“Dude, you’d better get your tent set up. We’re all done, and it’s hard to hammer shit into the ground when the sun fully sets,” Jasper says, and then offers me a hand up from the boulder I’ve been using for a seat.
“Yeah, probably . . . I’ll just . . .” I turn to face the spot where I left the gear. Jake has made his way back with his shoe and is standing right over it.
“You’re sleeping in that piece of shit?” He points at the bound tent, and chortles.
“Tent’s a tent, right?”Fuck if I know, but I sure hope it is.
Jake snickers and utters, “Good luck with that.”
“Come on. I’ll help,” Renleigh offers.
I unfurl the slick fabric wrapped around a set of folded poles, and a few metal stakes clank together as they fall to the ground.
Fucking Roddy. Man has major league money, and this is the piece of shit tent he sends me out into the woods with.
Renleigh studies the various pieces before us, her hands tucked into the back pocket of her overalls. “Well, let’s get started.”
Her shoes are drying by the fire, and I’d give anything to have a pair of those fuzzy boots she’s wearing right now. My feet have yet to recover from the cold water, and the hems of my jeans are never going to dry.
Renleigh picks up one corner of the tent so I take the opposite side, and between the two of us, we manage to poke poles into the right seams and produce a semi-stable structure. A triangle tent. Perfect for one.
“Please say you have two of these.” She blows up at the flyaway hairs that have slipped from under the brim of her hat.
“I don’t even have this one. It’s Roddy’s,” I confess.
Her gaze sticks to mine for a few long, quiet seconds. Everyone else has drifted off into their own thing, the couples in their comfortable, double-wide tents, the single guys either crashing out under the stars or chugging more beers with Adler near the log. And then there’s me and Renleigh, and a situation that seemed way sexier in my head but is starting to look more like I’ll be sleeping in my truck.
“Yeah, so I’ll just . . .”
I thumb over my shoulder, toward my pickup, and Renleigh laughs out, “Yeah, you will.”
She unfurls the sleeping bag next, holding it up to her body and glaring at me as if to say,Duh, you idiot. It’s meant for one.
“Like I said, I’ll just . . .” I tilt my head toward the truck this time.
Renleigh nods.
“Uh, yeah,” she breathes out. She scoots me in that direction with a hand in the air, and I follow orders, opening the king cab door and investigating the back seat for comfort. At least I’ll be warm . . .ish.
Renleigh has already slid the sleeping bag into the tent. The backpack she brought is in the passenger seat, so I snag it and carry it to her as she’s fastening the closure on the tent.
“You probably want this stuff,” I say, holding her bag out and making my best sad puppy face.
“Thanks. I brought sweats for the night. I don’t suppose you did?” She lifts a brow and chuckles. “You really are bad at this.”
I wince and hold my palms out, holding out hope for a last-second invitation to join her inside.
“Well, good night, then. Your truck should be warm enough. And at least you won’t have to worry about the bears.” She starts to snap the opening shut again, but I hook a finger in and catch her gaze.
“You’re joking about bears, right?”
She maintains her serious expression for several long seconds, but her lips finally pucker into a tight smirk.
“Yes, Hunter. I’m kidding about the bears. Not that I would count on you to know what to do with them.” Her eyes roll back as she presses the final snap in place and shuts me out of the tiny tent for one for good.
Chapter 10
Renleigh
