“It already looks crowded,” she mused, taking in the multitude checking out their surroundings prior to the first show kicking off. “How many more are expected?”
“They’re expecting about a hundred thousand attendees. By this time tomorrow night this place will be packed.”
Taylor nodded. She’d expected most of the festival-goers to be college-aged kids. Most were, but there was a huge variety of ages represented, even some young parents with two or three kids in tow and some who appeared to be older than Taylor’s parents.
“Most of what we’ll see in the medical tent will be dehydration and intoxication, but there’s always a mix of other things thrown in just to keep things interesting.”
Taylor knew security screened for drugs, but that where there was a will there was a way. Amy had told about some of the patients they’d seen over the years. Unfortunately, there had been a few overdose deaths.
“From what Amy’s told me, boredom shouldn’t be an issue.”
He laughed. “Boredom is what I hope for at these events.”
Taylor glanced his way. “Oh?”
“Boredom means everyone is having fun with no worries.”
“Ah.” Glancing out over the happy, energetic crowd, she nodded. “Then that’s what I’m going to hope for, too. Boredom.”
But glancing toward the man walking beside her, who was telling her about the different tents and upcoming acts as they made their way over to the main medical tent, Taylor suspected boredom was the last word she’d be using to describe the next few days.
CHAPTER TWO
TAYLOR FROWNED AT the pile of poles and canvas, then went back to studying the instructions. She was a highly skilled ICU nurse. She could put together a tent. No problem.
Well, okay, some problem.
Mainly, that every time she put one pole end in the designated loop it would pop out when she tried to put in the other end. What she needed was—
“You need help with that?”
Taylor jumped, then looked up at Jack. She started to tell him she had it, because she would figure it out and hadn’t she made great strides in not depending on a man for anything?
But common sense won out, so she smiled and said, “Um...yeah, I do. I’ve got a tarp down for a moisture barrier, got my tent all spread out like these say...” she waved the instructions “...but that end doesn’t want to stay in that loop thingy when I put in the other side.”
Jack’s lips twitched. “The loop thingy?”
Before she could say more, he bent down, threaded the pole back into the end loop just as she had. But when he bowed the pole and hooked the other side, the pole behaved and didn’t slip out on the other end.
“Well,” she mused, putting her hands on her hips, “you made that look easy.”
“It’s all in how you handle the pole.”
Taylor’s cheeks heated and she ordered her mind to get out of the gutter.
“Um...yeah...well...” She hemmed and hawed, then brushed her palms down her shorts. “Thank you for your help.”
“Anytime.”
His grin was cocky as all get-out. “Anything else I can help with?”
“I feel guilty you had to help with that,” she admitted. A strong independent woman should have been able to figure out how to put up a tent, right?
“Wasn’t any trouble. I was on my way to my tent to grab a drink.”
“Your tent?”
He gestured to the tent next to hers.