to our shared chair. “She and Dad are terrified of heavily wooded areas. They watched too many camp-themed horror movies in the eighties. And they’ve lived in the city their entire lives. That many trees all together seems . . . unnatural to them or something.”
I snort. “Trees? They’re literally the most natural thing there is.”
She swallows her sip and laughs. “Right?” She shakes her head and sets down her beer on the table between our chairs. “But you know how they are. Once they get their minds set on something, there’s no changing it. So, my dream of spending summer at camp with my bestie went unfulfilled.” She freezes for a moment before turning back to me with a wide-eyed look.
That matches mine.
It’s instant, this awareness.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I ask, my brain already three steps ahead, nailing down how we make this happen.
“Number three on the list—the old dream coming true,” she says with a wistful sigh. “But we can’t. I’m too old to go to camp.”
“Screw that. You’re never too old to go to camp.” I lean over the wooden arm of the chair, digging into my beach bag for my cell.
Ruby laughs. “I’m pretty sure that’s not true. I don’t think a bunch of pre-teen girls would appreciate a woman in her twenties crashing their week-long slumber party. I don’t even know what boy bands or video games are cool these days. I’m totally out of touch.”
“We’re not going to camp with the kids; we’ll camp on the other side of the lake. There’s another camping area. Trust me, I know that place inside and out. My mom and Rachel are tight.” I scroll through my phone until I find Mom’s number and tap it, continuing to talk as I lift my cell to my ear. “Rachel has a few cabins on the other side for old folks like you and me. It’s not super fancy, but—”
I break off as Mom answers the phone. “Hey, Mom, I’m here with Ruby, and we’ve got a brilliant idea.”
“Oh, good! I love brilliant ideas. And Ruby. Tell her hello for me,” Mom says warmly before adding, “Dad says hi to you, by the way. He wants to go throw axes with you at that lumberjack bar before you leave. He’s been practicing and is positive he’ll beat you this time.”
I grin. “In his dreams. But that’s kind of what I’m calling about. Do you think Rachel would let Ruby and me camp out at her place? On the far side of the lake? I want to teach Ruby how to throw axes in the wild.”
Ruby snorts and whispers, “Yeah, right. Good way to lose a limb, my friend. My hand-eye coordination is even worse than my breaststroke.”
But she looks excited, nibbling on the edge of her thumb as Mom puts me on hold to hop on a call with Rachel.
I cover the receiver. “When can we leave?”
“She might not say yes,” Ruby says.
“She’s going to say yes. Rachel loves my family. She never says no to Mom. So?” I curl my fingers into her hip, loving that I can, that we have these moments, even for a little while. “When can I kidnap you? Tomorrow morning?”
“I can’t.” She bites her bottom lip but a grin breaks through. “I’ll need at least a few days to get ready. I have sketches due for the new menus, and card orders to place, and I’d have to pack, and—”
“She’s ready for you whenever,” Mom says brightly as she comes back on the line. “But let me know before you leave so she can text you a list. She needs a few things from the bulk store. You can swing by on your way out of town. I’ll give you my membership card.”
“Perfect. Thanks, Mom.” I squeeze Ruby’s thigh. “We’ll probably head out the day after tomorrow.”
“I said a couple of days,” Ruby hisses, but she’s laughing as she swats my chest. “At least two.”
“Yeah, I’m going to pack for Ruby while she works tomorrow,” I tell Mom—and Ruby. I’m raring to go. The thought of getting out of town with this woman has me all jazzed up, and I’m pretty sure I know why. A trip, just the two of us, feels like the next step. A dangerous step, but one I want to take with her. I want to know what it’s like to vacation with Ruby, to have her all to myself for a few days with no