. “Me? I’ll report you to your mother. And I wouldn’t want to get you in all that trouble.”

His chuckle followed Hailey out. “Can’t, ma’am. She’s dead.”

Hailey closed her eyes and blinked them open. “Well, crap! That takes all the punch out of my threat. I’m sorry.”

He laughed good-naturedly. “Years ago. I don’t even remember her.”

Hailey almost tsk-tsked him. “Well, flirting with women half your age or double your age, isn’t the best strategy. You’ll get burned on one end or the other.”

“You’re not twice my age.”

“My daughter isn’t half yours either, but she could still land you in jail.”

“Touché,” he said with a smirk. Then he straightened up and his face became all serious and mild as he said, “Good afternoon, I hope you enjoy your stay with us.”

“I intend to,” Hailey said just as formally with a smirk to match his before she went out the door. It bothered her when she felt his gaze following her ass. She held her shoulders back and ignored the urge to cover her rear or turn sideways and actually sidestep out of there. He did it, no doubt, just to annoy her. As if that beefy compilation of male youth and beauty would seriously ogle her!

She sighed. Being short, and not petite, or so tiny she’d fit inside your pocket, Hailey was just short and average-figured. Her hips were too wide, which was only exacerbated by motherhood. Her stomach was not flat and her butt bubbled out, making the tops of her thighs appear too thick. Cellulite had become a constant companion over the course of the last decade. Lucky her! She still had nice, thick, shoulder-length blond hair, enhanced by honey-colored highlights and green eyes. Almost forty now, she didn’t possess the kind of looks that made people gaze at her with shock once her age was revealed. Ha! As if! Nope, she was lucky if she got a head tilt or a mumbled “You look nice for your age.”

Hailey shook it off. So what? She was long past the days of flirting with a guy her daughter tried to entice by offering him a glimpse down her top. Sliding into the car, she found Brianna glaring out the window of the passenger seat. Jacob sat in the back, his face bright and eager. “Bri says there’s river rafting! Can we go?”

Hailey held in her sigh. Of course, Brianna said that. “I’m sure we can at some point. But can’t we unpack first?”

Jacob was raring to do it all. He leaned his head out the window and stared at the horses. He was so excited, he couldn’t wait to ride them. He’d only ever done it twice before and loved it. Hailey pulled up and stopped before cabin number fifteen. They were all built like miniatures of the log house and so adorable and sweet, they could have made your teeth ache. Not for Brianna. Her bare feet were resting on the dashboard, and the mirrored sunglasses she wore hid her eyes.

Hailey glanced at her impudent daughter. “You can’t flirt with guys that are so much older than you, Brianna. It’s wrong. You’re only fifteen! You’d only get a decent guy in trouble or get yourself hurt by encouraging a perverted one.”

Brianna kept her gaze fastened outside the passenger window. “You’re so full of shit.”

“Brianna!” Hailey fisted her hands over the steering wheel in frustration. When? When did that happen? How did her sweet, polite daughter who once hung out as her bestie become this rude, awful, disdainful girl who said such horrible things to her mother? And what exactly did Hailey ever do to deserve it? She was not an unfit parent. She was never unreasonable or an embarrassment to either of her kids. But ever since the divorce, her elder daughter had grown increasingly hostile. Apparently, she blamed Hailey, instead of realizing she was only half responsible. To Brianna, her father still walked on water, even though he was now living with his twenty-five-year-old physical trainer. Naturally, Brianna couldn’t seem to see the correlation between the physical trainer and her parents’ subsequent divorce. Despite how much Hailey might have liked to properly inform her, she would never have tried to upset her own daughter.

No, she was fully willing to let her daughter abuse her, rather than cause her daughter any more pain. Hailey understood her pain and anger and rebellion. But that didn’t make it any less exhausting to get up and have to face each and every day. At first, Brianna was quiet and withdrawn about the gradually brewing destruction of her family; but once it became official, Brianna only got worse. And flirting with the twenty-something hottie that worked at the resort? Not cool. Even though her daughter was actually only fifteen, she could easily pass for far older. With big boobs, a small, tight body that only emphasized them, long blond hair, and her short-shorts, she was adorable. Yes, she couldn’t really get too annoyed at the guy, Joey, for flirting and responding to her daughter. Never mind that it literally made Hailey cringe and shake in disgust. It was so wrong to picture her daughter and sex.

She truly believed her daughter had not partaken in such things yet. She
had
to believe it for her own peace of mind, but there was no guarantee. Especially with the lack of communication between Brianna and her over the last few months. She also caught Bri sneaking out, and going places she wasn’t allowed. It was becoming a kind of endless parade of antics.