super stud.” I pressed
her against the shower wall.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” she said
with a laugh.
“You know I would. Let’s hear it.”
She paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked
over me. “Nope. I think I’ll stick with nerd.”
I shrugged. “Okay. Guess I’ll have to earn
the new nickname then.” I dropped my lips to hers, determined to
have her changing her tune as soon as possible.
***
The aroma of eggs, bacon, and sausage hit me
as I moved toward the kitchen, bringing back memories of Grandma’s
breakfasts and the country. It seemed like forever since I’d been
home, and suddenly I ached to be there.
“Babe, let’s go camping tonight,” I said, as
I sat down at the table.
“Are you joking or serious? I can never
tell.” She slid a plate in front of me and then sat in the seat
beside me.
“I’m completely serious,” I replied. Great
ideas of fun things to do were racing through my head. It seemed as
if my outing last week had refreshed my desire to be active. “Let’s
forget everything here and go. Grandpa will let me use his camping
trailer and I’m positive Greg would let us borrow his quads and
Ranger.” I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. This idea excited
me.
“Tonight? Are you sure?” she asked, and I
could see the excitement starting to build in her too. She hadn’t
been home in a while either. It would be nice for her to see her
parents.
“Well, it is Friday. Why not? You don’t have
to work today. Let’s go! We can stay two nights and come back on
Sunday, so you can sleep in your own bed before going to work on
Monday. I can go get gas, coals, and all the camping supplies, if
you want to get the food. What do you think?”
“I’m on it, sweetie,” she said, leaning in
to kiss my cheek before she jumped up and ran toward the bedroom,
without even touching her food. It felt good to see her happy like
this. I knew she needed a break too. She’d been looking so tired
lately, the dark circles under her eyes growing deeper.
Grabbing my crutches, I left my food as
well, hurrying out to my truck and heading off toward the gas
station. This was going to be a great retreat! I needed to call my
mom and let her know I was coming home. She’d be upset if I
didn’t.
A buzzing in my pocket alerted me to a phone
call and I smiled when I dragged it out and saw Brett’s name. “Hey,
Brett! What’s up, man?” I answered.
“What’s going on, bro? You sound chipper
this morning. How ya feeling?” His voice crackled through the
speaker.
“Me and my girl are about to head up the
mountain and do some camping this weekend. What about you?” I
asked, knowing full well he’d want to go. Brett loved camping. He
and I had gone out several times together during high school.
“I don’t have anything planned. I was just
calling you to see if you two would like to get together and do
something.”
“You know it. Why don’t you and Tana come
with us?”
“Thanks for the invite. Sounds like fun.
Where are ya headed?”
“Going somewhere by Silver Creek. Figured
I’d take my Grandpa up on his standing offer to use his camp
trailer and see if Greg would let us borrow his quads and the
Ranger. I’m feeling the need to mix things up a bit. Get out of my
own head, ya know?”
“I do. Hang on a sec and let me ask
Tana.”
“Okay.” I parked next to the gas pump and
waited, needing both my arms for the crutches.
“She’s down for it too. Sign us up, buddy.
We need a couple of hours to get ready. Will that be all
right?”
“Not a problem. Britt is still out buying
food and I’m picking up a few supplies.”
“Perfect. See you soon!”
I hung up the phone feeling pretty excited
to have Brett and Tana coming with us, hoping Brittney would feel
the same. I probably should’ve run it by her first. Hurrying over
to the gas pump, I started filling up my truck, my phone ringing,
again, a few minutes later.
“Hey, babe,” I answered.
“Hey,”
her against the shower wall.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” she said
with a laugh.
“You know I would. Let’s hear it.”
She paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked
over me. “Nope. I think I’ll stick with nerd.”
I shrugged. “Okay. Guess I’ll have to earn
the new nickname then.” I dropped my lips to hers, determined to
have her changing her tune as soon as possible.
***
The aroma of eggs, bacon, and sausage hit me
as I moved toward the kitchen, bringing back memories of Grandma’s
breakfasts and the country. It seemed like forever since I’d been
home, and suddenly I ached to be there.
“Babe, let’s go camping tonight,” I said, as
I sat down at the table.
“Are you joking or serious? I can never
tell.” She slid a plate in front of me and then sat in the seat
beside me.
“I’m completely serious,” I replied. Great
ideas of fun things to do were racing through my head. It seemed as
if my outing last week had refreshed my desire to be active. “Let’s
forget everything here and go. Grandpa will let me use his camping
trailer and I’m positive Greg would let us borrow his quads and
Ranger.” I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. This idea excited
me.
“Tonight? Are you sure?” she asked, and I
could see the excitement starting to build in her too. She hadn’t
been home in a while either. It would be nice for her to see her
parents.
“Well, it is Friday. Why not? You don’t have
to work today. Let’s go! We can stay two nights and come back on
Sunday, so you can sleep in your own bed before going to work on
Monday. I can go get gas, coals, and all the camping supplies, if
you want to get the food. What do you think?”
“I’m on it, sweetie,” she said, leaning in
to kiss my cheek before she jumped up and ran toward the bedroom,
without even touching her food. It felt good to see her happy like
this. I knew she needed a break too. She’d been looking so tired
lately, the dark circles under her eyes growing deeper.
Grabbing my crutches, I left my food as
well, hurrying out to my truck and heading off toward the gas
station. This was going to be a great retreat! I needed to call my
mom and let her know I was coming home. She’d be upset if I
didn’t.
A buzzing in my pocket alerted me to a phone
call and I smiled when I dragged it out and saw Brett’s name. “Hey,
Brett! What’s up, man?” I answered.
“What’s going on, bro? You sound chipper
this morning. How ya feeling?” His voice crackled through the
speaker.
“Me and my girl are about to head up the
mountain and do some camping this weekend. What about you?” I
asked, knowing full well he’d want to go. Brett loved camping. He
and I had gone out several times together during high school.
“I don’t have anything planned. I was just
calling you to see if you two would like to get together and do
something.”
“You know it. Why don’t you and Tana come
with us?”
“Thanks for the invite. Sounds like fun.
Where are ya headed?”
“Going somewhere by Silver Creek. Figured
I’d take my Grandpa up on his standing offer to use his camp
trailer and see if Greg would let us borrow his quads and the
Ranger. I’m feeling the need to mix things up a bit. Get out of my
own head, ya know?”
“I do. Hang on a sec and let me ask
Tana.”
“Okay.” I parked next to the gas pump and
waited, needing both my arms for the crutches.
“She’s down for it too. Sign us up, buddy.
We need a couple of hours to get ready. Will that be all
right?”
“Not a problem. Britt is still out buying
food and I’m picking up a few supplies.”
“Perfect. See you soon!”
I hung up the phone feeling pretty excited
to have Brett and Tana coming with us, hoping Brittney would feel
the same. I probably should’ve run it by her first. Hurrying over
to the gas pump, I started filling up my truck, my phone ringing,
again, a few minutes later.
“Hey, babe,” I answered.
“Hey,”
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