“We do girls’ nights. Dinner and drinks. It’s not nearly as often as I would like, despite me preferring to be at home. But she’s busy. I’m busy. We just have separate lives that are headingin different directions. But it doesn’t stop us from speaking daily. I don’t think that will ever stop.”
Ethan knew what that was like. Most of his friends had left the area as soon as they could. The small-town life wasn’t easy sometimes, and when anyone wanted to meet someone new, it was a challenge. Most ended up with tourists who they would end up following somewhere else. But Ethan remained. His heart was here, and he knew that someday he would meet a woman who would feel the same about Wintervale.
“It looks like our food is about ready.” He pulled his stick back and inspected it. It was definitely done. She took both of their sticks and held them while he pulled out buns and helped get them off the sticks. Then she put them aside and took her plate from him.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked on your hot dog, but I have a variety of stuff in the cooler,” he said.
“Just ketchup for me,” she said.
“Seriously?” It was like she was cut from the same cloth.
“Yes. Is there something wrong with that?” She took the bottle he handed her and squeezed a large amount of ketchup along the frank before handing it back to him.
“That’s all I like too.”
“It’s perfect. I don’t need a bunch of random flavors. I like the taste of the hot dog.”
“Same. People don’t seem to understand that.” Then he tilted his head. “Mainly Miles, since he’s a chef. He likes his fancy stuff.”
She giggled.
Once they finished up their dinner and put everything away, Ethan pulled out marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate.
“A camping trip isn’t complete without s’mores.”
Her eyes lit up. “Yes! I was hoping to try this.”
He stopped short. “Trythis?”
“Yeah.”
“What do you mean, try it? Have you never had one?”
She shrugged. “I mean, I guess I kind of have if you count microwaving them. But I’ve never roasted a marshmallow over the fire.”
He sat back down in his seat and picked up the sticks, sliding a marshmallow on each. “Well, you’re in for a treat. These are the best part of camping.”
“Oh, the best, huh?”
“Yep. Just try not to burn it. They go up in flames fast, but on the plus side, the inside gets gooey, which is amazing. Some people like the char of the marshmallow, but I prefer mine lightly toasted.”
“I see. Well, show me your ways, kind sir.”
Ethan held his marshmallow over the fire on the stick, slowly turning it. “It’s like a rotisserie chicken. It’ll brown faster closer to the coals, but then it might go up in flames. You just need to be careful.”
He moved his toward the coals and pulled back whenever he saw it beginning to smoke. Lily imitated him, rotating it and browning the outside.
“I’m really excited about this,” she said, sounding like a schoolgirl about to meet her favorite boy band.
Ethan chuckled, but before he could say something, she squealed. Her marshmallow was engulfed in flames, and she dangerously waved the stick around, trying to put it out.
“Blow on it,” he said, trying to use his most soothing tone, but she couldn’t hear him over her screeching. “Lily!”
As if in slow motion, the marshmallow flung off the stick and straight toward Ethan. He couldn’t move in time as it slapped him across the cheek. His eyes widened as heat seared his face.
“Oh my God!” Lily shouted.
He dropped his stick and grabbed the bottom of his sweatshirt, attempting to rub the marshmallow off, knowing full well it would leave a mark. Then his face was doused with water.
