"How's work going?" Abby asked as they walked in and got a table in her section for lunch on Sunday. Gabe, Pete, Abby and Amber sat at the booth and looked over the menu.
"It's been busy. You guys came at a good time. What can I get you to drink?" She asked them.
"Coffee. For all of us. We are hanging at the campground tonight and tomorrow night. You should come out with us." Pete said.
She did have the day off tomorrow.
"I work until 2 today. I could maybe come out tonight. Where is it at?" She asked.
"Over at Riverside on Bartlett lake. It's about 40 minutes from here." Gabe said, looking at her. He was such a good looking man that when he made eye contact, it was hard not to blush. "Meet us at my place at 4 and you can follow us out there." He said.
"I don't know where you live." Billie said.
"The only duplex in town. Behind the grocery store. I own it and live on one side. Pete has the other." Gabe said. She knew where it was. She had walked past it many times since she came to town.
"Ok." She said. He seemed a little short with her today. He was never like that with her. She could read some tension from him. She knew it had to do with Easton.
Billie got home and packed a few things like bug spray and warmer boots for at night. She checked her cell phone. Nothing from Easton. It had been two days, but she wasn't going to stress it. They weren't anything and it wasn't healthy to worry about that kind of thing. But he had this unbelievable appeal to him, she couldn't quite figure it out. She had resisted the urge to look for him online, she wanted to respect his privacy, plus, she was afraid at what she might find. How could he afford shoes like that? Was he a drug dealer? Part of some mafia family?
She grabbed her things and her phone and headed to Gabe's.
She pulled in the drive and saw two girls she didn't recognize loading a cooler and a bag into Gabe's SUV.
Gabe walked out and helped them and waved at Billie.
"Hey. Glad you could make it. This is Rachel."
"Raquel." She corrected him.
"Yeah. Sorry. It was loud in the bar last night. Raquel, this is Lily. And this is..?" He asked.
"Grace." The other girl said. They both looked young. Like barely 21, young. Gabe looked at them proudly and walked back inside.
"So, you're coming too? This is going to be so much fun." Raquel said.
"Yeah. I don't get away much and I can't remember the last time I was camping." Billie said.
"Lily!" Abby said, walking out with another cooler. "Glad you came. Can I put this in your Jeep?" She asked.
"Of course." Billie said, opening the back hatch.
"Can I ride with you? Pete and Gabe and the two... girls are in his car." Abby asked.
"That sounds great." Billie said.
They all packed up and headed toward the lake.
++++++++++++++++++++
"Wow. This is absolutely beautiful." Billie said as she carried the cooler where Gabe and Pete were setting up the tents.
Gabe looked at her and away again.
"Where are the bathrooms? This is like, in the middle of nowhere." Raquel said, looking around fearfully.
"Right there." Pete said, pointing at a tree.
"Oh no. I'm not peeing outside." She said. Abby giggled. Gabe looked disgusted and Pete rolled his eyes.
"Better not drink this, then." Pete said as he took a beer from her hand that she had just opened.
She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She said.
They set up the tents and decided to walk down to the lake. The younger girls dove in and started swimming and splashing around. Pete followed.
"Going in?" Gabe asked.
"I'm happy putting my feet in. I brought my journal, thought maybe I'd be inspired to write a little." She said. He nodded and walked to the edge of the water, taking his shirt and pants off, then diving in.
They were all playing and laughing in the water. Even Abby was enjoying herself.
"Hey." A voice said behind Billie.
"Oh hey, Tommy. How are you?" Billie asked.
"Good." He said, opening a beer and sitting down.
"Just getting here? Are Ricky and Kelsi coming?" Billie asked.
"They're here. They're in the car. Fighting about some stupid shit." He said.
"Oh yeah?" Billie asked.
"Yeah. Apparently the chick with Raquel is a girl he banged or thought about banging before he met Kelsi." He said.
"Oh. I see." Billie said. She hated drama but apparently, Gabe relished in it. "Gabe didn't know that?" She asked.
"Do you think Gabe is the kind of guy that would care?" He asked. "Besides, he only invited them to make you jealous." He said, standing up and walking around the perimeter of the lake.
Gabe was playing with her. How could she have been so blind? She could tell what was going on now. This was a peacock game. She brought a man around him, so now he's bringing two girls around her. He is trying to get a rise out of her. She laughed. "I have no desire for this." She said out loud, opening her notebook and jotting down some words.