When She Cries

WHEN SHE CRIES

by

Alex Westhaven

When She Cries

Copyright 2014 by Alex Westhaven

Published by Brazen Snake Books

Cover Art Images:

© 26kot Dreamstime.com-Woman With Knife Photo

© R. L. Wolverton Dreamstime.com – Scenic Trees

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination, and used fictitiously.

Chapter 1

Nicole watched the man across the table as he finished the last bite of an expensive seafood dish, dabbed at his mouth with the cloth napkin and placed it just so beside his plate. Evan George was attractive, well-off, smart and very meticulous. That’s why the invitation he’d issued a short while earlier was so...odd.

So what do you say, Nikki? Will you go camping with us this weekend? We’re leaving in the morning - bright and early.

She hated being called Nikki, but had given up correcting him after the fifth time.

How many people are going? She took a sip of her wine, trying to imagine what he would look like in dirty jeans, an old sweatshirt layered over an even older t-shirt, thick hiking boots and a knit stocking cap, with a few days stubble on his thin, angular face. Not that he probably owned any clothing that didn’t come from a high-end department store.

He could pull most of it off, she decided, but his hands would give him away. The skin on his long, slender fingers was smooth, soft, and unmarred by the calluses and scars that her father and brothers - avid outdoorsmen - had sported for most of their lives.

Counting you, there will be eight. We’ll take two campers, so there’s plenty of room. It’ll be a good way to get to know each other better. Say you’ll go.

It seemed benign on the surface, but there was something niggling at Nicole that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Like she was missing some sort of subtext. But that was probably just her lack of experience with dating and men. And that was the whole reason she was here, wasn’t it? To get out of her shell and meet people?

Besides, with a group of people that large, the chances of anything going horribly wrong were slim. Safety in numbers and all that. She smiled at the personal pun – a reference to the spreadsheets she normally hid behind as a junior accountant on Wall Street.

Okay. Sure. I’ll go. She smiled at Evan, receiving one back in return, though his didn’t quite reach his eyes. What time do we leave? Or should I meet you there?

He shook his head. I’ll pick you up. I was hoping to leave at five am. Can you be ready by then?

She nodded. I’ll be waiting. Where are we going, exactly?

A friend of mine - Patrick Grady - has some land in the foothills up north. There’s a couple good camping spots around there he lets us use, and he’ll be there too. I should warn you though, it’s pretty rough. No cell service or anything like that. We’ll be completely cut off from civilization.

She shrugged, wondering what he would think if he knew she grew up in a small town that didn’t even have a taco joint, much less cell or internet service. She started to tell him, but the waiter came by with the check and the moment was lost. Evan paid the bill and walked her to her car, giving her a chaste peck on the cheek after she opened the door.

Don’t you worry about a thing, he said, laying a finger to her lips when she would have told him she wasn’t worried at all. We’ll have a great time and I’ll keep you safe from the big bad wolves. See you tomorrow morning.

He walked away before she could quip that she was pretty good at keeping herself safe. It struck her that he did that a lot. He didn’t seem interested in letting her speak, so why did he want to spend any time with her at all?

Maybe she’d find out this weekend. Maybe they’d have an actual discussion. If things didn’t work out, she’d move on. Plenty of other fish in the sea, and all that.

When she got home, she pulled a duffel bag out of the closet and packed what she’d need for the trip, including some emergency supplies she always kept on hand, just in case. Then she curled up in bed and turned out the light, excited to get out of the big city for a couple days and back to her roots. Maybe Evan would be different out there. Maybe they’d find a common thread to connect with.

Then again, maybe not.

* * * * *

Nicole was ready on time the next morning, her bag at her feet as she waited on the front steps for Evan to arrive. It was cool and foggy, and she watched a jogger and an elderly man with his little white pup disappear into the fog while she waited, wondering what their stories were. Something mundane, no doubt, but in her mind they were a spy and a time-traveler, respectively, on their way to some important and possibly even life-threatening adventure.

Maybe one was looking for the other, or something equally intriguing. She smiled as she imagined the confrontation between the two, and the dog who surely wasn’t just a dog...

Her friends always told her she read too much, that her imagination was just too active. But how anyone could resist getting lost in a good book for a few hours was beyond her comprehension, and making up stories about strangers was almost equally as entertaining. For her, if not for the hapless stranger anyway.

Evan was fifteen minutes late, but she smiled when he got out of the car, determined to start the trip on a pleasant note.

Good morning, she said, carrying her bag to the trunk of his car. Lovely fog, isn’t it?

His brows drew together. It’s a pain in the ass to drive in. He reached for her bag. Did you sleep okay? You look like crap.

It was her turn to frown. Considering their destination, she hadn’t bothered with makeup or hair, simply pulling the latter into a ponytail and through the back of her favorite baseball cap. Glancing down at her tennis shoes, jeans, and jacket layered over a sweatshirt and t-shirt for warmth, she couldn’t figure out what the problem was.

I slept fine. And we’re going camping. You weren’t expecting office attire for a trip to the mountains, were you? She took a closer look at him and began to understand, noting the expensive black wool coat, the wrinkle-free khakis and a hint of a polo collar sticking out at his neck. His shoes were casual, but still leather loafers, and she wondered if he even owned a pair of tennis shoes or hiking boots.

Most women I know would still want to look good, no matter where they were going. What if you meet someone important? I can wait, if you want to go change...

Nicole stared at him, taking in the earnest, completely oblivious look on his face. He couldn’t really be serious, could he? But as the moments ticked by, the punchline she was waiting for never came.

She considered taking her duffel back out of the trunk and sending him on his way, alone. Her fingers twitched, clearly in agreement with that plan. Another date with Evan simply wasn’t going to happen, but there was something in the back of her mind that still wanted to go, just to see if all his friends were like him. To experience how the other half lived, so to speak.

No, she said finally, earning a raise of his eyebrows. If you and your friends want to keep up appearances just in case, feel free. I’m going to be comfortable. And warm.

Sliding into the passenger seat, she pulled the door closed and buckled her seat belt. That she’d regret this was a given, but her curiosity won. She really wanted to see just what Evan and his group considered camping.

Besides, it was only one night.

He got in beside her, hesitating a moment before fitting his key in the ignition.

Last chance, he said, putting the car into gear. I think you’ll be more comfortable if you change.

She shook her head, shooting him a wry smile. Are you really that shallow, Evan? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me? Because I can just stay home if you’d rather.

Pulling away from the curb, he sighed. I already told them I was bringing someone, so everything’s planned for eight people. You’re only embarrassing yourself, but you’ll see that soon enough.

Yes, I suspect I will. Nicole settled back in the seat as he drove on, finding herself far more satisfied by his annoyance than she should be. Not exactly the sort of feelings one would have for a guy she wanted to date, but he’d removed himself from that eligibility pool quite nicely this morning, and she discovered that she had no problem taking advantage of a free trip to the mountains before she told him so.

If there were some good hiking trails on his friend’s land, all the better. The sun rose higher, the fog started to lift, and Nicole watched happily as the city faded away and beautiful forest land took it’s place outside the window.

* * * * *

Nicole was more than ready to get out of the car several hours later when Evan pulled into a small meadow about a mile down the private gravel road they were on.

She’d asked him about...something, she couldn’t even remember what, and he’d rambled on ever since, never giving her a chance to jump in or respond in any way. He changed subjects quicker than she could possibly keep up with. She’d never known a man who talked so much, and she’d do just about anything to get away from his incessant chatter for just five minutes.

Two long camper-trailers were already there, one off to each side with big, shiny trucks attached at the front. Several people milled about a campsite of sorts, with a big rock ring and pile of wood in the center. Evan pulled his car up on the far side of one of the trailers to park, and Nicole had already unfastened her seat belt by the time he turned off the engine.

Where’s the fire? Evan called as she opened the door and hopped out. She bent down to look at him through the still-open door.

Over there. She grinned and pointed to the fire pit over her shoulder, earning a dirty look in return. Shrugging, she straightened and closed the door, turning to find two tall, lanky men staring at her from four feet away. Dressed similarly to Evan, they both wore wrinkle-free khakis, leather loafers and polo shirts, and each had a beer in hand.

Smiling, she approached with her hand out. I’m Nicole Strickly, Evan’s friend. And you are?

Both men shook her hand in turn, but