One Night Only (Season 1: Deni's Story)

Chapter Fifteen

The sky is still bright with evening sunlight when we head next door to the Gray's camp. Sunset would already be well underway at eight o'clock back home in L.A., but it must stay light for longer up here in the summer. Even so, Mom brings a flashlight with us for the trek home later, since streetlights don't exist on the lake road.

The scent of burning wood carries on the air as we make our way down a packed-dirt driveway. Wisps of smoke are visible behind the camp, which, from its log-paneled exterior, more closely resembles what I envisioned a house on a lake would be than where I'm living for the summer. I notice the front side is mostly windows as we continue past it, toward the lake.

A few people are already seated on folding lawn chairs near the fire pit, chatting with each other and laughing. I recognize Hunter's sister from this morning, but I don't see Hunter. His sister sits beside another girl with pastel-blue hair who appears to be her age, and neither of them notices Mom or me as we approach. The adults spot us, though, and one man waves at us.

"Howdy!" the man calls out. He has the same eyes and smile as Hunter, so I assume it's his dad or maybe one of his relatives. "You must be here for the bonfire."

"Hunter invited us over," Mom confirms. "I'm Lia, and this is my daughter, Deni. We're staying next door."

"Ah, yes. The Wilson's camp, right?" Mom nods. The man stands up and walks over to us. "I'm Rob, Hunter's dad." He extends his hand to Mom.

"It's nice to meet you." Mom shakes his hand. "Thank you for having us and for sharing that amazing blueberry pie."

"I can't take credit for the pie—that's all my wife's doing." He motions to a woman who is sitting with a few others at the fire pit. "Mel, come meet our neighbors."

An athletic-looking, auburn-haired woman in a hoodie and jeans gets up from a chair and joins us. She introduces herself as Melanie and quickly strikes up a conversation with Mom, who gives her and Rob a bottle of wine she must have picked up at the store this morning while I was at the hotel.

I tune out of the conversation and take a peek at my surroundings. Hunter's sister and the girl beside her are huddled together and whispering about something I can't make out, while the adults sitting by the fire are engaged in a loud conversation about a referee's call during a hockey game. I don't watch hockey that much, but thanks to having a hometown NHL team, I'm aware the Stanley Cup finals recently wrapped up.

Alfie tugs at his leash, probably bored with having to stay in one place for so long when he's outside and there are things to explore. I let him lead me toward the lake, away from Mom, Melanie, and Rob. The water's surface is calm, and a loon's tremolo calls in the distance. I spot a dock made of wooden planks at the edge of the beach and decide to walk over to it with Alfie.

"Are you always this antisocial?" I startle at the sound of Hunter's voice, then hear him laugh. "Scared you, didn't I?"

"I didn't hear you coming," I admit. I turn around to face him. Like me, he's also exchanged this morning's shorts and T-shirt for a hoodie and jeans, and he's added a baseball cap. It was warm outside earlier, but the evening air is quickly cooling off.

"Don't you want to be up by the fire to roast marshmallows and hot dogs, or are you plotting your escape back to civilization?" He squints his eyes and appears deep in thought, as if trying to assess what I have planned.

"Do I look like I want to escape?" I ask. "Because I don't at all. I'd actually love to go set some marshmallows on fire."

"Ah. You're one of those people who char marshmallows." He crinkles his nose, feigning a look of disgust.