Chapter Summer Days and Summer Nights
Daphne checked herself in the mirror, a bit self-conscious that she was doing so to try to get the eyes of a man she had just met. But it made her feel alive and that was something she hadn’t had for too long.
She had brown hair so dark it was almost black, a fair, almost milky complexion, with soft blue eyes that seemed to draw one in. When she smiled, it seemed to lighten the day but most of the time, she had a focused expression on her face as she dealt with one case or another.
Her thoughts drifted to the reason for this trip and the abyss that was waiting for her at the end of it.
She shook her head slightly and pulled her hair back again to check her appearance. She smiled in the mirror. It turned less innocent as she thought of James.
She cleared her thoughts, adjusted her summer dress, and grabbed a book and a bottle filled with sangria.
She stepped out of the van. She had taken the time to review her emails, get some breakfast, and check up on a few things and it was getting closer to mid-morning now.
The campsite was spread out in a U around the bay. At one corner that jutted out over the water, there was a log cabin where the staff stayed. It was family run and rather simple.
Around the bay, different campsites were available for people with tents or mobile homes to set up at. There were couples out of their camper vans; a group were pulling down ATVs. There was a family of five who were out at the lake already, the kids raising hell as the parents just watched on, sitting on their Muskoka chairs.
Daphne smiled at the kids’ antics. They jumped into the water from the small floating island in the middle of the bay, and used the stand-up paddleboards and kicked their way around.
The parents saw her and waved; she waved back and headed off to a hammock. She got up in the hammock, smiling as it rocked back and forth. The sun was already coming in, that dew from earlier forgotten as the humid heat came in. The swinging hammock allowed her to catch a breeze.
She looked around. She didn’t see James, so she started to read her book.
Sometime later, she put a marker in the book and made to drink some sangria, her eyes unconsciously looking around, eager to get back into the story.
Her eyes fell on James, who was talking to the two parents by the water. Another couple was on some of the stand-up paddleboards. Their group was around their camper with food cooking and beers in hand.
He waved good-bye to them and headed to where he had been working. He was wearing board shorts and a t-shirt now.
She bit her lip as he bent to grab some tools on the ground. Good from both sides.
He worked quickly, assembling a long floating dock that he grabbed and started dragging out into the water. He pulled off and tossed his shirt.
Daphne put down her bottle, closing it slowly as she looked at James’s back. He was muscled but not heavily so, his build more husky than body builder.
He waded into the water, dragging the dock out with him. He quickly secured it. The kids came over to inspect his work; he laughed and played around with them a bit before he retrieved his shirt.
A woman was there waiting for him. She patted him on the shoulder.
Daphne frowned. They looked similar—maybe even related, by their actions.
James pulled her in for a side hug and they walked off toward the cabin.
Daphne was still frowning as her mind filled with varying thoughts. She took a big breath and let it out.
She pulled out her book and once again lost herself in it.
***
James closed the door to the cabin as Cathy moved toward the kitchen.
“So someone was getting close to the visitors this morning. You know that’s against company policy?” Cathy teased as James pulled down a nearby towel to dry off.
“Oh, shut up, cuz,” James shot back, rolling his eyes.
Cathy simply laughed it off. They were close enough to be brother and sister. “It’s been a long time since Silvia.” Her voice softened.
“I know.” James let out a sigh.
“Good. You’re only thirty-six years young! Then I expect to see her tonight at the fire! Will Julia make it?”
“No, she’s having way too much fun at camp to come and say hi to her dad and cousin.” James grinned.
“Kids.” Cathy laughed and shook her head. “Lemonade?”
“Yeah, sure.” James threw the towel back on the rack.
Cathy gave him the lemonade. “I wasn’t kidding about the fire meet-up.”
“I know,” James assured her.
She clinked their glasses together, giving him a wide smile.
***
When James left the house after dealing with a few issues, it was already late into the afternoon. He looked over to where Daphne had been in her hammock.
She wasn’t there anymore.
He glanced around and, unable to see her, he walked toward her camper van. The farther he walked, the more nervous he became.
People were out and about with their business but there wasn’t a racket. The kids had been corralled by their parents and they were having food, while the group of friends were playing a few drinking games, with smiles and good-natured taunts.
The group with their ATVs came in from one of the trails, covered in mud and wearing cameras on everything. The leader waved at James.
James waved back and continued his path. He could almost feel Cathy’s eyes on his back as he cleared his throat and made it to Daphne’s rented fifth wheeler hooked into her truck bed.
He knocked on the door, not letting himself get cold feet.
“One second.” Daphne’s voice carried through the fifth wheel as James’s mind started to bring up all of the terrible situations that might happen and the awkwardness of it all.
She opened the door and James grinned, looking up at her as her expression melted into a smile.
“This might seem creepy and out of the blue but I don’t mean anything by it. Would you want to come for dinner with my cousin Cathy and me?” James asked, hoping not to come off as the creepy cousin of the owner hitting on her customers.
Daphne frowned. “Well, I’ll have to consult my calendar,” she said seriously.
“Oh, and what does it say?” James became more serious as he held his chin and leaned against her door.
“Have dinner with campground owner’s cousin… Hmm, looks like you’re in luck. That was on my bucket list anyway.” She broke out in a smile.
James’s anxiety washed away. “Say, around seven?”
“That would be perfect. Do I need to bring anything?”
“Just your lovely smile.” James’s chest tightened. He hoped he didn’t push too fast.
“Look at you, quite the charmer,” she said in a low voice before returning to a more normal tone. “That sounds good. Seven it is!”
“See you then.” James pushed off the door and headed back toward the cabin.
Now to see what we can scrounge up for food! His pace increased as he started to think what the hell they would have for dinner, or else it would be every Canadian’s hot dogs, burgers, and salad summer staple.
“Cathy, what have we got for food?”
“Burgs and dogs?” Cathy looked up over her crooked glasses.
“Thought as much,” James said, looking over the different cupboards.
“Sorry we don’t have all the selection you foodies over in Toronto have!” she yelled as he disappeared into the kitchen.
“Can Paul get some desserts on his way back?” James asked.
“He should be getting something. You cooking tonight?” Cathy asked, getting back to her computer.
“Well, unless we want burgs and dogs.” James pulled out cans of different stuff from the kitchen.
“Maybe we should invite more pretty women to the campground,” Cathy muttered to herself.
“I heard that!” James yelled back.
“Eh.” Cathy sighed, not worried in the slightest.
***
Daphne checked herself in the mirror. The shorts and t-shirt were a different sight compared to the business suit she had worn at Dockers and Fitzgerald LLC.
A flicker of emotion passed over her features before she stifled it and thought of James. She was excited, nervous, and interested in where this would go.
She stepped out of her camper. The partiers were drinking and lounging around, talking to one another. The ATV group was hanging out with them; the young couple had disappeared off and the young family was having dinner.
It seemed at peace.
The sun was low and would start going down in the next hour or so.
Daphne grabbed the bottle of wine she had on the side and headed for the house. She knocked on the door and heard people moving around.
“I’ve got it, you big lunk!” a woman’s voice yelled.
Daphne felt slightly awkward as the woman who had been with James opened the door.
“Hi, Daphne!” Her name was Cathy. She was the one Daphne had talked to and helped her out with sorting out power and gas for her camper.
“Hello, Cathy,” Daphne said. “I brought wine.”
“Wine is always good!” Cathy said with an infectious smile, taking the offered bottle and shooing Daphne inside.
A rough-looking man with tattoos came in from the back of the house.
“This is Paul, my husband,” Cathy said.
“Hello,” Paul said with a wave.
“Hi!”
“James! The grill’s all good to go!” Paul said to James, who was in the kitchen that was tucked away, hidden from the main door.
“Good stuff. Here you go.” James appeared with a towel over his shoulder as he passed food to Paul.
“Need a hand?” Daphne asked, seeing the business side of the kitchen.
“Wouldn’t say no.” James smiled.
“Good, then I can get drinks! Let’s open up the wine!” Cathy went to get drinks ready.
Daphne moved into the kitchen, seeing the organized chaos. “Where do you need me, Chef?” Something about James and those around him just seemed to calm her.
“Chop those, then throw them in there. Hope you like pasta salad as I might have messed up the amounts!” James laughed.
“Nothing like a good pasta salad,” Daphne said.
Paul came in, doing rounds with taking stuff out to the grill round back.
It turned from meal prep to cooking as Cathy brought them both glasses of wine.
“I’ll go check things out back,” Cathy said. Her hints would have been subtle if not for her wide smile.
Daphne and James looked at each other and then laughed.
“Well, cheers.” James held out his glass. “Thanks for all the food prep help.”
“Thank you for getting all of this organized.” Daphne smiled and clinked her glass against his before they took a drink.
“So, where are you from?” James asked.
“Ohh, the deep questions—I like it.” Daphne winked and leaned against the countertop. “I live in Toronto, but my family is Polish on my dad’s side and British on my mother’s side. You?”
“Well, I’m living here right now but I’ll be heading back to Toronto in a bit.”
Daphne raised up her glass in salute.
“Not as good as Vancouver though,” James continued.
“Oh.” Daphne let out a disappointed noise as she held her glass back from just hitting his.
James rolled his eyes, getting a laugh from her as she crossed her legs and bit her lip a bit.
“I’m Portuguese and Italian though.”
“Explains the tan.” Daphne took a sip of her drink.
“So you were looking?”
“Hard not to,” Daphne said, using some of the building liquid courage.
James seemed a bit stunned and paused from drinking as his eyes flicked to her face, his eyes filled with mischief. “Yeah, it is hard to keep my eyes off you,” he admitted.
Daphne bit her lip harder to stop herself from squirming as he stepped forward.
“So, what do you do?”
“I am an engineer by trade,” James said.
“Engineer? What school?”
“McMaster,” James said.
“Ouch.” She shook her head.
“Shut up, Western,” James said.
“So you were paying attention!”
“Well, I had to be awake for the both of us—you definitely weren’t,” James teased.
Daphne pursed her lips and refrained from saying anything. It felt as if they only needed to look at each other to tell them what they were feeling.
“So, what do you do?” James asked, not pushing too far too fast.
She could see the genuine interest in his eyes. “I was a lawyer.” Daphne sighed.
“Doesn’t seem like you had all that much fun.” James lowered his glass, giving her his attention.
“I worked my ass off for them but they kept on shortchanging me. I was due to be made partner and I was bringing in this massive client but as soon as the client was in, they didn’t let me push to be a partner. I think they were threatened or something.” Daphne let out a sigh. “So I got out of that and I went traveling. Now I’m here!” she said with false joy as she drank from her glass deeply.
James smiled sadly and put his hand on her elbow briefly. “It’s never nice being betrayed—sorry to hear that. Though I will say I’m happy that you made it out here.”
Daphne looked down to his hand that rested on the counter and traced her fingers over it. “It’s not so bad so far.” Daphne looked at him sideways.
“So, what do you like to do?” James asked.
“Good food, so be warned!” Daphne waved her wine glass and extended four fingers. “Gym, movies, books, and a coffee in the morning.”
“I can attest to the coffee in the morning and if you don’t think that this is good food, then I can only say that Toronto has ruined your taste buds!”
Daphne laughed as they both drank from their wine.
The door squeaked open as Paul reappeared. “Meat looks like it’s almost done.”
“All right!” James and Daphne separated as the two of them started on the last bits of the feast.
Daphne couldn’t help but laugh and smile with Cathy bringing up all kinds of embarrassing stories of her cousin.
James could only plead with Paul, who made it clear that he wasn’t stepping into the line of fire as he continued through dinner.
“Well, seeing as you guys made the dinner, we’ll clean up.” Cathy stood and started to corral plates.
“Sorry, Paul,” James said.
“It’s a hard life.” Paul sighed as Cathy elbowed him in the side.
“You love it,” Cathy said.
“You’re scrubbing then!”
Cathy gave Paul a dirty look before she looked at James. “See—you’re a bad influence!” She tutted, taking her gathered dishes.
“Want to go for a walk?” James asked.
“Trying to escape your cousin?” Daphne asked, feeling genuinely accepted and welcomed by the group.
“Yes,” James agreed, holding out a hand.
She held it and he helped her out of the chair. They walked away from the outside dining areas near the side of the house and along the little paths that went down to the water’s edge.
“This has been a lovely night,” Daphne said, truly feeling it.
“What’s to say it’s not over?” James asked.
Daphne laughed. James’s banter was well timed and good fun.
“I’m not pushing anything,” James said, clearly assuring her.
“Maybe on the next date.” Daphne moved closer to him as they came to the water’s edge.
He turned to face her and the two of them looked into the other’s eyes.
James kissed her. It was light and a part of her thought she had imagined it as she felt it on her lips.
She pulled him in again and kissed him, deeply, slowly, taking some time.
Their lips parted but they could see the other wanted nothing more than to continue.
“So, Toronto, huh?” James asked.
“That was a horrible way to change the conversation,” Daphne said.
The two of them took a seat on the rock, looking out over the water and the moon, the noises of wildlife in the background.
“I really like the city, the way it moves, the things that are going on all the time, and the food.” Daphne couldn’t help but close her eyes. She turned to James and placed her hand on her heart. “That said, that dinner was amazing. Coming from a true foodie.”
“Why, thank you.” James took the praise well, before his interest returned. “So, what brought you out here if you love the city?”
“I wanted to get away from it all. I have been working for the same firm since I graduated. Everything and everyone I knew there was directly or indirectly linked to where I worked. I just needed some time away from it and to find out who I am and what I want to do,” Daphne said softly. It was something that she hadn’t admitted to a lot of people.
“We all need a break sometimes, a change of pace.” James sighed.
The two of them looked out over the lake and took in the beauty around them. James and Daphne started smacking themselves in increasing frequency.
“I hate mosquitoes,” James complained.
“Who likes them?”
“Maybe frogs?” James asked. “Want me to walk you back?”
“Thanks,” Daphne said in a soft voice. She would usually say no, but after what she’d admitted, she was feeling a bit vulnerable and her emotions were stirred up.
They walked along the water’s edge, leaving the cabin behind and making it to where the other campers were. A few campfires were lit and people were out, looking at the beauty that surrounded them.
James seemed to sense Daphne’s mind wasn’t there as they walked to her camper.
“Thank you for tonight,” Daphne said. It felt as though she had finally taken a big step forward.
“Thank you for agreeing,” James said, with that infectious smile of his.
“See you tomorrow?” Daphne asked.
“You like paddleboarding?”
“Yes, if it’s after midday,” Daphne said.
“Very well, if you’re interested?”
“I would be.” Daphne pulled him down. His hand rested on the small of her back, pulling her close; his other hand reached up in her hair. They kissed slowly, searching out each other’s mouths lightly, seeing what the reactions were.
Goose bumps ran down her spine before they pulled apart again.
“Night.” She looked up at him, wanting to pull him inside the camper but holding back.
“Night.” He released her.
She quickly opened the door and hopped up in her camper. As the door shut behind her, her body seemed to tingle and shake.
She looked through the door window, seeing James walking back to the cabin. He cocked his arm a bit, in victory and happiness.
Daphne let out a snort at his antics before she moved to have a shower. She’d need some time to calm down from James.