Backwoods

by Jill Sorenson

  Minutes later, he drifted off.

  CHAPTER TEN

  ABBY WOKE JUST before dawn.

  She’d dreamed about the earthquake again.

  Heart racing, she sat up and searched for Brooke. Her daughter wasn’t beside her. She wasn’t inside the tent at all.

  Abby scrambled out of the sleeping bag and shoved her feet into hiking shoes. She could hear voices outside the tent, a soft laugh and a low murmur. Her rapid pulse began to slow as she recognized the sound of Brooke chatting with Leo. The opening at the front of the tent wasn’t zipped up all the way. After tying her shoelaces, she peeked out.

  Pale light touched the edges of the horizon. Nathan was stretched out on the sleeping pad in front of the fallen log. Leo and Brooke were at least twenty feet away, cuddled up in a sleeping bag. While Abby watched, rubbing her eyes, Brooke climbed on top of Leo. She straddled his waist and tried to pin his arms above his head, without success.

  Leo switched their positions in a flash. He flipped Brooke onto her back and trapped her wrists in his hands, holding her down. He wasn’t smiling or being playful. The pose didn’t remind Abby of puppies rolling around in a meadow. More like a wolf biting a too-aggressive mate to assert dominance.

  Abby backed away from the front of the tent, conflicted. Should she interrupt? She felt guilty for spying on them. Brooke had instigated the contact. If she didn’t want Leo to touch her, she shouldn’t touch him.

  If she did want Leo to touch her...yikes.

  Ray already thought Leo was stubborn and rebellious. A fling between Leo and Brooke could create major problems.

  Abby didn’t want to make things worse by invading their privacy. Brooke wouldn’t appreciate her mother meddling in her love life. It was clear that Brooke liked to tease Leo. The question was, did Leo like being teased? In a reverse-gender situation, Brooke’s behavior might be considered sexual harassment.

  Instead of bursting out of the tent and catching them, Abby coughed several times to announce her presence. Then she unzipped the flap opening and crawled out. It was a foggy, chilly morning. Dew clung to the grass and leaves. Her shoes were damp before she reached the outhouse. It wasn’t her worst bathroom experience, but it wasn’t pleasant. She’d rather pee behind a bush.

  By the time she returned, Leo and Brooke had broken apart. He appeared frustrated and embarrassed. She’d busied herself with the camp stove.

  “Why don’t you get some more sleep, Leo?” Abby said. “I’ll keep watch with Brooke.”

  Nathan rolled over, his eyes bleary and his hair sticking up. Now he looked his age, and more tired than rugged. But cute. Damned cute.

  “You, too,” she said, gesturing to the tent. “Go rest for another hour.”

  The sun wasn’t up yet, but there was enough light to see anyone sneaking up on them. Nathan and Leo didn’t argue about safety. They collected their sleeping bags and lumbered off, choosing separate tents.

  “What time is it?” Abby asked. Without her phone, she was lost.

  Brooke checked her watch. “Almost six.”

  “How long have you been up?”

  “An hour.”

  Abby helped herself to a cup of coffee and sat down. “We need to talk.”

  Brooke straddled the log, petulant. She’d changed into jogging pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a colorful alpaca-wool hat with ear flaps, probably knitted by Peruvian Indians.

  “I saw you and Leo,” Abby said in a near whisper.

  Brooke seemed more annoyed than surprised. “So?”

  “Are you sleeping with him?”

  “Oh my God, Mom,” she said, rolling her eyes. “No.”

  “Would you like to be?”

  Brooke couldn’t answer this one as quickly. “I’m not a virgin,” she announced.

  Abby assumed this was a recent development. They’d had frank discussions about sex before, and Brooke had assured Abby that she wasn’t “getting any.” Brooke had started dating a fellow student at Berkeley earlier this year. She hadn’t shared many details with Abby about their relationship. They must have done the deed before breaking up.

  “I can have sex with whoever I want,” Brooke said.

  “That’s true,” Abby said. “As long as they’re of age and say yes.”

  Her brows drew together, as if she couldn’t imagine that a boy she picked would say no. To be fair, it was unlikely. Unless that boy was her stepbrother.

  “I’m sure it’s fun to wrestle around with Leo,” Abby said. “But if he doesn’t want you to touch him, you have to leave him alone.”

  Understanding crossed over Brooke’s face, followed by more uncertainty. Maybe she didn’t know how Leo felt about her, or how she felt about him.

  Abby’s heart went out to her daughter. Abby couldn’t sort through these issues for Brooke or tell her what to do next. They’d already talked about her style of dress and her manner of presenting herself, both of which were provocative. But Abby had never scolded her about teasing boys or exploring her sexuality. If anything, she’d stressed the importance of safety.

  “Did you use condoms?” Abby asked, hopeful.

  “Yes, Mom.”

  “Every time.”

  “I know.”

  On impulse, Abby hugged her. “Is there anything else you want to talk about?”

  “I didn’t even want to talk about this.”

  “I’m always here for you.”

  Brooke sighed, as if Abby was there a little too much. It had been difficult for Abby to let Brooke go away to college. Not just because her only daughter was beautiful and naive and reckless. Brooke was the center of her universe. Abby knew she was overinvolved and clingy. She’d been the same way with Ray, perhaps.

  “Can we heat up some water for washing?” Abby asked.

  Brooke smiled at Abby’s compulsive cleanliness. She indulged Abby by bringing out a neat stack of toiletries and a collapsible plastic bowl. They spent the next twenty minutes soaping their faces, brushing their teeth and tidying their hair. Abby would have preferred a full shampoo but Brooke nixed the idea. Tomorrow, she promised.

  After they freshened up, Brooke put more water on to boil and made two single-serving packets of oatmeal for breakfast.

  “How did it go last night?” Brooke asked.

  “Fine.”

  “I think Leo’s dad likes you.”

  Abby blew on a spoonful of apple-cinnamon oatmeal to cool it. She should shut this conversation down and discourage Brooke from matchmaking. But feminine curiosity got the better of her and she asked, “Why?”

  “He checks you out when you’re not looking.”

  Abby took the first bite of oatmeal, her chest tight with pleasure.

  “He even does it when you are looking,” Brooke added. “Like yesterday morning, right after I said your favorite word was fuck.”

  “That wasn’t true, Brooke.”

  She laughed, unconcerned with minor details. “It got his attention.”

  Abby let herself fantasize about that for a brief moment. He’d seemed amused and intrigued by the claim, as if he couldn’t quite believe it. Abby assumed he’d heard women curse before. Did he have a thing for dirty talk? Her body tingled at the thought of telling him what she wanted him to do to her in graphic terms.

  After breakfast, Abby treated herself to the rose-tinted lip moisturizer Brooke had allowed her to bring. Brooke laid out the map and studied it. The sun had broached the horizon, its rays filtered by the thick forest and muted by cloud cover. Overcast skies indicated the temperature would be comfortable today.

  “So we survived the night,” Brooke said. “No one attacked us.”

  “Are you saying that we should forget we were robbed?”

  “Yes,” Brooke said brightly. “Let’s c
arry on and enjoy ourselves. If we push, we can get to the hot springs by early afternoon.”

  “Leo and Nathan are going to be tired from keeping watch,” Abby said. “They might not want to hike deeper into the forest.”

  “These are our options,” Brooke said, pointing out their location. “We can head back the way we came, on the trail where we met the thieves. We can go to Lupine Meadow, where we told the thieves we were going. Or we can hike up this mountain and leave them in the dust. After the hot springs, there’s an off-highway vehicle area and an old forest service road that leads into town. It’s a good alternate route.”

  “Where we’ll get run over by motorbikes.”

  “Bikers have cell phones.”

  Abby didn’t want to go back the way they came. Nor did she want to spend another night in the woods without a cell phone. None of the options suited her. “Where is that four-star resort Leo was talking about?”

  “Very funny,” Brooke said.

  Abby knew this trip was important to Brooke. Ray and Lydia had almost ruined it. Turning back after one night would disappoint her to no end. She might do something crazy like skydiving or rock climbing to cheer herself up.

  Their last family excursion to the Channel Islands had been a disaster, but lightning didn’t usually strike twice. Brooke and Abby had been through hell during the earthquake. What were the odds that they’d face another life-threatening circumstance out here in the middle of nowhere?

  As much as Abby preferred to avoid crises, she had to admit that they didn’t always end badly. Ella and Paul had fallen in love after getting stranded together. Now they were engaged. Abby frowned as she pictured her sister’s one-of-a-kind engagement ring.

  “What’s wrong?” Brooke asked.

  “Do you think Paul is right for Ella?”

  “Of course.”

  “Why?”

  “They’re adorable together. He’s smart and nice and superhot.”

  “So’s your father.”

  Sorrow darkened her blue eyes. “Dad is a lot of things, but nice isn’t one of them.”

  Before they got married, Abby had thought Ray was nice. A more apt descriptor would be suave. He had an engaging personality and knew how to put people at ease. His bedside manner was impeccable. Those qualities didn’t translate into kindness or empathy, however. He was only nice when it benefited him.

  “Paul is the faithful type,” Brooke said.

  “How can you tell?”

  She touched a finger to her lips, considering. “He looks at other women openly.”

  “That’s a good sign?”

  “Well, he doesn’t stand there with his tongue hanging out. Here’s an example. The three of us went to the beach together a few weeks ago. There were girls in bikinis all over the place. Paul admired some of the sights. When Ella caught him, he just smiled and squeezed her hand. She smiled back at him.”

  “What does that prove?”

  “That he’s a guy who likes half-naked women, but she’s not worried about it because he worships her. Now, if he was sneaky and creepy, or he put on his sunglasses to rubberneck every hot chick on the beach, that would be a red flag.”

  Ray was the sneaky type for sure. He was also a smooth liar. He denied looking at other women and often wore dark sunglasses. Abby wondered how many red flags she’d missed before Lydia came along.

  Abby reminded herself that Paul wasn’t Ray, and Ella wasn’t Abby. Her sister had been born in a loving home. Ella’s parents were still together. Children of solid marriages had a little less baggage to sort through when choosing a mate. They weren’t as slow to trust. They had better role models for healthy relationships.

  Abby studied Brooke’s pretty face, aware that her daughter would have to overcome the same obstacles Abby struggled with. This was not the legacy Abby wanted to leave Brooke, and she was angry with Ray for perpetuating the cycle. With a father like him, how was Brooke supposed to believe love was anything but transient?

  Abby didn’t even believe it.

  Brooke might not have internalized Ray’s betrayal the same way, but she’d focused on sports and books for a reason. Her description of the boys at Berkeley suggested that she kept an emotional distance.

  Though cautious, Brooke didn’t seem pessimistic about relationships. She tried to pair Abby up with eligible bachelors, like Nathan, and she wasn’t suspicious of Paul. Brooke took everything in stride. She was amazingly strong and resilient.

  “It’s too bad about Ray and Lydia,” Abby said.

  “You’re not happy they’re having trouble?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Dad is an idiot.”

  “Yes.”

  “She knew she was marrying a cheater, so I don’t feel sorry for her.”

  “I thought you liked her.”

  “I do like her,” Brooke said, her eyes narrow. “I’m not going to make that mistake again.”

  “What mistake?”

  “Getting attached.”

  Abby’s heart twisted inside her chest. She didn’t blame Brooke for being angry with her father and even Lydia. It was a messy situation, full of mixed feelings.

  Nathan emerged from the tent thirty minutes later. He murmured a greeting, chugged some coffee and ate two packages of oatmeal. When he’d revived enough for conversation, he arched a brow at Abby. His hair was still disheveled and his eyes were bloodshot. She had a powerful urge to ease his fatigue with snuggling.

  “Did you sleep at all?” she asked.

  He scratched the stubble on his jaw. “Do I look like hell?”

  “No,” Abby said.

  “Yes,” Brooke said.

  He laughed, taking no offense. “I got a few hours. What’s the plan for today?”

  Brooke gave Abby her pleading puppy-dog look.

  Abby couldn’t deny her. “It’s up to Nathan and Leo.”

  “Yes!” She jumped to her feet and pumped her fist in the air. “I’ll get Leo and we can gather for a family meeting.”

  Nathan groaned as she sprinted off toward the tent. “I can’t remember having that much energy at eighteen.”

  “I can’t remember being eighteen.”

  They exchanged a smile.

  “Don’t feel obligated to keep up with her,” Abby said. “I told her that you and Leo stayed up most of the night and wouldn’t want to hike all day.”

  “I can hike,” he said, rotating his shoulder. “How are you, though?”

  “I’m okay. Not too anxious.”

  “Good.”

  When she smiled again, his gaze lingered on her lips for a breath-stealing moment. Warmth bloomed in Abby’s cheeks. She didn’t feel like a teenager, but the butterflies in her stomach were oddly reminiscent of high school. The long glances and feverish thoughts brought her back to study hall. Nathan Strom’s penetrating stare excited her more than half the sex she’d had in the past decade.

  God. If they got together, it would be explosive.

  Brooke dragged Leo out of the tent and made everyone gather around to study the map. She traced the route to the hot springs with her fingertip and discussed returning to Monarch via the old forest service road.

  “The hot springs are totally awesome,” she said, selling her cause. “There are three pools of various temperatures. They formed tubs with rocks and concrete in the 1920s. And it’s right next to the river, so you can cool off.”

  “Will there be nudists?” Leo asked. “I can’t vote until I know if there are nudists.”

  Brooke elbowed him in the ribs. “You wouldn’t say that if you’d ever seen a nudist. Most of them are wrinkly and old.”

  “That’s not true. I’ve been to a nude beach in Brazil, and the girls—”

  Nathan gripped Leo’s s
houlder to shut him up. “Let’s save that observation for a more appropriate time.”

  “Okay,” Leo said. “I’m in.”

  “What do you say?” Brooke asked Nathan.

  Nathan deferred to Abby. She knew he wanted this extra time with his son. He needed it. Leo was nineteen and under no obligation to foster their relationship. Nathan might not get another opportunity to connect with him.

  What else could she say?

  “Let’s do it.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  BROOKE COULDN’T WAIT to get going.

  She helped Nathan break down the tents and pack up the gear. They filled individual containers with filtered water from the collapsible jug. She was about to dump out the washbowl when Leo approached with his toothbrush.

  Brooke walked away to give him the space her mother thought he wanted. The advice confused her, but so did Leo. He sent mixed signals, holding himself at a distance but following her with his eyes.

  She studied him from across the camp, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance. When a guy had a crush on a girl, he stayed close to her. He called and asked her out on dates. He kissed her and touched her as often as possible. At night, he didn’t turn away and let her spoon him. He spooned her.

  Based on these cues, Leo wasn’t interested in her as a girlfriend. Yeah, he got hard when they were wrestling, but boys his age probably had nonstop erections. The fact that he tried to keep his penis away from her, instead of putting it in her, told her everything she needed to know. He might be attracted to her on a physical level, but he wouldn’t act on it because their parents were married. It would be like having a one-night stand with a coworker and seeing them every day after. Her best friend had done that once. Awkward!

  Leo wasn’t going to sleep with her. Whatever. Brooke didn’t see why she shouldn’t play around with him. It was harmless. She wanted to be in his life no matter what they were to each other. Friends, stepsiblings, or more.

  Nathan joined Leo to brush his teeth and wash up. Brooke was glad they were concerned with basic hygiene. They didn’t have to smell great, but at least they could have fresh breath. While she watched, they tugged off their shirts and splashed their armpits. Brooke turned to look for her mom and found her gazing at Nathan’s chest.