He raised both hands in surrender.“This wasn’t my plan.I could be at home right now, curled up with a hot beverage.”
“Oh,” she trailed the word out thoughtfully.“Maybe there will be hot cocoa tonight with marshmallows.And s’mores.”She snatched up her old forest green hoodie.“Let’s go, there are snacks in my future.Oh, maybe supper too.I could eat a bear.”
For half a second, she could have sworn his eyes widened when she said bear, but he blinked, and the fleeting expression vanished.
Four hours later, after a short walk, a dinner of barbecued ribs, baked potatoes, and a singalong beside a campfire, they made their way through the increasing dusk toward their tent.
“I’m stuffed,” Eric said.“I don’t think I could eat another bite.”
“Really?You only had one s’more.Don’t you know that s’more is always plural?You must eat s’more of them.One is never enough.”
“As much as I love sweets, they’re s’more than I can take.One is s’more than sufficient.I’m ready to curl up for a rest.”
“I have to double back to the washroom building.I need to brush my teeth.”
“Good plan.”He paused.“I wonder if I have a toothbrush.”
“What?”she whirled to face him.“How could you forget a toothbrush?”
As they passed under a dim light, his cheeks looked pink.
“Wait, you didn’t pack your own bag, did you?Who packed for you?”
“I’m assuming my mother.She and my father showed up at my office, handed me the bag, and kicked me out.”
“Aw.Poor little Eric had to have his mommy pack his bag to go camping.”She crowed, dancing around him.
“May I remind you,” he said haughtily, “I am your boss.I can fire you at any time.”
“That’s twice you’ve threatened me.Is this going to be a thing?Do I have to watch my every word with you?You might as well tell me now, so I can say everything up front, before I get canned.”She was only half joking.
To her surprise, he laughed.“No, Wanda, you don’t have to watch your words with me.I’m man enough to take a shot or two.Do be warned, I’m not above taking a shot of my own.”
She stuck out her hand.“Fair enough.Deal?”
“Deal.”
They shook, and she pointedly ignored the tingling in her hand and said, “Excellent.Now I don’t have to feel like I’m walking on eggshells, wondering when I’m going to slip up and stick a foot in my mouth.”
He stared at her for a very long time–sixteen seconds by her count.Finally, after a flash of a frown, he gravely said, “Wanda, you never have to worry about that.I’m not that kind of man.”
He frowned again and unzipped the tent.“In you go.I’m bushed and ready to turn in.”
Afteraquicktripto brush their teeth and clean up, they were snuggled into their surprisingly comfortable beds.Sleep was a long time coming for Eric.He lay still, staring up at the roof of the tent, trying to keep his attention from the woman beyond the nylon dividing barrier.Outside, frogs sang, an owl hooted, and off in the distance, coyotes yipped and howled.Idly, he wondered if the nearly full moon made them more active.
The day ran through his head.Despite an inauspicious start, he’d really enjoyed himself.Wanda was pleasant company, and she’d made him laugh more than he’d laughed in ages.He hadn’t anticipated enjoying this team building, but it was turning out okay.
Slowly, the peaceful sounds of the rural night soothed away his tension and worry about the office, and sleep overcame him.His last conscious thought was that he couldn’t wait to see how Wanda made him laugh in the morning.
An icy hand pressing on his mouth jerked him out of a deep, dreamless sleep.
“Wha-” he mumbled through the hand.
“Sh,” Wanda hissed.“There’s something out there.”
“What?”he whispered back at her.
“There’s something, an animal, out there.What if it’s a bear?”Her whispered voice trembled.
