Except, why hadn’t he hit on her once in the past week? Was she that repulsive?
Casper grinned in response. “Thanks, Raina. You’re a lifesaver.”
Yeah, whatever. But his words wouldn’t leave her as she returned to laying out the buffet in the picnic shelter. The large Tupperware container held Noelle’s salad, with corkscrew pasta and green olives, and Raina uncovered a plate of Annalise’s cookies under cellophane. Oh, someone had added caramel bars—she guessed that was Ingrid’s contribution.
John and Ingrid had shown up today with Tiger—Darek and Ivy still on their honeymoon. They’d put a life jacket on the six-year-old and set him between them in the boat, an extra incentive for everyone to work together. It worked—the kid possessed a sort of magic charm because the team not only paddled in unison, but on the last run, crossed the bay in record time.
Team Evergreen might just win this crazy event.
Raina returned to the grill, opened the lid. The rich scent of the garlic-and-seasoned-salt marinade on the burgers could call a dead man to the table for supper. “You can turn them now.”
“Aye, aye,” Casper said.
“Funny.” But she watched as he flipped them. “Yum.”
He closed the top. Turned to her. “No, I’m serious. I think we’re finally getting it. I might be the captain, but you’re definitely first mate. Thanks for not letting me give up.”
Like she would give up on this man. His very eyes held her captive. Blue like the lake and with the power to take her under, too. He’d grown his dark hair a little long, covered today by a red bandanna tied at the corners like a candy wrapper. The ends curled out the back. He wore swim trunks and flip-flops and over everything an apron that added an odd domestic appeal to his rugged exterior, the one accentuated by the lime-green team T-shirt with the sleeves ripped off. His arms evidenced all his hard work rebuilding the family resort, a farmer’s tan now fading after a day on the lake . . . It all had the power to stun her a little.
And yes, conspired to make her want to help him.
So much for her swearing off Christiansen men.
“Should I add the sauce?” he asked.
“Yes, just dab some on each burger, close the lid for another minute or so, and they’ll be ready. I’ll grab a serving platter.”
She found a plate and was returning when she saw Colleen Decker sidle up to Casper. A pretty girl, athletic. Raina had overheard talk about her attending St. Scholastica in Duluth in the fall on a volleyball scholarship. She wore athletic shorts and a dragon boat T-shirt rolled up at the sleeves and cropped to show off her toned midsection.
Colleen stared at Casper as if he might be the man of her dreams. She held out a plate. “Are the burgers ready?”
“Nope. Not yet,” Raina said, speaking past the strange bite in her throat. “I’ll dish them up and put them on the buffet.”
Colleen frowned at her, then refocused on Casper, her expression about as transparent as cellophane. “So are you going to the dragon boat street dance? I hear the Blue Monkeys are playing.”
“Probably. You’ll have to save me a dance.” He smiled, and Colleen cast a look at Raina, ownership in it.
Of course, everyone in Deep Haven belonged to each other in a way.
“Platter?” Casper said as he opened the lid to the grill. Colleen stepped back and Raina held out the plate for the burgers.
“Can you tell everyone dinner is ready?” she asked Colleen.
Colleen narrowed her eyes but returned to the congregation by the fire.
“She likes you,” Raina said, not sure why she’d mentioned that.
“I know,” Casper said. He finished plating the last burger. “I heard she and her longtime boyfriend, Tucker, are on the outs. I sort of thought he joined the team to get her attention, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Or maybe she’s trying to make him jealous; I don’t know. Trust me—she’ll get over it.” He smiled again, and well, Raina could hardly blame the girl, really.
She liked him too.
The crowd gathered around the banquet, and just as Raina was about to take a plate and start self-serving, Casper announced prayer.
Prayer. Okay, right. She’d seen him in church, a few rows behind Liza’s pew. She hadn’t really expected him to bring God outside Sunday, however.
Still, she bowed her head, prayed with them, surprised at how many echoed his amen.
She served herself, then brought her plate over to the campfire, finding a perch on a log. One by one, her team joined her.
Claire sat on the folding camp chair she and Jensen had retrieved from their truck. “These are amazing burgers, Raina. I love the sauce. Did you work as a chef in Minneapolis? That’s where you’re from, right?”