Sherri felt as if someone had flipped a switch from off to on. Soon more cars pulled up and boyfriends in Levi’s jeans and cowboy hats carried bottles of Jim Beam and six-packs of beer into the house. Jerry Derzon pulled into the lot in his Nova. He seemed thrilled to have an invitation and handed Arthur a bottle of Rumple Minze. “Just look at you two lovebirds playing house and hosting parties,” he said, winking at Sherri. He wore a Cuban-cigar shirt and giant wing tip loafers, an outfit that made him seem like an old man, even though he was only in his thirties.

“You invited Jerry?” Sherri whispered, disappointed.

“I like him,” Arthur said. “He’s an acquired taste.”

Curtis, another unwelcome guest, arrived with Val. He chewed on a toothpick and wore a gold chain necklace with a Virgin Mary pendant resting on his hairy chest. He had muscular arms from laying carpet, and he kept Val in a strong grip. When Arthur offered to give him a tour, he stood in the living room and said, “You should put some carpet down here.” He eyed the space as if he were calculating square footage.

“I like the look of the wood,” Arthur said.

“Suit yourself, but your floors are Doug fir.” He reached down and sank his fingernail into the grain of a floorboard, leaving a mark. “Scratches like glass.”

Carmen came up from behind Sherri and planted a kiss on her cheek. “This place is so classic, Sher. I feel like I’m at summer camp!”

“Like a grandmother’s house in a fairy tale,” said Bunny Boo. She’d told Sherri that her real name was Cynthia.

Sherri overheard Curtis whisper to Val, “I’m surprised this place even has electricity. I’ve never understood why rich people want to go on vacation and live like they’re poor.”

Chip, one of the bartenders in the Cabaret, collected twigs and loose brush from around the property and started a campfire. Sherri ran into the house and found musty old camp blankets for people to sit on. Arthur gave more tours of the cottage. “Here’s the first indoor toilet ever invented,” Sherri heard him say. He sounded like someone’s father, making dumb jokes and asking people where they were from, how long they’d been at the resort and what did they like about it? Sherri wondered if they enjoyed talking to Arthur or if they were just being polite.

Sherri introduced Roberta to Bunny Tina, who shook her hand. “Oh right, I remember you from your interview.” Roberta’s face fell.