The Perfect Lie (Hope Falls Universe)(2)

If it wasn’t Justin and Amanda in charge of hiring and interviewing, he’d suspect Gwen was hired for the way her ass looked in those tight pants. Even though not one part of him wanted her to change into anything else, he knew it wasn’t the most practical for a long day outside. She’d probably have to invest in some sturdy cargo pants that would allow her to carry the standard walkie, keys, and other miscellaneous items that even the temporary help needed to carry. But he wasn’t about to have a dress code talk with her right away. He’d have to ease her into everything.

“Since you’re here, want to follow me? I can give you a quick intro as I get some things checked off the to-do list.” He started for the trail before he realized he hadn’t even introduced himself. “Sorry. Josh Dooley.” He held out his hand and for a moment she just stared at it as though debating whether she should touch him. Great, was she a germaphobe too? This was a dirty job and if she was going through a gallon of hand sanitizer a day, she’d never get anything—

She shook his hand in a firm handshake and it was like a shock. Not a painful electric kind, but more like a warmth that shot up his arm and reverberated through the rest of him. He thought he was imagining it but then he realized she was looking up at him with deep blue eyes the same color as Lake Tahoe. For a second he just stood there, her eyes pulling him into some strange trance…

She snapped out of it before he did, something he wasn’t proud of, and took a few steps back. “Lead the way, Josh.”

He started for the well-worn trail off the parking lot and took a few deep breaths as he remembered his place. He owed Justin and Amanda a lot. He wasn’t about to mess that up by making a move on a new employee on her first day. Though she had felt it, too, right? It wasn’t as if this was one-sided… Unless that was wishful thinking. She was probably nervous and in over her head. No, he needed to stay the hell away and just remember his place as her boss.

To keep himself focused, he started to give her the breakdown of what was going to be expected of her. “Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures is on a few hundred acres, so it’s a giant property. We do everything from horseback riding, hiking, zip-lining, kayaking, river rafting and in the winter, there’s a new ski slope that opened a few seasons ago and is run by a couple who both have Olympic gold medals. This is the summer tourist season, so we’re pretty swamped. Amanda said you didn’t have a lot of experience, so don’t freak out. We’re not going to put you in charge of zip-lining anytime soon. There’s a lot of busywork tasks that need to get done eventually.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the roll of plastic bags. “Like this.” He handed the bags to her.

Gwen took the bags from him and rolled them around in her hand. “What are these?”

“Poop bags.” They stopped at a little post that had a trash bin and a wooden post with a bag dispenser for any hikers who decided to bring their dogs with them.

Gwen frowned at the post before she turned in a circle and gestured to the wilderness around them. “You have to pick up after your dogs out here? Like, do the bears have to pick up their stuff too?”

He wasn’t sure whether he was more amused by her surprise or the fact that she called shit “stuff” in front of him. He’d have to tell her that, around him at least, cursing was okay. “Hey, if it’s in the middle of the woods, I couldn’t care less. But if one of our guests has to step in poodle poo, I don’t want to deal with the fallout.”

Gwen let out a snort. “It fell out of the poodle.” She smiled and covered her mouth with a palm. “I’m sorry. I’m not funny.”

Josh couldn’t help but smile at her. He wasn’t sure whether it was the bad joke or how damn cute she looked when she was embarrassed. “I think you’re funny.” He gave her a little wink before he realized he was treading on fragile territory here. “Let’s get back to the main lodge.”

“So, Josh,” she said as they started back. “Tell me about yourself. How long have you worked here?”

“A few years. When Amanda’s father passed away and she took ownership, she took the already successful Mountain Ridge and expanded. After opening up the ski slope, they needed extra hands and added me on.”

“An outdoor adventure place owned by a woman? That’s kind of cool, right?”

Josh didn’t always like talking about Amanda and Justin. Sometimes his gratefulness to the couple got the better of him and he was so used to being guarded that he didn’t know how to really say what he was thinking. Hell, he wasn’t used to feeling grateful to anyone. So instead he just kept on giving the facts he knew. “Amanda’s father left it to her when he passed away. Well, mostly to her and part to a former employee, Justin. They’re married now.” He glanced over to Gwen to see what she thought about the little love story.

“Married? Did he leave it to them because he wanted them to get together? Or did they get together because he left it to them?”

“Little of both maybe.” When he saw the two of the owners interacting, it was hard to imagine them not being a couple. He had a feeling that even without Mountain Ridge pulling them together, they would’ve found each other eventually. It was damned inspiring, which was exactly what a guy like him needed.

“And what is your official job here?” she asked, putting the focus back on him.