* * *
THE SITE OF the FWM all-grove campout was about fifteen miles outside town. It was a public camping area that the groves had taken over for the weekend. Not only were there lots of trees, permanent restrooms and big fire pits for group bonfires, but the campsites themselves were separated into two levels. The lower level, by the stream, and the upper level, closer to the parking lot. The latter provided parents who wanted to stay close but not get in the way of the experience a place to hover out of sight. If one of the girls needed a parental hug in the middle of the night, Mom and Dad were there to provide it.
Angel had parked in the designated “Grove Keeper” section of the parking lot. His SUV was filled with all kinds of gear—most of which was new. He was the kind of guy who loaded up a backpack and took to the mountains. But this was different. He wanted his girls to enjoy everything about the experience. Which meant roughing it had to be done in a gentle way.
He loaded up with as much as he could carry and headed down the steep trail to the lower campsite. A couple of other Grove Keepers were already there.
Large trees provided shade and cover. The east side of the site was up against the mountains. The stream cut through on the west side, then flowed along the edge of the grounds. With the warmer days, the snowpack was melting and the water moved at a fair clip. But it was shallow—eight inches or so. From what he could tell, the area wasn’t prone to flooding.
He found the Acorn section and put down his pack and a couple of boxes. There were two picnic tables and a marked, paved path led to the restrooms. The area for the tents was big enough for them to be pitched in a circle, with the entrances facing each other.
Angel had brought along a mallet to help secure the stakes, and a rake to clear the site before they pitched the tents. Although there were eight Acorns, they would be sleeping two to a tent. Including his tent and one for Taryn, that was a total of six. The space was plenty big.
For a second, he thought about sharing a tent with Taryn. They could zip their sleeping bags together—something he would enjoy. He gave himself a minute to think of her naked, her long legs tangling with his, then shook off the image. He had a feeling somewhere in the Grove Keeper Handbook was a rule forbidding unmarried Grove Keepers to have members of the opposite sex in their tents.
He took the fresh food he’d brought over to the communal kitchen area. A small generator powered a portable refrigerator. The woman there picked up her clipboard when she saw him.
“You’re with the Acorns?” she asked.
“That’s me.” He handed over the eggs and sausage he’d brought. The fresh fruit would keep in their site.
He made two more trips and brought down the rest of his gear. As he was locking up his SUV, Taryn pulled in next to him. When she stepped out of her car he saw she’d dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. She had her hair pulled back in a braid and even wore sensible hiking boots.
“Don’t look so surprised,” she said, slapping his arm. “I know how to dress for the occasion.”
He peered at her. “You’re not wearing any makeup.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I know. Sunscreen only. I didn’t think I could take it off tonight and reapply that easily so I’m going natural. Don’t get used to it. Next time you see me, I’ll be back in heels and mascara.”
“If only that was all you were wearing,” he murmured.
Her mouth curved up in a slow smile. “We might be able to negotiate that.”
Which was one of the things he liked about her, he thought as she opened her trunk. She came to their relationship as his equal. She was willing to take him on and win. She was smart, sexy and unexpectedly charming. Just when he’d thought things couldn’t get better, she’d taken care of him when he was haunted by missing his kid. She was a hell of a woman. Different from Marie, but amazing in her own way.
She hauled a huge backpack out of her trunk and slung it over her shoulders. Angel started to take it from her, but she shook her head.
“This is the stupid thing I have to wear when we go out with Cole,” she reminded him. “If I’m going to hike for a day in it, I should be able to trudge down to the campsite. But you can carry the rest of it.”
“The rest of it” turned out to be supplies for the weekend, but not the kind Angel had brought. The shopping bags were filled with hair clips, ribbons and glitter nail polish, several kits for making sparkly jewelry and two small bouquets of flowers.
Angel stared at her purchases.
“Don’t give me that ‘what were you thinking?’ look,” she told him firmly. “We’re here until four on Sunday. Do you know how long that is? Sure, there are grove activities, but there is still plenty of downtime. Do you really want eight bored girls on your hands? This stuff will keep them busy, and that’s a good thing.”