Page 20 of Anchor Grey
“How much snow is expected?” Johnny asked.
“They’re saying at least a foot, but don’t worry, they keep the roads plowed,” she said and walked back to the kitchen.
“Whoa, sounds like we’ll really need to make sure we have enough supplies,” Johnny said and took out the list we’d made.“We should probably get a few extra things just in case we’re stuck longer than we plan on.”
“Should we leave?” I asked.
“Hell no. We’re going on an adventure,” he said like he was one of the Hobbits getting ready to go on a long journey they knew nothing about but were excited just the same.
“As long as we have food and heat, I’m with you,” I said just as our food came out, steaming and smelling amazing.
Seventeen
Johnny
We finished eating and wandered around the small but very well stocked store carrying a basket that was soon packed. “You can put that here if you’d like,” an older man at the counter said. “You look like you’re getting ready for the storm.”
“Yes. We just wanted to make sure we had enough supplies for a few days. We didn’t realize a storm was coming in,” I said as he unloaded the basket and handed it back to me.
“Are you renting one of the cabins?” he asked.
“Yes,” Devon said and gave him the name of the couple he’d rented from.
“They used to spend most of the summer here, but as they got older it got tougher on them. It’s not easy living up here once you hit a certain age,” he said with a chuckle.
“You mean your age?” the woman from the restaurant said.
“Hey, quit telling my secrets,” he said. “This is my daughter Jen. We’ve lived up here for years.”
“Let them shop, Dad,” she chided him before grinning at us.
We gathered a few more items and put them with everything else on the counter. “We want to buy some of your ready-made meals too,” I said.
“Just let Jen know what you want and she’ll wrap it up for you.” Devon walked over to the counter next to the kitchen and chose a few things while I watched the man ring everything up and put it in a bag.
“Ever been snowed in before?” he asked.
“Hell no, I’m from Sacramento,” I said.
He shook his head in amusement and met my eyes. “Flatlander huh,” he said.
“Pretty much.” He told me the total, and I dug out my card before Devon could show up and pay.
“Hey, I was going to get that,” he said, right on cue.
“You two should be set up pretty good, but if you have any problems just call me. We live just out back and we’re more than prepared for anything.” He ran my card and handed it back to me.
“Thanks. Oh, what’s your name?” I asked as he wrote down his phone number.
“Virgil Ochoa,” he said and handed back the card.
“I’m Johnny and this is Devon, nice to meet you. We’re here for two weeks so I’m sure we’ll see you a few more times.”
“Sounds good. You boys have a nice day,” he said before helping another customer who had come in behind us.
“Think we got enough?” Devon asked as we loaded it all into the back of the car.
“For a few days anyway,” I said and took an apple out of one of the bags.
