“Honestly, I had higher hopes for Kyle. He survived over a month camping with no provisions, and just look at him. I mean, I’m embarrassedforhim.”
“I don’t blame you,” Casey shook her head. “Jake I can understand. His idea of camping is a Motel 6 with spotty cable, but Kyle… no, just no excuse.”
We both snickered at our superiority. It had taken nine hours of driving to get to the campground, and if the guys didn’t get their act together soon, the sun was going to go down, making tent building a hell of a lot more difficult.
“Watch this,” Casey said, blocking her voice with her hand so only I could hear. “I love messing with him.” Then she called out, “Jake, I think you put that thingy into the other thingy.”
Jake reached down and picked up another pole, looking totally confused. “Can you be more specific? What thingy are you talking about?”
“That one. No not that thingy, Jake. Theotherthingy,” Casey said, then turned to me with a wicked smile on her face and said, “I can do this all day.”
“You’re terrible,” I giggled.
“Being an awesome woman just has so many advantages,” Casey teased.
And she was right. There really was no female I enjoyed hanging out with more than her. I loved the way she kept things light and fun. From what Kyle had related to me, she’d changed Jake for the better, and I could see how. For all the hardships he’d suffered in life, Casey was definitely his shiny, beautiful reward.
Once all the ‘thingys’ had found their proper places, we were the proud owners of two very shoddy looking tents. Then came the interior decorating phase of the operation. Jake and Casey went all in and decked out their tent like it was an episode ofPimp My Digs.Jake had bought two very comfy looking queen-size self-inflating air mattresses with triple layers of awesomeness. The damn things even had inflatable headboards attached. I was happily filling ours with air when Kyle pulled me aside.
“I want us to have the full experience,” he’d said. “We’re tough, Kenzie. Let’s just live off the land… like old times.”
Although my preference would have been to use the fancy schmancy mattresses bought by a multi-millionaire, no doubt of excellent quality, I also wanted to make Kyle happy, so I followed his lead. As the others lavishly decorated their home away from home, Kyle and I went the no frills route. It took us no time at all to adorn our tent with two sleeping bags, two pillows, and a pair of flashlights. Because our setup was so quick, we treated ourselves to a beer while we waited for Jake and Casey to finish embellishing their architectural masterpiece.
Kyle and I watched them go back and forth to the truck like it was some sporting event. A battery-powered light, heater, and fan as well as a side table, rug, sheets, pillows, and plush looking blankets.
“What the hell are they doing?” Kyle asked.
“I don’t know. Is all that stuff going to fit?” I whispered back.
“God, they’re such amateurs,” he said and we both laughed with the haughty air of undisputed supremacy.
When they finally joined us, the two looked exhausted by their efforts.
“You sure you got everything?” I teased. “I think you forgot the kitchen sink.”
“You laugh, but who’s going to be all snug tonight?” Casey asked, clinking her beer bottle against Jake’s.
“We are, baby,” he answered back.
* * *
After dinner, Jake and Kyle brought out their guitars, and we sat around the fire chatting and listening to them play. I’d been awestruck the first time I heard Kyle on the guitar. Although he’d told me that he sucked, it became perfectly clear that he’d grossly underestimated his talent. Not only was he incredibly skilled at the guitar but Kyle also had a beautiful voice. He was reluctant to share it with me at first, but once he understood how much I loved hearing him sing, he let his guard down.
Casey and I finagled ourselves a little mini concert, throwing out requests of songs we wanted to hear. I was impressed to discover Jake knew the words to just about every song we pitched to him. Of course, Casey couldn’t help but mess with Jake and conspired with me to request the saddest songs possible for him to sing. After playingCat’s in the Cradle,Tears in Heaven, andWithout You, he finally caught on to our little game and refused to play any more of our choices.
It was after ten o’clock and the guys were still quietly strumming their guitars when the light beam of a flashlight made its way into camp.
“Folks, just reminding you it’s quiet hour now,” the ranger said.
“Okay, thanks, man. We’ll be quiet,” Jake replied.
“You all sound pretty good. I play a little guitar myself.”
“Oh, yeah? That’s cool?”
The ranger puffed out his chest and boasted, “I’m actually quite good. Play in a popular band and everything.”
“Is that right?” Jake sat up straighter, his interest piqued. “What kind of music?”
