Meet Me at the Summit
Page 26
“Really?” Lori says, her voice hitting an octave I’d never heard before.
“Bad idea?” I ask, backpedaling already.
“No, I mean, yes, but no,” she says quickly. “In the bus?”
I nod, more confident this time. “Another road trip?”
“For how long?” Lori asks. “When?”
“I don’t know. I came up with the idea two seconds ago,” I say, starting to talk with my hands out of nervousness.
“If you’re going to Colorado, then tell the woman you just put on hold!” Lori says, pointing to the phone in my hand.
Turning mute off, I shift and pull the phone back to my face. “Hi, sorry about that. I can come pick up the check myself. It will just take me a little while to get there. Is it okay if I drop off more prints at the same time?”
“Of course! Feel free to stop by during our business hours, and I can get you the check. See you then,” Riley says, and a moment later, the phone beeps, telling me she’s hung up.
I sit in silent shock, my mouth gaping open as I turn to Lori, who, for once, is at a loss for words.
“Well, that was an impulse decision,” I say, throwing my phone on the couch.
“You’re going to Colorado?” Lori says. She starts to laugh on the last word, and I can’t help but join her.
“I get really nervous when I’m on the phone!” I say, as if that’s some excuse for the fact that I just promised to drive halfway across the country to sell more photos. It’s going to take a lot of prints to pay for the gas for this trip.
“Nervous enough to promise to drive to Colorado? No, uh, I don’t buy it. Dylan’s been on the brain, and you saw an excuse, and you took it!”
I sit on our old, second-hand couch and bury my face in my hands. “I can’t believe I just did that.”
The cushion shifts as Lori sits beside me, moving a pillow out of the way. “I like Dylan,” Lori says, leaning back, arms crossed against her chest. “I think he’s really good for you. And he obviously likes you. He came all the way here, even stuck around for a bit.”
“I’m not going just because of him,” I say, lifting my head.
Lori makes a face, knowing we’ve video chatted every day since he’s left.
“I say do it,” Lori says, shrugging her shoulders. I glance at her, and she laughs. “Marly, there’s nothing tying you here except a few extended family members and me. Your mom moved from Washington to New Hampshire to be with your dad.”
“She went to New Hampshire for college, not a boy,” I say.
“You’re going to Colorado to sell photos, not to be with a boy.” She shrugs. “The boy is a bonus, though. Plus, you don’t have a job yet, so if there was ever a time to do it, it’s now.”
I bite my lip, passing my phone from hand to hand. The screen wakes up, and the photo of Dylan and me at the summit of Mount Washington pops up on the lock screen. I open my phone and pull up my contacts.
“What are you doing?” Lori says, watching over my shoulder.
“Calling Dylan,” I say, tapping on his number.
Lori gets up from the couch, picking up the papers on the table. “He’s going to say yes,” she says, collecting everything we’d written out and making it into a neat pile.
I watch her, listening to the phone ring on the other end.
“Road Trip Snapshots,” I say. Lori lifts her head, confused. “My business name.”
Her eyes light up and we both know that’s it. She perks up, writing it down on a piece of paper, handing it to me.
“Hey, Marly.” Dylan picks up the phone.
I hold the paper, trying to imagine some sort of logo that we can put on the side of the bus. I can take more photos for the stock website on the way. Maybe figure out how I can advertise photo sessions to work with clients again. I could look into selling my own prints myself, not just through the café. There are so many options, more than I ever realized.
“I have a plan I think you might like,” I say.
He laughs on the other end. “What’s your plan involve?”
“Me, the bus, and a lot of driving,” I say, feeling sure of myself as the words come out.
“Where you off to?” he asks, but he already knows the answer.
The Road Trip Continues in Book 2
Coming Soon
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Feeling Inspired to Go on a Hike?
I hope this book helps inspire you to start exploring the outdoors; however, I’d like to remind everyone how important it is to practice responsible hiking. This means keeping your safety in mind and practicing Leave No Trace principles.
Before you go hiking, do proper research to know the terrain you will be covering and what the weather will be. Always bring your hiking essentials and know how to use them:
•Warm clothing
•Map
•Compass
•Fire starter
•Headlamp
•Water and food
•Knife
•First-aid kit
•Rain jacket
Learn more about hiking safety at HikeSafe.com
See some of the author’s hiking adventures by subscribing to her second YouTube channel.
Want to go on some of the hikes mentioned in this book? You can find all the trails listed below!
Chapter 6, Mount Rainer via Skyline Trail Loop
Chapter 9, Old Faithful and Morning Glory Hole
Chapter 10, Lamar Valley Trail
Chapter 11, Ouzel Lake Trail
Chapter 12, Lion Lake Trail
Chapter 13, Mount Elbert via Southeast Ridge Trail
Chapter 19, Mina Sauk Falls Trail
Chapter 21, Elephant Rocks State Park Loop
Chapter 23, Clingmans Dome Observation Tower Trail
Chapter 24, Myrtle Point and Mount LeConte via Alum Cave Trail
Chapter 29, Mount Washington via Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Crawford Path, Gulfside Trail, and Jewell Trail
About the Author
Mandi Lynn published her first novel when she was seventeen. The author of multiple books, Mandi spends her days continuing to write and creating YouTube videos to help other writers achieve their dreams of seeing their books published. Mandi is the owner of Stone Ridge Books, a company that works to help authors bring their books to life through cover design and digital book marketing. She is also the creator of The Book Launch Planner, a planner designed to help authors publish and market their books. When she’s not creating, you can find Mandi exploring her backyard or getting lost in the woods.
www.mandilynn.com
Follow Mandi on social media:
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Acknowledgements
After months of writing and re-writing this story, I have a few people to thank...
My dedicated team of beta readers: Teresa Beasley, J. L. Willow, Lacy Hess, Allyssa-desiré Brinker, Emma Woodham, Nicole Hiser, and Jessame Jase. It can be hard to find a group of beta readers, and you each had your own take on the story. Thank you for reading with such care and providing feedback to make the story better than ever.
My amazing team of editors, especially Fiona McLaren, Bethany Atazadeh and Christine LePorte. You took my manuscript from a mess of words, to a polished story.
Brittany Wang and Bethany Atazadeh, who I consider my co-workers through the sometimes lonely world of being self-employed. At times it feels like you were hal
f the reason this book was able to be published. Thank you for keeping me accountable every day and talking me out of episodes of panic when things didn’t go right.
My mom, who read this manuscript so many times and goes down in history as my biggest fan. Thank you for always rooting me on.
My husband, who sees me when I’m the most stressed. Thank you for understanding my bizarre, made-up deadlines I set for myself. And thank you for introducing me to hiking in the first place.
My readers, who continue to pick up my books and read them. Writing the book is the easy part. Sharing it is altogether terrifying, especially when the book feels like it’s become a part of you. I hope the story allows you to find the same spark of happiness it gave me when I was writing it. Thank you for continuing to support me and my books.