He’d seen recognition strike, her expression turning sour, and then she’d mumbled something about having work to do and walked away. Rather than follow and ask what her problem was, he dug the instructors’ workbooks out of the bottom of the box so he could stop thinking about her and get to work.
They had a lot to cover in six hours. Besides the actual safe operation of ATVs and snowmobiles, they had to teach them the laws, some basic survival and emergency stuff, first aid and how to respect the land, wildlife and—most importantly—the landowners.
Nothing said he couldn’t have a little fun with it, though.
“Okay, kids, let’s see how much you know about being out in the woods.” He was deliberately loud, knowing his voice would carry to Hailey. “How many of you make sure you wear bug spray every time you’re going to spend time outside?”
Less than half of them raised their hands, which didn’t surprise him. Where they were in the state, there wasn’t a lot of concern about mosquito-borne illnesses. Yet. He’d work on that. “And should you use an insect repellant with DEET or one that smells pretty?”
They all shouted DEET at the same time. He looked toward the circulation desk and was rewarded with a very black look from the pretty librarian.
“That’s right. Next question is true or false. You should wear brand-new hiking boots if you’re going on a long hike in the woods.”
Most of them got that one right, too, though he couldn’t say which kids did and which didn’t since he was looking over their heads. Hailey wasn’t even attempting to mask her annoyance. With her arms crossed, she would have set him on fire with her eyes if she could.
“One more. If you’re going into the woods with a group of people, you don’t need to know where you are or have a map or compass. True or false?”
“False!” a kid yelled, loudly enough so all of the adults flinched out of habit. They were in a library. “You might get separated from them and then you’ll be lost.”
“That’s right. And how old are you, buddy?”
“Ten!”
Hailey lifted her hand above the desk, then paused before closing it into a fist and lowering it again. Why, he did believe the librarian was going to flip him the bird.
“Good job,” he told the group. “Okay, guys, we’re going to break for five minutes to finish that banana bread and refill my coffee cup, and then I’m going to talk laws for a little while before turning it over to Mr. Kowalski here for the riding basics.”
He hadn’t planned to take a break at all, but he knew if he didn’t move, he was eventually going to lose his train of thought and embarrass himself. Having Hailey in his line of sight would play hell on his concentration.
He was starting another pot of coffee to brew when Josh Kowalski squeezed into the small break room. “I’m going to take a wild guess and say two plus two equals you being the guy who found Hailey and Tori in the woods last weekend.”
“Heard about that, did you?”
“This is Whitford, so everybody’s heard about it. In the version I heard, though, you were very hairy, smelled bad and, depending on who you asked, were wearing a fresh bear skin like a coat.”
“That sounds like Hailey’s version. Her friend Tori seemed a little less...dramatic.”
Josh laughed. “I don’t know Tori as well as I do Hailey, but I think you’re probably right about that. And, based on the looks she’s been giving you, it’s probably a good thing you’re going to work in the area, but live somewhere else, with your own library.”
Not for long, Matt thought, but he didn’t say it. Apparently the people of Whitford didn’t know everything. As far as he knew, only Drew Miller and the home’s owners knew that he was moving to town.
He could almost picture the look of shock on Hailey’s face when he showed up to get his library card. Because, yes, he could read.
“A word of warning,” Josh said in a low voice. “The women in this town have been on a husband hunt for Hailey Genest for a while now, so brace yourself.”
“If you think I’m husband material for that woman, you don’t know her as well as you think.”
“I know you’ve both had your eyes on each other more than the work you’re supposed to be doing.”
Yeah, Matt was going to have to work on not doing that.
*
MATT FROM THE woods is IN MY LIBRARY. She sent the text to Tori, even though she was working the morning shift at the diner. Her friend could juggle plates and a cell phone like magic and, since the owner of the diner was at home juggling a newborn, there was nobody to yell at her. Except Carl, the cook, but he was more of a silent glare kind of guy.
OMG. 911?
That would be overreacting. He’s the game warden. And he’s hot.
Matt from the woods is a hot game warden? At library? Stalking you?
He’s doing the OHRV safety class. Coincidence!
It took a couple of minutes for Tori to reply, no doubt waylaid by customers. Send pic!