Page 16 of Off Trail Love
Plus, I’ve been eyeing the menacing-looking clouds that have been rolling our way for the past hour.
We’re nearly to the campground at Boulderfield. But based on our pace, I don’t think we’ll make it before the storm hits.
“Graham?” I finally get the courage to call out. “Have you noticed those clouds?”
“Yup,” he replies, scanning the mountain beside us. “I’ve been looking for a place where we can take shelter from the storm.”
“Good.” I just wish I’d asked him about it when the clouds first appeared; maybe then I could have enjoyed the hike a little more and spent less time distracting myself from the clouds by thinking about Jack and how to get him back…or kiss him again. Both things that shouldn’t be at the top of my priority list. I need to figure out my job situation; that should be my number one priority. But just like I predicted when I found out Jack was coming on this hike, he’s a distraction. A big one.
The rain starts before we’ve found a good place for cover. “There’s a small cave about a half-mile ahead,” Graham shouts above the raging wind and the rain that’s now pelting our faces.
“I’m like a freaking lightning rod,” Fiona shouts. She’s tall, taller even than Jack. Her concern might very well be valid, as I see a flash of lightning, but a laugh bursts out of me. “You think that’s funny?” She whirls toward me, her dark hair plastered to her head, and I laugh harder.
“You look ridiculous.”
“You look like you jumped into the swimming pool with all your clothes on,” she says back, but she’s got a smile on her face now. Good, maybe now we can both be less worried about the lightning.
“No one is going to be struck by lightning,” Graham calls back from the front of our group.
The half-mile may as well be five thousand miles, because by the time we make it to the cave—which is more like a tiny nook carved out in the rock—nearly thirty minutes later, I can’t feel my toes or my fingers. And I’m shaking, hard.
But no one got struck by lightning, so I guess that’s a win.
I crawl into the tiny crevice first, since I’m the smallest, but we’re all going to be smooshed together if we want to stay semi-dry. Not that it really matters now.
A warm body scoots in beside me. “This okay?” Jack asks. I’m surprised he’d ask at all, since generally, he’s been doing things without permission—like using all of his old nicknames for me.
“Fi-ine,” I say through another big shiver.
Fiona crawls in next to Jack, and Graham after that.
“I’m surprised the storm hasn’t let up yet,” Graham says. “Most summer storms are gone as quickly as they start. We’ll wait here until it’s over.”
My teeth are chattering so hard, I can’t even move to take my pack off.
Jack silently unzips his pack and pulls out one of the Mylar blankets we all have in our bags and wraps it over my legs. Then, he makes quick work of taking my pack off and placing it at our feet.
“Smart.” Fiona pulls off her own pack and grabs her blanket. I try to reach for mine, but I’m too wet and cold.
I think this is how I die.
But Jack leans forward, finds my blanket and wraps it around our shoulders, tucking me into him. He’s just as wet as I am, but warmth is oozing off of him and I fall against him as his arm tightens around me. “Let’s get you warm, Magpie.” His voice is so soft. So gentle that I lean into his warmth just a little bit more.
“Mhm,” is all I manage in response. As his arm remains around my shoulder, he uses his other hand to grab mine and start to warm them up. I eventually stop shivering and we fall into a comfortable silence, watching the lightning and rain outside our tiny cave.
When I finally get warm, I don’t pull away.
The rainfinally lets up around five. We’re all hungry and soggy, but we hike the last mile and a half to make it to Boulderfield.The campground has a tiny bathroom where I change out of my wet clothes and into the extra clothes from my pack, which are surprisingly still dry.
I instantly feel better as I carry my wet clothes and lay them out on a rock beside our camping space. Everyone is standing in a circle.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Tents got wet,” Graham says. “But we have a tarp. It won’t be great if it rains again, but I think we’ll be okay sleeping under the stars tonight,” Graham announces.
I look up at the sky, and it’s full of stars, not a cloud to be seen. But to sleep without anything around us or above us?
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure,” Fiona says as she links her arm with mine. “I can see how hard you’re thinking about this. It’ll be fine. I promise.”
