In the front room of the tent, I had a folding table set up with the things we would need, including flashlights and Yeti mugs. Our duffle bags of clothes were on the ground underneath the table. Two camp chairs were on the other side. I also had floor mats, one inside and one outside. Perfect.
Outside the tent, I had a cooler, now loaded with ice and drinks, sitting beside the picnic table. If this had only been for us, I would have had a second cooler with food and a grilling station set up. But for this trip, Drew’s team provided plenty of food.
Speaking of the devil…he walked into my campsite. “Hey, Crow. Got a minute?”
We had known each other for many years. Despite keeping his firm on retainer, I considered Drew more of a friend than a business associate. “Sure, boss. This trip was a great idea.”
“You know it was mostly Danny and a few others putting it together. All I had to do was open the wallet.”
We both chuckled, but I knew what he meant. He sponsored but relied on others to actually put it together, but he knew a good thing when he saw it. “Well, I’m enjoying it so far.”
“Good. But I really wanted to talk to you about Skyler. Danny says he’s going to bunk with you.”
“That’s the story.” I balled my hands into fists and planted them on my hips, trying not to look defensive because I could guess what Drew was going to say, knowing that Skyler pretty much hated me.
“Do you know what you’re doing?”
I had to be honest here. Drew was a good friend, after all. “No. Definitely not.” Because the truth was, when it came to Skyler, I was clueless. He’d hated me, with good reason, for a long time.But after a while, it was bullshit. He never checked back to find out why I had fucked up his case. He never even considered that there would be a good reason. He had only been concerned with how it messed up his career. I understood that was an issue, but there were other factors to consider, and honestly, Drew didn’t hold it against him, so he should have gotten over it. For fucks sake, it was years ago.
“I understand what went down back then, and you obviously know Skyler took it hard. He’s sensitive. He was new back then, but now he’s a seasoned pro. Add those two things up, and I guarantee you he’ll eviscerate you with words in ten seconds flat if he wants to.” Drew’s face was all concerned. I’d guess it was for both of us because he wasn’t wrong about Skyler from what I’d seen already.
“Not my intention to get on his bad side. I’m thinking the opposite. Maybe it’s way past time to make it up to him.”
“I hope so. He’s a fantastic lawyer. I need him. And I like him. I don’t want to see him, or you for that matter, getting hurt over this.”
“Nope. I’m tougher than that.” I fake-punched him in the arm. “I’ve been trying to apologize to him.”
“He’s stubborn.”
“Don’t I know it. Holds a grudge for-fucking-ever. But maybe this trip is what he needs to get over it. I’m going to do my best to make him see I’m really a nice guy.”
Drew chuckled. “Are you though?”
“Fuck you, man.”
He reached out and shook my hand. “Seriously, I hope you’re right. Hope it works out. Let me know if either of you need anything.”
“Thanks, Drew.”
He walked away, stopping to talk with other people as he went along. He was one of the best people I knew. That was really saying something, considering he was a lawyer.
All in all. My hope aligned with his. Maybe Skyler could stop being so obstinate.
Chapter nine
Day One
Hiding was not the best strategy. Especially since eating and sleeping were necessities. From what Danny said, the next day was going to be busy. So, it was time to do that sucking it up thing. My growling stomach seconded that decision.
The cooking was being done from one of the sites in the center of the campground, between two RVs that were owned by a few of the more well-paid lawyers in the firm and their partners. Leslie Howe and her wife Deanna, who owned a boutique store in St. Petersburg, were one of the couples with the RV. They weren’t self-proclaimed chefs or anything but opened their equipment and storage to everyone. It turned out Danny’s husband, Lee, was also one of the men who would man the grill on this trip, but that wasn’t what we were doing for dinner.
The other RV was owned by Walker and Morgan Jackson. Walker was one of the best in the firm, but I didn’t know much about his husband. They had brought four big containers of smoked brisket and multiple containers of prepared potato salad and coleslaw. The only thing being grilled was the garlic bread. Simple meal to feed the masses, and it was perfect for day one when everyone was so busy.
We all met around the double RV campsite and made plates. I didn’t see Crow anywhere. If he didn’t show up, I would fix him a plate out of guilt. But I didn’t want to be that nice to him. Instead, I grabbed a Diet Dr. Pepper can out of a cooler of drinks and took my plate to one of the picnic tables where Danny and Lee sat. “Hi, guys.” I sat across from Danny. I’d been hanging around with him, walking from campsite to campsite and helping out where needed. I’d assisted a couple of ladies in putting their tent up. Hosed out a cooler where a couple of soda cans had burst open, then took it up to the main office to refill it with ice. And other small chores like that. But what I was really doing was avoiding going back to Crow’s space. I didn’t want to be there, especially knowing I was going to have to sleep in the same damn tent.
Danny and Lee greeted me and kept eating. “This is so good.” Danny wiped his mouth. “Dig in, man.”
I took a bite, and he wasn’t wrong. “This is amazing. Who made this?”
