Page 53 of Clumsy in Love

Cole put on his seatbelt, ready to go and do whatever was needed. They drove to another trailhead and parked. Holly popped the trunk and started shoving supplies into a backpack.

“This trail’s pretty rough,” she said. “Now that I’m not in danger, you don’t have to come. I can get someone to take you back to town.”

He ignored the offer. “I’m going with you. Do you have a second pack?”

“A smaller one.” It was prepacked, and she handed it to him. “You sure your boots are ready for this?”

“Ready or not,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Her radio cackled every so often, with everyone calling in their status. So far, nothing. They hiked, stopping occasionally to yellthe boy’s name and wait for any response. Apprehension rolled off Holly, and Cole knew what she was thinking. It was just like missing kids in the city—the longer they were lost, the worse the odds of finding them alive and okay. In the city, they worried about kidnappings and traffic accidents. Out here, it was wild animals and the elements.

Dinner was a couple of granola bars and an energy drink, which they ate on the move. The only stop they made was for Cole to cancel his flight. While he did that, Holly arranged for Juliet to pick up Lady and take care of her for the night.

As dusk approached, they picked up the pace and yelled more frequently. He felt like they’d climbed the same mountain several times, up and down, back and forth for hours.

He suddenly remembered how she’d gotten lost in Central Park and began to wonder iftheymight need a rescue soon. “You know where we are, right?”

She huffed out a laugh. “I was just thinking about Central Park too. Don’t worry. I know these woods like the back of my hand.”

“Good, because I would have no idea how to get back from here.”

Holly’s radio came to life. “We found him y’all. Search is over.”

“Thank goodness.” Holly breathed a sigh of relief. “With rain in the forecast and how cold it gets up here at night, this could’ve ended badly.”

Cole looked around. It was only six o’clock and should have been light for at least another two hours, but tall trees and ominous clouds made it seem like night had already fallen. “We gonna make it out of here before dark?”

“No,” she said bluntly. “We’re a few hours from the trailhead. And that’s a daytime hike. In the dark, it will take us longer. And if it starts to rain…”

“Do we have any other options?”

She dug into her pack and pulled out a map and a flashlight. “Maybe I can find a shortcut.”

As much as he wanted out of these woods, he harbored reservations about leaving the beaten path.

“Hm.”

“What?”

“Well, I don’t see a shortcut, but there is an old ranger cabin not too far from here. We could go there, hunker down for the night, and hike out at first light.”

Something rustled in the bushes, and a drop of rain hit his cheek. “Sold,” Cole said, throwing on his pack. “Lead the way.”

“Maybe we’ll see some snipes.” She grinned.

“Huh?”

“Never mind. Follow me.”

Ten minutes later, the skies opened. The thin rain ponchos from their packs were as useful as a teapot made of butter. Just when he’d given up hope and resigned himself to an above-ground drowning, they burst through the trees into a small clearing that surrounded an old dilapidated cabin. The front steps sagged, and the roof seemed more concave than it should be. It was as if the whole structure was turning in on itself. But it was shelter, and they hurried inside.

Cole swung his flashlight around in search of a light switch.

“No electricity,” Holly said. “Should be a lantern somewhere.”

They found two and fired one up, keeping the other as a reserve. Cole removed his poncho, coat, and flannel and hung them on pegs by the door. Immediately, a puddle formed under them.

“Good thing we had raincoats,” he muttered.

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