“Nothing negative yet about the Tribberton video?” Jules asked.
“No, let’s check online.” Beth pulled out her phone and went to social media. “Holy shit.” Beth showed her the screen.
The video had gone viral on several social media platforms. Some had even dubbed music to Lisa’s fall into the water, titling the video “Karen gets what she deserves.” Others had compared her theatrics to a couple of terrible actor moments in movies. There were news reports, which they watched in between the calls.
Then, just before lunch, they noticed a few videos that highlighted Damion in them. Someone had slowed down and zoomed in to the part of him climbing the ladder out of the water. The way his white camp shirt had stuck to his skin. How he’d shaken the water drops off his hair. Even though the images were grainy, people were asking who he was and, more important, if he was single.
One video zoomed in and played sexy music, then added a woman biting her lip while watching him. “Damn, sign me up for swimming lessons.” She wiggled her eyebrows at the camera.
Jules felt her body heat. Yeah, I know how you feel sister. But hands off.
They decided to eat lunch with everyone else that day, so they could discuss how things were progressing. When Damion walked in, Beth whistled and cheered.
Jules knew that he’d found out about the videos because he actually blushed.
“Yeah, yeah.” He shook his head. “Hungry?” he asked Jules.
“Is she ever,” Beth taunted.
“Get a boyfriend,” Damion joked back with Beth.
“I’m trying, but nobody looks as good wet as you do.” Beth leaned on the counter and ran her eyes up and down Damion.
“Put your eyeballs back in their sockets,” Jules joked, knowing Beth was just teasing Damion. Beth had a thing for Aaron, though she was still mixed up with her ex. From what Jules understood, it was very sticky.
As they walked towards the dining room, Beth beatboxed a sexy beat. Damion laughed.
“I’m never going to live this down. If I would’ve known that I’d get this reaction, I would have had Brett cut that bit out.”
“I think the video has done what it was intended to do,” Jules said.
“Yeah,” Damion nodded.
But the second they stepped into the employees dining room, they were greeted with jeers and catcalls.
Damion groaned and took her hand and almost walked out.
“No, I want to hear what others have found out,” she pleaded. “Can you manage to deal with being the center of attention for a few moments? I’m sure they’ll bore of it soon enough.”
Damion sighed and nodded, then allowed her to pull him to the food line.
She had been so preoccupied with Paige that morning, she’d barely touched her food, and now she was starving.
Today’s top menu item was Isaac’s famous grilled cheese sandwiches. They were nothing like the grilled cheeses she grew up with or made for herself. For starters, the things were bigger than her head and made with at least six different kinds of cheese. You could get them with different proteins too—ham, turkey, bacon—along with tomatoes, jalapenos, and even her favorite, avocados. You name it, Isaac would put it in.
Since she knew she could never eat a full one, she convinced Damion to split one with her.
Normally, everyone would sit at their own tables, breaking up into smaller groups. But today they had pushed all the tables together and were all talking over one another.
Damion found them two chairs and pushed them up to the giant table.
When they sat down, Dean make a comment about Damion and the videos.
Damion’s comeback stopped all the jeering.
“If you don’t knock it off, I’m going to secretly create a River Camps calendar with every single one of you on it. There isn’t a person here who is safe from my spy cameras.” He looked around the tables.
“You know, that’s not a bad idea.” This came from Elle. “What?” she said when everyone turned to her. “Of course, it would be a voluntary thing.” She shrugged. “We could sell it in the gift shop. Maybe have the proceeds go to the police fund or the firemen’s fund.”