[2015] Just the Essentials

by Shari L. Tapscott

  No Jack.

  With nothing else to do here, I drive back to the cabin.

  I should be doing something fun today. It’s my twenty-first birthday. It seems wrong to spend the rest of the afternoon working away at my computer.

  When I get back, I flip through a stack of rejection letters on the counter.

  There’s one “Not what we’re looking for at this time,” a “Recently published something similar,” and one very concise “No, but thanks.”

  I sigh and shove the letters in the wastebasket. I know some people hold on to them, but I’m not that kind of girl. Besides, why save them when there’s a constant flow coming in? It’s not like they’re a limited commodity.

  Just as I think it might be more satisfying to use them for tinder, there’s a knock at the door. The handle turns, but for once, I locked it. I peek out the window and find Jack’s truck sitting in front of the cabin.

  I throw open the door. “What are you doing here?”

  Jack grins. “You remembered to lock the door.”

  Leaning against the frame, I say, “Yes, well, I learned my lesson on Friday. You never know who you may come home to.”

  He laughs, and I can’t help but smile. There’s something about Jack that just makes me happy.

  With a cryptic look on his face, he glances at my outfit—which is a pair of shorts, a summery top, and bare feet.

  “I have a surprise for you,” he says. “But you need to change into something you don’t mind getting dirty.”

  I raise an eyebrow just to tease him.

  His mouth quirks in the way I like so much. “Something you don’t mind getting muddy.”

  “Are we fishing?”

  He shakes his head. “Something better than fishing.”

  I bat my eyelashes. “Why, Jack, what could possibly be better than fishing?”

  Smiling, he nudges me away to go change.

  Thirty minutes later, we meet up with his family.

  It turns out four-wheeling is what’s better than fishing. Everyone in Jack’s family has their own ATV, and they’re waiting for us when we pull up.

  “Kinsley!” Shannon looks up, excited. “You came!”

  Nervous, I only nod.

  “You’ll have fun,” Agnes promises from beside her sister. She flashes a smirk that is similar to her brother’s—but possibly more wicked. “You get to ride with Jack. Happy birthday.”

  My cheeks grow warm, and I purposely turn away from their brother so he won’t see how their words have affected me.

  Allen explains we’re doing one of the easier trails. There are no cliffs, no huge boulders to climb. Completely safe.

  Trying not to think of how close we are, I slip behind Jack.

  As I’m looking for somewhere to hold on, Jack says in a low voice, “Just wrap your arms around my waist.”

  I choke back a nervous giggle, slide my hands around him, and soon we’re on our way.

  It takes a little getting used to the feel of the four-wheeler, but it’s more fun than I expected. The wind whips around us as we pick up speed.

  About fifteen minutes out, we reach a long, straight stretch. With no warning, Shannon races from behind, passing us and kicking a great cloud of dust in her wake. Even through her helmet, I can tell she’s laughing.

  We end up riding the rest of the day, only stopping for a picnic lunch. By the time Jack drives me home, it’s past dusk.

  He ambles inside and picks the brochure off the counter. “Thinking of taking a trail ride?”

  Amused, he looks at me expectantly.

  “Not exactly.” I point to the circled area. “It’s a birthday present.”

  His eyebrows shoot up. “For you?”

  “Apparently I wanted to go when I was young. I vaguely remember. I’m not sure it’s such a hot idea now.”

  Jack sets the brochure back. “When do you leave?”

  Mom wrote the dates on the back, and I flip it over. “July 8th.”

  “That’s only a few days.”

  Instead of replying, I chew my lip as I stare at the smiling couple on the front.

  “It won’t be so bad,” he says. “Did they get you a tent?”

  I look up from the brochure. “No.”

  “Do you have one?”

  That uneasy feeling settles in my stomach again. “No.”

  Jack thinks about it for a moment. “All right, here’s what we’ll do. I have to catch up on some work tomorrow, but I’ll take off the next day, and we’ll go shopping for everything you need.”

  I think of my campfire espresso maker and waterproof notebooks, both of which I have yet to use. “Maybe just a few essentials?”

  A ghost of a smile lights his face. “That’s right.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Just try it,” I coax Jack.

  With a small smile on his face, he shakes his head at the coffee shop menu. “No, I’m good.”

  “Then get something cold,” I say. “Your sisters don’t make those.”

  Taking matters into my own hands, I turn to the barista and order him a coffee that’s practically frozen tiramisu in a cup.

  After the girl prepares our drinks, I watch him expectantly as he takes a tentative sip. “Well?”

  Jack wrinkles his nose as he stirs the whipped cream into the iced drink. “It’s all right.”

  He takes another sip.

  I set a hand on my hips. “Whatever. You’re a brat.”

  He downs his coffee faster than I do. “Did you call me a brat?”

  “Well, it fits.”

  He bumps into me with his shoulder, and I laugh. We walk through the mall, which is crowded with high school students trying to get in a little more time with their friends before they start school.

  We’re greeted as we enter the outdoor goods store. This one isn’t nearly as large as ours in Denver, but it has the same general feel.

  “First, we’re going to look for a tent,” Jack informs me.

  He seems to know where he’s going, so I follow him. I pause by a rack of sweatshirts. They’re almost cute—in that outdoorsy way. Definitely not my thing. I tuck a purple one under my arm and catch up to Jack.

  All of the tents look the same, but they don’t have the same price tags. Before we left, I called Dad to tell him I needed a few things. He said it was fine, but maybe he didn’t know it was this expensive.

  “You don’t need an inflatable pillow.” Jack takes the pouch from my hands and sets it back. “Just roll a small blanket under your head. It will save your forty-five dollars.”

  I shrug in reply. He chooses a tent for me, and then he browses sleeping bags. I run my hand over them. They’re slippery like nylon and, even in the store, they feel cold. My first thought is that the fabric is cheap, but the price makes me think otherwise.

  “Don’t they have something…I don’t know, cozier?”

  Jack gives me a sideways look. “These are rated for lower temperatures. This is what you’ll want.”

  He adds an ugly Kelly green one to the tent, which is blue. They don’t even match.

  As Jack looks at freeze-dried meals, I stumble on a whole display of water bottles. Now these are cute. They’re available in every color imaginable.

  “Look at this.” I turn toward him with an insulated bottle I know he’ll approve of.

  He wears a know-it-all smile that rivals Ginger’s. “Where are you going to get ice when you’re on the trail?”

  I frown at the bottle and set it back. “If I really need a sleeping bag rated to twenty degrees, I’ll probably collect it from the ground.”

  He chuckles and wraps his arm around my waist. We only stay like that for a second before he sets me free, but my heart nearly seizes from the contact. As if he doesn’t notice the sparks flying, he starts loading up the cart with freeze-dried meals.

  “No,” I say, finally putting my foot down. “I do not need those. The brochure says they’re supposed to cook for us.”

&nbs
p; Jack raises an eyebrow. “What if there’s an emergency?”

  “What, like the trail cook accidentally rides off a cliff?”

  He squares his shoulders to me and holds up a pack of questionable noodles and possibly meat.

  Oh, help me.

  “You’re taking off for a week in the wilderness. This—” Jack glances at the pack in his hand and continues, “Chili Mac n’ Cheese could save your life.”

  I grab the bag from him. “What does it mean when it says, ‘Now made with real beef!’?” I shake it in front of him. “Does that mean it was made with fake beef at some point?”

  “If you’re starving, this will be the best thing you’ve ever eaten.” He tosses the pack in the cart with about five others.

  Defeated, I snatch one from the display and set it on top of the rest.

  Raising an eyebrow, he picks up the pack. “Apple crumble?”

  I shrug. “Why not?”

  Jack adds a tiny camp stove—so I can heat water for those awful meals, he says—and a small set of eating utensils. Then he stops in front of a display of water filters.

  He takes a small box from the display. “You never know when you’ll run out of water.”

  I scan the box and read, “Filters up to one-hundred-thousand gallons.” I raise my eyebrow. “That’s actually impressive. Still, I don’t know how I feel about drinking stream water.”

  This time, Jack rolls his eyes and adds the filter to the rest of our loot. Honestly, it’s as bad as shopping with my sisters.

  One first aid kit, survival pack, and half a dozen odds and ends later, we’re finally finished.

  We’re just paying for the items when someone behind us says, “Jack?”

  We both turn. The girl is maybe a few years older than I am, probably the same age as Jack. She’s taller than me, and her hair is darker than mine. The long and silky curls fall down her back in soft, unattainable waves.

  She’s athletic and toned, and from her golden skin, I can tell she’s not afraid of the sun.

  “Nicole,” Jack says, surprised.

  The girl’s eyes flick to me, doing a quick once-over. I shift, uncomfortable under her gaze.

  She turns her eyes back to Jack. “Did you move here?”

  Jack shakes his head. “No, I’m just down for the afternoon with Kinsley.” He motions to me. “She’s going on one of your parents’ week trips tomorrow.”

  Again, she studies me. We exchange hellos, but her attention immediately goes back to Jack. I’m not sure who this girl is, but she and Jack have some sort of history together. A little wisp of jealousy twines through me, but I try to ignore it.

  “Peter’s supposed to go back to help out,” Nicole says. “He’s actually here now. We should all do lunch.”

  Jack glances at me, unsure. I want to tell him a vehement no, but I only smile and assure him it’s fine if he wants to.

  “All right.” He nods slowly. “Sure.”

  Jack and Nicole make plans to meet in an hour at one of the chain restaurants outside the mall. We arrive a few minutes early, but she and her brother Peter are already waiting. The waitress leads us to their booth. They’re sitting opposite each other, which forces Jack to either sit with Nicole or Peter.

  He hesitates, so I slide in next to Nicole’s brother, pretending it makes no difference to me.

  Peter hands me a menu. “Kinsley, right?”

  He has an easy smile and friendly eyes. Judging from his height in the booth, he’s likely taller than Jack but easily just as muscular. Though he might not be quite as handsome as my handyman, he’s not bad.

  Peter runs a hand through his sandy hair and introduces himself. “Nicole says you’ll be on the trail tomorrow?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Have you done the ride before?”

  I shake my head. “No, this will be my first time.”

  He smiles, showing off cute dimples. “I was pretty sure I would remember you.”

  Jack clears his throat from across from me, looking none too pleased. I smile back at him. It’s not like I chose the seating arrangement. If he has a problem with it, he should take it up with Nicole.

  Nicole pivots toward Jack. “How long are you in town?”

  “Just for the day,” he answers. “We’ll be heading back to Silverton as soon as we finish lunch.”

  “That’s too bad. You’ll have to stay a little longer next time.”

  Jack nods as if he doesn’t know how to answer.

  Peter pulls my attention back. “So what brings you to Junction?”

  Reluctant, I tear my eyes from Jack and Nicole. “Jack helped me pick out camping supplies. I didn’t know what I’d need.”

  “Knowing Jack, he probably has you set for a month lost in the woods.”

  I peek at Jack. His smile looks a little more irritated than amused. “Got to be prepared, Peter.”

  Peter laughs. “I’m sure. Luckily for Kinsley, she has me leading her, not you. Remember that time we decided to go on a camp out in eleventh grade?” He shifts to me. “Jack just knew where this lake was—he swore the fishing was awesome. We wandered around, lost our truck, and ended up spending the night without our gear.”

  I raise an eyebrow at Jack and nudge his leg with my foot. “I bet you rubbed two sticks together and made a fire.”

  His lips quirk to the side. “I had a flint on me.”

  “It rained that night,” Peter adds.

  Jack cracks a smile. “You needed a shower.”

  Peter shakes his head, laughing, and looks down at his menu.

  Nicole, feeling left out, scoots closer to Jack. “Are you still working for your parents?”

  “Not much. Mostly, I do home repairs,” Jack says modestly.

  She smiles, tilting her head. “You were always very good with your hands.”

  I look at my menu, pretending I didn’t just hear that. Jack clears his throat, uncomfortable.

  Nicole makes comments like that through the entire lunch, never losing a chance to touch him or share an inside joke. I concentrate on my food and let Peter distract me.

  “We’ll pitch your tent right next to mine.” Peter sneaks me a good-natured smile that’s just on the edge of flirtatious. “I’ll watch out for you.”

  “Actually.” Jack sets his napkin aside. “I was thinking she’ll pitch her tent next to mine.”

  I meet his eyes, surprised. “You’re going?”

  Nicole doesn’t try to hide her irritation, and her eyes go to Peter as if she’s hoping her brother will intervene on her behalf. “It’s all booked up, isn’t it?”

  Peter looks uncomfortable, and he doesn’t quite meet his sister’s eyes. “Well, there are a few spaces left.”

  She glares at Peter and then looks at Jack. “Surely you can’t miss work for an entire week.”

  I was thinking the same thing, but I certainly wasn’t going to bring it up. A week with Jack? I’ll take it. Even if it comes with eating freeze-dried meals and sleeping in a nylon bag.

  “I’ll manage.”

  He’s nonchalant about it—like it’s no problem to shift some things around.

  “Well, if you’re going, I don’t see why I can’t help out this time as well,” Nicole says. For the briefest moment, her eyes flick to me. “Classes don’t start for another month.”

  “That’s a great idea, Nicky.” Peter’s eyes crinkle as he smiles. “You haven’t gone in ages.”

  She smiles at Jack. “It’s decided then. Won’t this be fun?”

  I try not to frown into my iced tea. There is absolutely nothing that can make this trip worse than Nicole joining us.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Kinsley!” Amber clutches her new white cowboy hat as she jogs over to me. Her massive turquoise necklace beats against her chest, but she doesn’t seem to notice. “You’re on this little camping trip too?”

  That’s it. I’m jumping ship—or in this case, I suppose it would be horse. I hope my parents can get a
refund because I am not spending the next week with not only Nicole, but Amber and Hudson as well.

  I refuse.

  Before I can escape, Amber links her arm through mine and pulls me into the stable where they’re saddling the horses.

  “They want to show you how to do it the first time, but after that, it’s up to us.” She stops in front of a man who’s explaining the bridle to Hudson. “I don’t think I’ll ever remember everything, but it’s still fun.”

  Hudson notices me and cringes. Apparently he’s not any happier to see me than I am him.

  I give Amber a sideways glance. Would it be too rude to pull my arm away? Little Miss Southern Sunshine has wandered way too far into my bubble for my liking. Pretending I want to check out the other horses, I step back.

  “Are you…” The man talking to Hudson looks at a clipboard hanging from a post. “Kinsley?”

  Feeling even less sure about this excursion than I did this morning, I nod.

  “I thought so,” he says. “You’re the only single we have on the trail this time.”

  I want to bury my head in the straw—or argue with him. Jack’s with me, isn’t he? I suppose Nicole wouldn’t agree. Judging from how much this man resembles Peter, I would say this is their dad.

  “I’m Henry,” he says, shaking my hand. “I’ll be your guide.”

  “Is this my horse?” I point to the big black one waiting to be saddled next to Amber and Hudson’s horses.

  Henry shakes his head. “This guy is Titan. He’s my daughter’s.”

  He points to an odd looking horse over in the corner stall. Her very large ears twitch, and she looks up like she knows she’s being addressed.

  “That’s Petunia,” Henry continues. “She’ll be yours for the next week.”

  Nicole’s horse is named Titan, and mine is named after a flower. I step closer to take a better look, and the animal stares back at me as if I’m boring her.

  She’s huge, oddly spotted, and has the largest ears I’ve ever seen.

  “What kind of horse is she?” I frown as Petunia’s ears twitch. “She’s…different.”