He waved toward the platter of food. “Have at it, ladies. What are you drinking?” Once again, he got the bartender’s attention.
Within minutes Carl had them all laughing. Stella appreciated that he didn’t refer to the incident at all but rather got everyone back on track having fun. Denver and Bruce joined them. Sam went to his usual place in the corner, keeping an eye on them. Before, she had wanted him to be with them, thinking it strange and creepy that he didn’t sit with them, but now, she liked the idea that he watched over them— that he was sober and she didn’t have to worry about anything but having a good time with her friends because he was there.
CHAPTER FIVE
Stella woke with her head pounding. It was still dark, thank heavens. Bailey shoved his wet nose against her face and she absently patted him. Had she remembered to take him out last night before she went to bed? She was a responsible dog owner. Of course she’d taken him out, but clearly he needed to go out again. She sat up, groaning as she did so, pressing her hand to her head. She so deserved everything she was going to get this morning.
Looking around, she realized she was in her own bed. On the nightstand was a bottle of water and two white tablets. Sam. He’d poured the four women into her rig and driven them back to the resort instead of the campsite. On the way back, they sang at the top of their lungs and laughed hysterically, mostly because once Bruce, Denver and Carl had retreated, leaving the four women, Stella had confessed scandalous thoughts she had had about Sam and all the things she wanted him to do to her.
She groaned again and covered her face. Hopefully she’d been whispering when she told her friends over and over how hot she thought he was. He’d been sitting a distance from them, and the noise level in the bar was loud, so surely he hadn’t heard. She drank down as much water as possible and slid out of bed.
She was still in her clothes, but no shoes. At least she was spared the indignity of throwing up all over him. She hurried to let the dog out, trying to think whether she’d been facing him while she was confiding to her friends in her tipsy— okay, past tipsy— state about how hot Sam was. She was almost positive he could read lips. She’d be mortified. But then, she had a lot to be mortified about. Leaving Bailey to do his business, she hurried into the shower, hoping to clear the cobwebs.
The Moscow Mules had somehow made the four of them believe they were superb at Cossack dancing. They took to the dance floor, squatting, kicking their legs out with their arms crossed over their chests and laughing hysterically. Unfortunately, all they were really doing was squatting, standing and squatting again. That, and falling on their butts. It had been a fabulous night.
Sam kept his expressionless mask in place as he drove them home, putting up with the four of them making outrageous faces at each other to remind themselves to keep quiet and hide Stella’s secret crush. They would all burst out laughing. He was stoic about it, which only made them laugh louder.
Stella dressed in jeans and a tee, trying to remember if the conversation with the girls had taken place in front of Sam or not. She’d definitely asked them if she had inadvertently blurted out how hot he was or how she would “do” him in a hot minute. Had she asked them at the bar or in the 4Runner or at her house? She remembered Zahra assuring her over and over she hadn’t said a single damning word in front of him. The others had nodded solemnly, but then they’d spoiled it all by laughing hysterically again and asking how they would know because they were drunk.
She pulled on running shoes after braiding her hair and went out to find Bailey. Sam was usually up long before anyone else. She didn’t see him anywhere, so she headed down to the boat rentals. Bernice Fulton was always up early, making certain the boats were clean and all had the required number of life jackets in them. She was meticulous about the care of the boats. She certainly didn’t deserve Stella snapping at her a few days earlier.
Bernice and Roy Fulton had worked for Stella for five years and she’d been very lucky to find the couple. Roy was knowledgeable about all aspects of fishing and had been willing to pass that knowledge on to Stella. When she came up with the idea of fishing tournaments, he had been more than willing to help her. They were two of the few year-round employees she kept on staff. Each year, Roy had helped her improve the tournament until fishermen came from all over to participate in their event.