Northern Escape

CHAPTER 4

I Went to the Woods 

—Henry David Thoreau

They rolled up to Thompson Lake at four o'clock, right on schedule, and were welcomed by a long-legged, gray-and-white dog named Wolf. Quite sure that he was part wolf, despite his bright blue eyes, they kept a wary eye on him as they gingerly stepped out of the van and straightened themselves after the long bus ride. The air was fresh and moist, the smell of pine overpowering, all contributing to the magic of the place. Listening to the murmurs of delight from the other guests, Grace was drawn toward the lake by a red canoe slowly moving in the distance. 

"Make yourselves at home," Cody called to the group behind her. "Have a bio break—the bathrooms are just through the front door of the lodge on your right—and we'll meet at the picnic tables in the camp kitchen in fifteen minutes." 

Relieved to have a few minutes on her own, Grace stretched her arms overhead and bent side to side. 

"Beautiful," Grace heard someone say from behind her. 

She jumped and spun as though to face an attacker but saw it was Cam walking toward her. 

"Seriously?" she said a little more harshly than she meant to, wondering whether he'd been referring to the scenery. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." 

Grace muttered, "I've been a little jumpy lately." 

Cam stuffed his hands in his pockets, not knowing what to say. 

Grace wondered if he remembered her. She couldn't tell. 

Crossing her arms, head tilted, she asked, "Hey, did you pay for my lunch?" To his smile and nod, she continued, "You didn't have to do that." 

"My pleasure." 

"I guess I owe you one." 

"A fresh cup of coffee in the morning would be wonderful," he teased. 

"Deal," Grace promised with a soft smile. It felt strange to talk to a man; it was strange to talk to anyone, really. She hadn't even seen her dad for a couple of months. Not since she had hurt her hand. She hadn't wanted him to ask any questions. 

People had started to wander toward the picnic tables, so Grace excused herself to run to the restroom before she missed the opportunity. As she jogged to the main lodge, her heart soared at the thought of five nights in this beautiful place. Her excitement had nothing to do with the man behind her, she told herself. 

They huddled in and around the camp kitchen. It was built of rounded logs, much like the surrounding buildings, and had open-air windows on the two lengths and back of the building with a large opening at the front for entry. Inside was a picnic table and a wood-burning stove vented to the ceiling with a rough black pipe. A pile of birch firewood lay beside it. 

"We call this the camp kitchen. It's nice to have on a rainy day." Cody pointed to the roof before thumbing to the area behind him. "There are two cabins—or bunkhouses as some like to call them—and the main lodge. There's a cabin for the men and another for the women, but if the couples want to be together, we have tents, so just let us know." 

Evelyn shook her head. "No, thank you. I could use a night without someone's snoring." 

Cradling the clipboard in his arm, he ran his finger down the list and skimmed his notes. "The main lodge has two restrooms and shower areas. There are towels and washcloths and a hamper for when you're finished." A woodpecker rat-tat-tatted in the distance, the sound echoing across the lake. "There are enough lockers for everyone, but unfortunately, we don't have any locks. So, keep your personal items close if you're worried about losing them."