Page 88 of Pinch of Love

“So, you’re finally admitting you’ve got a thing for Chipmunk Lady.”

“I don’t think she’d be thrilled if you called her that. Her name is Maya.”

“Sorry. It’s a bad habit. That’s what Mom calls her.” Hunter laughed and let out a sigh. “Well, I’ll try to be on my best behavior when I get up there.”

“I’d appreciate it.” I glanced at my trailer, which had been freshly washed. I’d hauled it out of my garage and spent all morning scrubbing it down. It was only two years old, but I wanted it to look nice.

“Alright. Well, text me anything you want me to bring, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Which only left me tonight to get everything just right. Maya was a romantic at heart. I could see that in her. Everything she did was with intention, and even her vision of the first encounter with a partner had an adorable name.

And tonight, I was going to make that happen. Even if we can’t redo how we met, maybe tonight will change her mind about my being merely a distraction. If she wanted a darling meet, she would get one.

It also helped that I’d heard that Rob checked out of the lodge and there hadn’t been any other sightings of him around the lake. He’d also resumed speaking with his attorneys because Maya had mentioned that some negotiations had started.

I didn’t like that she had to waste any of her money negotiating with him, but her legal team knew best.

As I opened the door to the trailer, Chewie spun in circles, and I picked her up.

“Remember, where we are going, you could be somebody’s dinner. A fox would think it hit the jackpot, and a wolf would love you as an appetizer, so you’d better listen to me. Understand?”

Chewie’s eyes widened as if she heard every single word I said.

Poor thing. I’d never think about taking a dog the size of a dessert plate out camping with me, but I didn’t really have a choice. My parents were out of town and weren’t coming back until after we’d be at the campsite. I didn’t trust leaving Chewie with just anyone, so she was stuck with me and the great outdoors.

I closed the door behind me and put her on the floor. The trailer still smelled like new. It had pop-out sides, a gourmet kitchen, a dining room, and a cozy family room. It was a decent-sized place and thankfully had two sleeping areas. Of course, I’d be giving my brother and his girlfriend the smaller one that converted because that’s what younger brothers were for, to irritate. Plus, Maya still had the boot. She needed space.

I opened the kitchen drawers to make sure all the silverware and utensils were still inside and wandered to the big bedroom to put fresh sheets on the bed.

As I shook out the flat sheet, Chewie tried to wrestle with the flannel, and the next thing I knew, she flew through the air toward a window I’d opened earlier.

I dove toward her and managed to clutch her little body in my palm before she went diving through the window and crashed outside. I spun her around with her little tongue hanging out, completely oblivious to the fact that her life had almost ended.

“This is going to be an interesting weekend,” I muttered to myself.

I set Chewie in the hall and closed the door while I changed the sheets, closed the window, and made my way into the rest of the trailer. I’d finish in the morning.

As of now, I needed to head out to the lake to make sure everything had been prepared just right. Grace was going to drop off her sister for me where I’d planned our little get-together.

I set Chewie with her pink blanket on the passenger seat of the Jeep and took off.

I wanted this to be special, to be a happy surprise.

Maya had been through so much the last couple of months that the least I could do was brighten her day and give her the meet sweet she wanted.

Maya knew I was going to be at my place getting the trailer ready, and she had spent most of the afternoon with her sister at the antique store. So hopefully, the picnic at the lake would be a surprise. I reserved an area that was away from the sand so she and her boot wouldn’t get stuck. I’d tried to think of everything.

But I needed to tell her how I felt.

I needed to open myself up.

Let her see my wounds.

Understand my intentions.

Show her I wasn’t just a distraction.

Just the thought of tonight made my pulse soar. It could go so many different ways. She could love it, or I could scare her away.