The campsite was only twenty minutes from Addie’s new house, but they still left later than they should’ve.
With the Jeep top down, the smell of pine saturated everything. Mason drove to let Addie get a better look at her new surroundings. Azure-blue glints of the lake shone through the green pines as they wound down the mountain toward Incline Village. What they saw hinted at the beauty of the lake, but they didn’t fully grasp it until they rounded a curve and the length of the lake, stretching for miles, appeared before them.
“Wow!”
Mason squeezed the Jeep into a parking spot at the lookout area so they could take it in. “It’s beautiful,” he said.
They got out and left Indy standing on the center console, sniffing the air. A stone wall, tall enough to sit on, ran along the viewing edge. They leaned against it and looked out over the lake. The brilliant blue reflected the sky, contrasted only with the deep green of the pine trees. On the far shore, mountains were capped with snow.
“You know,” Mason said. “You might decide to stay here longer than a year.”
A boat cut across the lake, inviting all the possibility of summer.
“It’s beautiful, but no way. You need friends to enjoy all that.” Addie looked up and down the shoreline. “Where do you think the Harlan Hotel is from here? Dad said our house is only a few miles from it.”
Mason pointed toward the left. “I think it’s that way.”
“Maybe you can come out this winter to ski. I can be the bonus.” She leaned into him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“And how am I not going to kiss you when we’re with your parents?” he asked.
“Oh don’t worry. I’ll find a way to kiss you.” Addie stood on her toes and kissed the tip of Mason’s nose.
Indy barked, and people came and went, taking pictures of the lake.
Mason took a deep breath and exhaled all the stress of the drive and his fears about Addie. This ending was only the beginning of the rest of their relationship.
“Hey,” Addie said, hopping up to sit on the stone wall. “You never told me what you wished for on the first star. Or the shooting star. I’m keeping track.”
“I won’t tell. I’m still hoping my wishes will come true. I’ll let you know when they do.”
“Intriguing,” she said. “I made a wish, too, remember?”
“What was it?”
“We’ll compare notes later,” Addie said, wrapping a foot behind his leg and tugging him closer.
“I like how that sounds.”
“Let’s take a picture before we go.” She held her phone up, and they posed with the lake behind them, heads together, smiling.
Mason kissed her. “After the last few days, I think we can handle anything.”
“I know I can definitely handle a hot shower,” Addie said. “And a comfy bed.”
“Don’t bash camping so soon,” he insisted.
“What did Jenni say? A pull-out bed on the porch? That’s my style of camping.”
Mason brought Addie’s hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.
“You promised me a favor for going on this trip with you, remember?” he said.
“I was hoping you’d forgotten about that.”
“Fat chance.” He looked out toward the lake before turning back to her. “Ms. Adelaide Jean Lynmar.”
She straightened her back at the formality of her full name.
“The favor, which you promised to grant me, is this: You are not to tread water until you go to college. Give this new place a chance. Have fun. Meet people—girls, not boys.” He kissed her lips softly. “But meet people and have fun.”
Addie’s hand went to her heart. “That’s so sweet.”
“And maybe, before I fly back to Chicago, we can start giving this place a chance together. School got out last week, so I’m sure kids will be hanging around.”
“Wait. How do you know school just got out? Did you research that too?” She hit him playfully on the chest.
“Let’s just say that my haircut,” he flipped his hair over his eyes, “would fit in fine at Village High.”
“You even looked at photos? You’re too cute.” Addie ran her fingers through his hair, brushing it from his eyes. “I grant your favor.”
She kissed him.
* * *
They wound their way down the rest of the mountain into Incline Village.
“No visions?” Addie asked as the Jeep came around a curve and drove over several skid marks.
“None. Maybe they’re gone for good,” Mason said.
“Thank goodness they didn’t disappear before we found Kenna,” Addie said. “Wait, you don’t think they disappeared because we found Kenna, do you?”
Mason shook his head. “I can’t go there, not yet.”
“You’re right,” Addie said. “Hey, we never came up with a name for this move. Remember, Ta-hoax? Tahoe-pocalypse? Tahoe-nado?”
Indy still stood on the center console with her head out the top of the Jeep.
“I think you should go simple—just call it Tahoe,” Mason said.
Addie stuck her tongue out. “Boring.”
“You know, I’m glad your dad got transferred.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What—”
“Let me explain,” Mason said, putting a hand up to silence Addie. “If your parents didn’t decide to move, we wouldn’t have been able to help Kenna.”
Addie nodded. “Facts.”
“And you’d still be dating Declan.” Mason waved at a passing Jeep. “I’m totally getting into this Jeep-wave thing.”
“I don’t think I’d have dated Declan much longer, even if I stayed.” Addie looked out the passenger window. “I really hope Kenna’ll be alright.”
“Me too.” Mason focused on a skid mark in the road, reflexively bracing for a vision that never came. “And Lieutenant Wallace. If the other woman was his daughter.”
“It’s terrible to think about,” Addie sighed.
Mason rubbed the back of Addie’s neck. “I meant what I said,” he said. “You should talk to your mom. She won’t freak, like you think.”
Addie tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.
“Maybe she’ll freak out a little,” Mason conceded. “But she’ll listen. And it’s better to talk about it than to keep it hidden. Trust me, I know.”
Addie squeezed Mason’s hand. “Thanks.”
He squeezed her hand back before pulling it to his lips. “Need to sneak another one in before we get there. What road are we looking for again?”
She read the text from her mom. “Lakeshore Boulevard. Ha. Funny. Sounds like Chicago.”
“Just like home. Sort of. Hey! Maybe that’s the word for this move—Ta-home.”
“Don’t push it,” Addie said, smiling.
“You never showed me the photo album the girls made for you,” Mason said. “I didn’t get to write in it.”
“I have it. You can. I wasn’t ready to look at it earlier, but I think I am now. Thanks to you.”