Chapter 10 Caro
CARO
“HOLY CRAP,” ONE OF the men says. “What are you doing here?!?”
He’s tall and tan, with dark eyes and a shaved head. He wasn’t with the other two at the food truck the night before. And he looks entirely different from the last time Caro saw him, which had to be what? Fifteen years ago? Still. She knows him instantly.
“Caro?” he says. “Caro Stewart?”
“Oh my gosh,” she says. “Spencer Clayton.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Hope raise her eyebrows. There’s no need, Caro wants to tell her. Spencer’s cute, but we haven’t seen each other in years, and even then we were friends. With occasional benefits.
“How long has it been?” Spencer’s standing a respectful distance away but still, perhaps, too close, given that she’s in her bra and underwear and would prefer to have this reunion fully dressed. “Ten years? Fifteen?”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” she says with a laugh. “What are you doing here?”
“Same as you,” he says. “Hiking.” He gestures to the two men who have now caught up to him.
They’ve got their trucker hats on again.
One of them has a tattoo of what appears to be a date on his forearm.
“This is my friend Kevin,” Spencer says, gesturing to the non-tattooed guy, “and his brother, Tony.”
“Nice to meet you guys,” Caro says. “Or, rather, see you again.” In answer to Spencer’s quizzical look, she explains, “We ran into each other at the food truck last night.” She darts a quick glance over at Hope, who has turned her back to the group.
Ash has already moved to partially block her from view.
“Um, I’d love to talk more, but it’s actually freezing in here and we need to go get our clothes.
Could you guys—” She pauses, not sure what to ask.
But Spencer was a nice guy when she knew him in high school and when they hung out and made out the summer after her freshman year when she was home for college.
And it appears he’s still a nice guy now.
“Oh yeah, yeah,” Spencer says. “Of course. We wanted to hike farther down anyway and see what’s in store for us tomorrow before we settle in here for the evening.
” Kevin and Tony’s expressions indicate that this is news to them, but Spencer gives Caro a cheerful wave.
“See you later!” he says over his shoulder. “Let’s catch up! It’s been too long.”
“Sounds good,” Caro says.
“That was nice of your friend to get the guys out of here so we could get dressed.” Ash glances over at the men’s campsite. “We’re the only ones without a tent. Do you still think that’s fine?”
They’re dressed and have warmed up, their wet hair drying into tendrils in the desert air. The men have returned and are setting up their tents at site 7.
On Caro’s advice, the women decided not to bring tents—less to pack in and out of the canyon, the forecast was good, and they all felt like sleeping under the stars.
They knew that there would be other people camping near them, but perhaps they hadn’t realized exactly how that would feel.
Although flimsy fabric walls don’t offer any real protection, it would offer some privacy.
“I’m sorry,” Caro says. “Maybe we should have brought them. We’d be less out in the open.
They’re kind of cumbersome. I know we wanted to keep this as streamlined as possible. ”
“Oh, for sure we made the right call,” Hope says. “I love sleeping in the open air all bundled up in my sleeping bag.” Her cheeks are pink and her eyes bright. “Like, with only my nose out. I want my nose to be cold.”
“Same,” Caro says.
The men have finished putting up their tents. They glance over at the women. Tony removes his baseball cap and ruffles his hair. It stands up in sweaty spikes, visible even from a distance.
“I think they want us to cheer or something,” Hope says. “They’re looking at us.”
“We’re looking at them,” Caro points out.
“I bet they send your boyfriend over to talk to us,” Hope says, and Caro rolls her eyes.
“I’m married,” she reminds Hope. “Remember Dan? You love Dan.”
“I do love Dan,” Hope agrees. “I’m feeling kind of middle school right now. It might be the matching hoodies.”
They are bundled up in their Sonnet sweatshirts, sitting with their backs against a giant log washed up on the sandbar, eating the food they packed in, which is, as they were joking last night at the food truck, gerbilesque.
“Incoming,” Ash says. “Hope was right. It’s happening. Caro, that guy you know is headed our way.”
“What’s his name again?” Hope asks.
“Spencer,” Caro says. They all watch as he makes his way over to them, walking across the sandbar with a cheery confidence Caro remembers.
“I’ve been sent as an emissary,” he says when he reaches them.
He’s so likable, which Caro has to admit has always been her type.
She was into the golden retriever boyfriend long before the term existed.
“We’re wondering if you ladies might want to come over and have a drink and play cards with us. ”
“That depends,” Caro says. “Tell me more about these guys you’re with?”
“Kevin and Tony Jameson,” Spencer says. “They’re both a few years older than us. Kevin actually married one of my sisters.”
“Oh,” Caro says. “One of the triplets?” Then she starts laughing, remembering. “Hey,” she says to her friends, “you’ll never believe this. His sisters are named Hillary, Chelsea, and Monica.”
“Seriously?” Ash asks.
“Yeah,” Spencer says. “My poor parents. They named the triplets back in 1996. They had no idea what was coming for them.”
“The poor triplets,” Ash says. “Walking around with those names.”
“Good thing your name isn’t Bill,” Hope says. She’d pulled on a beanie when they got dressed and, between that and the lowering light, it seems that she feels comfortable enough to enter the chat without worrying about being recognized.
“It actually is,” Spencer says seriously. “Spencer is the name I had to adopt when everyone in high school started making fun of us.”
Hope doesn’t buy it for a second. “Nice try, but I can tell you’re kidding.” There’s a touch of flirtation in her tone and Caro feels an irrational twinge of—jealousy? She smiles to herself at the ridiculousness of it.
“We wouldn’t keep you long,” Spencer says. “I have enough sisters to know that you don’t mess with a girls trip.”
“You’re kind of infantilizing us by calling it a girls trip,” Ash says matter-of-factly. Her hair streams wild and loose behind her, and she looks like one of her daughters—the middle one, Caro thinks.
“Sorry,” Spencer says. “That’s what my sisters always call the trips they go on. I didn’t mean—”
“We forgive you,” Hope says. “Right, Ash?”
“Yeah.” Ash gives him a wry grin. “But don’t do it again.”
“So is that a yes?” Spencer says. “Or a no?”
“What are you drinking?” Ash asks.
“What are you playing?” Caro asks.
“Beer,” Spencer says. “And poker.”
“Sure,” Hope says. “We’ll be over in a minute.”
Caro and Ash turn to look at her in astonishment. Hope is leaning back on her elbows against the log, her smile wide.
“Great.” Spencer sounds surprised. “Come on over whenever you want.”
“Will do,” Hope says. “Thanks for the invitation.”
“You want to hang out with them?” Ash asks Hope after he’s left.
“I think it might be useful,” Hope says. “Don’t you?”
“And why are you talking like that?” Ash asks.
But Caro already knows what Hope is doing. She’s affected a southern Utah accent like the one the guys have (and like Caro herself sometimes has, if she’s honest, especially when she’s been back in St. John for a few days). Dan teases her about it.
“I’m disguising myself,” Hope says. “I’m talking like a local.”
“You’re good,” Ash says. “You sound exactly like them.”
Caro feels like she’s being mocked, though she knows it’s a smart move, if they’re going to hang out with the guys. Hope Hanover doesn’t wear dirty hiking pants and a beanie and no makeup and talk like she went to St. John High. She might get away with being someone else.
“Last night at the food truck—” Ash begins.
“I wasn’t ready then,” Hope says. “But I’m ready now.” She squares her shoulders and looks at Caro. “You didn’t tell Spencer we were coming on this hike, right?”
“No.” Caro’s shocked. “I haven’t seen him in years. I haven’t thought about him in years.”
“That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been thinking about you.” Before Caro can protest, Hope carries on. “Are you with me?” She looks at Caro, then at Ash.
“Yes,” Ash says.
“Yes,” Caro agrees.
“Okay,” Hope says. “Off we go, then. To the lions’ den.”