She unfastens her seatbelt and pulls the keys from the ignition. “I’ll go check in real quick; you two can hang out here.”
I couldn’t help but observe how Troian’s gaze follows her girlfriend into the shabby cabin. Even with her eyes hidden behind her aviators, Troian’s affection is obvious.
“You two are totally going to bone in a tent this weekend,” I announce.
“Whatever. ”
“ That ’s why you’re so excited,” I laugh. “You can’t fool me. I know you hate this camping stuff.”
“Nuh uh,” she protests. “We’re here for you . So you can start to get over She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.”
I roll my eyes. “I didn’t realize I was dating Voldemort.”
Troian grins . “Nik’s called her a lot worse.”
“Don’t remind me,” I sigh .
“Stop it,” she chastises. “No more S ad Elle. We’re here to have fun.”
The door to t he shack swings open and Nikole reappears. The screen door slams closed behind her, making the three of us collectively jump. Nikole rounds the Jeep and slides back into the driver’s seat. “We’re all set,” she announces, handing Troian a few sheets of paper.
“What’s this?” Troian asks .
“Our registr ation information,” Nikole notes as she turns the key in the ignition and the Jeep engine roars to life. “We have to keep this displayed in the car window so the Rangers know we’ve paid for our slip.”
“Was it creepy in there?” I ask . “Like something out of Deliverance or Wrong Turn ?”
“You watch way too many scary movies,” Troian teases.
“Whatever,” I scoff. “We’ll see who’s laughing when inbred cannibals are chasing us through the woods, and I’m the only one who knows how to beat them.”
Troian laughs , not unkindly. “Sometimes I can’t believe you have a PhD and you’re a professor. Seriously.”
A few more miles down a one-way road, and we’re finally at our designated camping spot. It’s one of the more secluded slips at the campground with access to the lake and a small sandy beach just a few yards away.
As soon as Nikole parks the vehicle, Troian eagerly jumps out of the passenger side door. “We’re here!” she announces excitedly. She reflexively pulls her phone from her back pocket. She taps her fingers against the touch-screen and frowns.
“ What’s wrong, hun?” Nikole asks. She opens the rear gate and begins pulling some of their gear out of the back.
“There’s no signal,” Troian pouts.
I laugh as I climb out of the back seat and pause to stretch my limbs. “I thought that was the whole plan,” I remind her. “No phones, no internet, no drama, remember?”
Troian’s frown intensifies and turns into a full-out pout. “But now I can’t tweet about all the fun we’re having.”
I clap my hand on her shoulder. “I guess the social network community will just have to suffer without you for a few days.”
“Babe,” Nikole calls out. “Little help over here?”
Troian lifts her phone once more to the sky in search of a signal. Still finding nothing, she sighs and resignedly slips her phone into her back pocket.
The three of us dutifully unpack the back of Nikole’s Jeep until all of our supplies for the long weekend are stacked in a neat pile on the campsite ground. Two tents, fold-up camping chairs, two collapsible fishing poles, a few grocery bags of non-perishable food, a cooler full of food and beer, and a smattering of kitchen supplies make up our meager stash.
Nikole closes the rear gate, locks the car, and brushes her hands together to dislodge some of the pine needles that have stuck to her palms. “What should we do first?” she asks us. “Set up our tents?”
“Those can wait un til later,” Troian insists. “Let’s check out the lake!”
I glance at our pile of supplies. “Is it safe to just leave this stuff here?”
Troian laughs . “Like anyone’s gonna steal it way out
I couldn’t help but observe how Troian’s gaze follows her girlfriend into the shabby cabin. Even with her eyes hidden behind her aviators, Troian’s affection is obvious.
“You two are totally going to bone in a tent this weekend,” I announce.
“Whatever. ”
“ That ’s why you’re so excited,” I laugh. “You can’t fool me. I know you hate this camping stuff.”
“Nuh uh,” she protests. “We’re here for you . So you can start to get over She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.”
I roll my eyes. “I didn’t realize I was dating Voldemort.”
Troian grins . “Nik’s called her a lot worse.”
“Don’t remind me,” I sigh .
“Stop it,” she chastises. “No more S ad Elle. We’re here to have fun.”
The door to t he shack swings open and Nikole reappears. The screen door slams closed behind her, making the three of us collectively jump. Nikole rounds the Jeep and slides back into the driver’s seat. “We’re all set,” she announces, handing Troian a few sheets of paper.
“What’s this?” Troian asks .
“Our registr ation information,” Nikole notes as she turns the key in the ignition and the Jeep engine roars to life. “We have to keep this displayed in the car window so the Rangers know we’ve paid for our slip.”
“Was it creepy in there?” I ask . “Like something out of Deliverance or Wrong Turn ?”
“You watch way too many scary movies,” Troian teases.
“Whatever,” I scoff. “We’ll see who’s laughing when inbred cannibals are chasing us through the woods, and I’m the only one who knows how to beat them.”
Troian laughs , not unkindly. “Sometimes I can’t believe you have a PhD and you’re a professor. Seriously.”
A few more miles down a one-way road, and we’re finally at our designated camping spot. It’s one of the more secluded slips at the campground with access to the lake and a small sandy beach just a few yards away.
As soon as Nikole parks the vehicle, Troian eagerly jumps out of the passenger side door. “We’re here!” she announces excitedly. She reflexively pulls her phone from her back pocket. She taps her fingers against the touch-screen and frowns.
“ What’s wrong, hun?” Nikole asks. She opens the rear gate and begins pulling some of their gear out of the back.
“There’s no signal,” Troian pouts.
I laugh as I climb out of the back seat and pause to stretch my limbs. “I thought that was the whole plan,” I remind her. “No phones, no internet, no drama, remember?”
Troian’s frown intensifies and turns into a full-out pout. “But now I can’t tweet about all the fun we’re having.”
I clap my hand on her shoulder. “I guess the social network community will just have to suffer without you for a few days.”
“Babe,” Nikole calls out. “Little help over here?”
Troian lifts her phone once more to the sky in search of a signal. Still finding nothing, she sighs and resignedly slips her phone into her back pocket.
The three of us dutifully unpack the back of Nikole’s Jeep until all of our supplies for the long weekend are stacked in a neat pile on the campsite ground. Two tents, fold-up camping chairs, two collapsible fishing poles, a few grocery bags of non-perishable food, a cooler full of food and beer, and a smattering of kitchen supplies make up our meager stash.
Nikole closes the rear gate, locks the car, and brushes her hands together to dislodge some of the pine needles that have stuck to her palms. “What should we do first?” she asks us. “Set up our tents?”
“Those can wait un til later,” Troian insists. “Let’s check out the lake!”
I glance at our pile of supplies. “Is it safe to just leave this stuff here?”
Troian laughs . “Like anyone’s gonna steal it way out
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