reached into the back of the truck and pulled out their backpacks. He handed hers over while putting his on, then refilled their water bladders. “Let’s head out,” he finally said.
They moved down the road and into the woods, Steve checking his phone every few minutes, turning down one trail after another. There were some branches in the way that he easily eliminated, and the farther they got from the road, the more peaceful and beautiful it became. It wasn’t often Erin got to hear the birds so clearly and see squirrels playing in the trees. This was about as close to heaven as it got in her opinion. She could hike with him all day and night . . . and maybe even have a campout if the stars all aligned. She wasn’t sure her legs could handle it, but her mind and body certainly could.
There wasn’t much talking as they hit a pretty steep hill, trekking up for nearly thirty minutes. There went his words of not far to go. She’d have to advise him later on what was and wasn’t considered a short distance. Erin was working up a sweat and feeling an old familiar ache in her leg. There was no possible way she was going to tell him she was hurting. The day was too good, and she didn’t want it ruined by an injury she hadn’t felt in a long time. It must be the dang trek.
They broke through some trees, and Steve stopped. “We’re here,” he told her.
She let out a breath of relief as the ache in her leg grew worse. She took the pressure off it, trying to put all of her weight on the left side of her body. But there was a sheen of sweat breaking out on her forehead. Dang it!
The scene before her did take her mind off of the pain, even if temporarily. It was stunning. There was a small, secluded lake before them, with a lot of grass to the north and east. To the south there was a row of trees that made it feel as if they were in their own personal heaven.
“I can’t believe this place exists so close to Seattle,” Erin said as she tried taking all of it in.
“We’re a couple of hours from the city. It’s amazing all of the treasures that can be found if people just exit the freeways,” he told her.
Steve led them to a grassy knoll where the slope of the mountain flattened out. He set down his backpack and pulled out a blanket, then held out a hand, inviting Erin to sit with him. She gladly accepted, then whimpered as she went down.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It’s nothing. I must’ve stepped on something,” she said, hoping the pain in her leg would go away if she sat there long enough. She didn’t want this day ruined. And at the end of their time in paradise she still had to hike back out.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, for sure,” she told him.
He didn’t seem convinced, but she was glad when he didn’t push the issue. “I’ll be right back.”
He jumped up, then walked down to the water. He kicked a couple of large rocks out of the way, and then she watched him grab the end of a rope. He tugged on it, and up came a box from beneath the clear surface. He untied the rope, grabbed a handle on the box and walked back up to where she was waiting for him.
“What’s this?” she asked as he sat back down.
“You didn’t think this would be an ordinary date, did you? I’m a man of many talents, and I don’t like to do anything inside the box.” He looked down and began working on the clasps on the side of the container, holding it tightly shut.
“How did it get here? Or how did you know it was here?” she asked as he unclasped the box and began pulling things from it.
“When we planned our date last weekend, I gathered up picnic supplies, found this place, came out here and hid it,” he said.
She smiled in pure delight when he pulled out her favorite bottle of wine, two glasses, and several covered bowls with cheeses, meats, dressings, fruits and breads. He’d truly thought of everything for the most romantic date she’d ever experienced in her life.
“I can’t believe you did all of this for me,” she said. She was beaming at him with joy. She’d read