“I thought I’d get Paige settled here first,” Mitch said.
“What do you do if there are two seats left on a tour but a family of four calls and can only do that tour time?” Kennedy asked.
“Uh,” was Mitch’s reply.
“And what happens when the boat gets all the way out, and a little kid starts puking?”
“I, um…” Mitch answered.
“And what do we do if we take out a bachelor party and they’re horribly obnoxious, and the other members on the tour complain when they get back?”
“I… don’t know.”
“So why don’t you just go get the coffee, Mitchell?” Kennedy asked. “I think I can handle ‘settling’ Paige in.”
He shot Paige a look. Paige was fighting a smile. She liked Kennedy. She was no-nonsense, and Paige got the feeling that she’d always know where she stood with the other woman.
She liked that. A lot.
If she pissed Kennedy off or went against expectations, Kennedy would tell her. That’s what Paige needed. Wanted even. She knew she’d screw some things up but as long as people felt comfortable telling her that and how to fix it, she’d be fine.
And if she told Kennedy this was just a temporary job, and she wasn’t interested in anything long-term with Mitch either, she thought Kennedy would take her at her word and wouldn’t expect anything more.
“Yeah, okay.” Mitch still looked a little hesitant to leave.
Paige felt a little thump in her chest. He was feeling protective. That was so nice.
And bad. Really bad. He couldn’t feel responsible for her.
“I’m fine,” she told him. She was independent and smart and capable and didn’t need to be protected.
“You’re sure?”
“Yep. I’m good. And I’ll tell you all about it while we cuddle in the hammock later.”
His eyes flickered with heat, and that did the trick of making him relax and grin. “If I don’t keep your mouth busy with other things.”
That made her lower stomach flip, and heat spread. Yeah, that he couldn’t do on non-date days. She liked it way too much. But this was Tuesday. Thank God.
“Ahem.” Kennedy cleared her throat. “If she’s dirty daydreaming about you today and doesn’t get any work done, I’m coming for you,” she told Mitch. “I have to be in New Orleans all day tomorrow and Baton Rouge on Thursday, so she’s gotta catch on quick.”
Paige smiled at him. “Yeah, Mitch. You better go get the coffee, and then get to work and keep those comments to yourself. Until later.”
“Oh, I’ll be texting you those comments and more,” he promised. Then he leaned in and kissed her quickly. “But don’t come up to the otter enclosure during your break later.”
“Why not?”
“I might be working with my shirt off.”
She grinned. She did really love teasing and flirting with this guy. It was good that it was only allowed three days a week. “But… it’s Tuesday.”
For that, she got another sexy grin and another kiss. This one was a little longer and deeper.
They only broke apart when Kennedy threw a pencil and hit him in the shoulder.
“Get out of here. Don’t come back. Even with coffee,” she told him. “I’ll have Leo bring us some.”
Laughing, Mitch winked at Paige and waved at his cousin. “Have a good day, ladies.”
Grinning, and maybe even a little flushed in the cheeks, Paige joined Kennedy at the counter.
“I’m ready to learn it all,” she told her.
Kennedy nodded, but she was studying Paige thoughtfully.
“What?” Paige finally asked.
“I was just thinking that of all my brothers and cousins… and I have a shit-ton… Mitch is the only one I would consider lecturing a girl about.”
Paige froze. She wet her lips. “You want to lecture me?”
Kennedy sighed. “I really don’t. I’m not really into lecturing people. Or telling people not to mess with my cousins or brothers. In fact, I love it when people mess with them.”
“But not Mitch?”
“Mitch is… awesome. He will do anything for anyone anytime,” Kennedy said.
Paige nodded. “I’ve already seen that in action.”
“So, yeah.” Kennedy frowned as if puzzled. “I guess I feel like I need to say something like ‘if you hurt him, I’ll feed you to the gators’.”
Paige felt her eyes widen. “But?”
“I’m just not used to feeling that way,” Kennedy said. “Most of the guys need someone to shake them up a little.”
“Mitch doesn’t?” Paige felt a little squeeze in her heart, and she wasn’t even sure why.
“No.” Kennedy still seemed a little confused by what she was feeling. “No. Mitch is so… great. He’s just always there. For everyone. I mean, he’s a smart ass and teases and jokes and all of that, but he is genuinely good and generous and so unassuming. I have never asked Mitch for something that he didn’t do and do one-thousand percent for me. He’s…” She trailed off. “He’s just a really, really good guy. So yeah, if you mess with him, I’ll have to put bugs in your bed or otter poop in your shoes or something.”
Paige just nodded slowly. Kennedy was feeling protective of Mitch. But clearly, that was new for her. Still, Paige got the impression for some reason that she didn’t want to be on Kennedy’s bad side.
“It’s not serious between us. And he knows that. We’re definitely on the same page, and no one’s going to get hurt. No need for bugs or poop.”
Kennedy nodded. “Okay. I mean, I have plenty of otter poop but… gross.”
“Agreed.”
“Okay, so let’s go over the computer system first.”
Just like that, Kennedy turned to the computer and started opening windows.
Paige blew out a little breath and then took the stool next to Kennedy, determined to concentrate and learn this job so she could do it with the one-thousand percent dedication that Mitch gave to everything.
And she wasn’t going to think about how Mitch made her want to be a better person.
Much.
9
They worked for four hours.
Paige felt pretty good about everything at the end of that time.
She’d taken a few calls with Kennedy there to coach her. She’d scheduled two tours. She’d issued one refund. And she’d refused to issue one refund.
“Okay, I’m going to head home for a little bit. I need to make a couple of calls for Bennett,” Kennedy said. “You can take your lunch break.”
“Oh, okay,” Paige said.
Dammit. It was too far to walk to Mitch’s. That meant she was going to have to find something closer.
And she knew what was closer.
Ellie’s.
Mitch had mentioned that it was right across the road from the tour company, but she’d also noticed it when they’d driven up this morning as well.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
She was going to meet his family because she didn’t want to starve? This was very unfair.