Chapter 1: Heading Out
The summer day was warm and the weekend was promising to be sunny all the way through. Everything should be perfect for the three of them. Haley picked up a cooler and brought it out of the garage, walking carefully toward the car. Tom, her new stepbrother, came out to take it from her, hands barely brushing. She smiled at him and he met her gaze, eyes kind and glittering with excitement.
“Hey, you two, come on or we’re not gonna get there by dark!” Joey called from the driver’s seat.
Haley blinked and pulled away. “Hold your horses, Joey!”
Turning, Haley left the boys behind and went back into the house for her bag. Tom’s dad and her mom had gotten married a year ago; this was the first summer she was home from college and Tom was too. Joey was Tom’s best friend and it had been his idea to take this little camping trip, just the three of them, get away from town for a while, get to know one another.
Their parents hadn’t minded and plans were soon made to go to a nearby campground. The weather was almost perfect. Joey had camped there before and promised a lake with peace and quiet. It sounded good to her after the stress of college and finals and figuring out her way around a house that suddenly had two more occupants.
A hot occupant at that. Tom was dark haired and green eyed, strong without being overly muscled. Around Haley he often acted as if he was wary of hurting a kitten, but they got along well, even if he seemed a bit nervous with her. Joey wasn’t anything to sneeze at in the looks department either, blue eyes and brown hair as well as a strong, tanned build from working for the forest service the last few months. He’d decided to do that instead of college which was how he’d gotten them a deal on this campsite. Joey had promised the best sit there, and Hayley couldn’t wait to get out of the bustle of the suburbs and into the quiet, cool woods.
Grabbing her bag, Haley slung it over one shoulder and hurried to the car, sliding into the back seat.
“Do you want to sit up front?” offered Tom.
“It’s fine. Long as you pick good music I won’t complain.” Hayley winked at him, settling back in the seat.
“Hey, the driver picks the music,” said Joey, slapping Tom’s hand away.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Tom chuckled and settled back in his seat. Haley buckled as Joey turned on something upbeat and pulled out of the driveway.
The three of them sang along as they got out of the subdivision and then out of town, civilization falling away behind them and giving way to farms and fields. Some horses stood at a fence and watched the car go by. School was in a big city, so it always felt good to get back out to the country.
“I miss this,” said Tom, as if reading her thoughts.
“Yeah,” said Haley, “I do too.”
“You could always come work with me,” said Joey, fingers tapping on the steering wheel. “We always need more help in the summer.”
“Maybe later I will,” said Tom. “Right now this is good and so is sitting on the couch watching television and not having to worry about writing any papers.”
“Amen,” Haley grinned. “I heard you made Dean’s List, Tom.”
“You didn’t?” he asked, turning back to glance at her.
“Not quite. I was close. Just had one teacher that graded hard,” she shrugged.
“That’s never really fair,” Tom grouched, “but I know it happens. You’ll get it next term.”
“I know I will,” Hayley replied, grinning at the grumpy look on his face. “Don’t be so upset for me, I got it under control.”
“I know you do,” Tom assured her. “I just know it’s important to you to do well.”
“I am doing well, I’ll graduate on time. That’s the most important thing in the end.”
“True that,” said Tom, looking back out the windshield.
The road started climbing and soon they were
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