Page 43 of Intoxicating Pursuit

First Night at the Canyon

SAMMY

F rom the comfort of the billowy hospitality tent, a small crowd of family and friends absorbed the vibrancy of the concert while the fiery skies of sunset transformed the Columbia River into a shimmering expanse of gold.

The drummers propelled an irresistible groove, and the crowd swelled with excitement as well-loved melodies and rich, reverberating chords filled the atmosphere.

The concert stretched for hours as the world beyond the blazing, high-wattage stage lights gradually melted into a deep, black night.

When the set finally wrapped and the encores were complete, the band came offstage, reconnecting with loved ones before ducking into trailers to refresh.

Gabe appeared after a bit, his hair damp and his face glowing. “Man, I am so pumped! Tonight felt awesome!”

“It sounded awesome! Really, really amazing!” I gave him a big kiss.

He lifted me off the ground, swinging me around for a moment. “Damn, I love the Canyon.” He took my hand. “Come on, Sammy. Let’s go find everyone. It’s time to celebrate.”

***

W e sat near the front of the bus again and watched as the kids stumbled in.

They clattered and laughed their way to the back seats with Meghan right in the mix.

She glanced our way as she passed by, noting my hands in Gabe’s.

Her eyebrow shot up, and she tried to hide an amused grin as she followed the pack.

After a mercifully short drive, we pulled off the road onto a dirt path cutting between vast groves of cherry trees, their wispy branches disappearing into the night just beyond our headlights.

We continued through the dark landscape until the land opened up.

A half dozen RVs circled a wide swath of grass, their awnings twinkling with string lights.

We parked and waited as Trevor and his friends unloaded cargo from the belly of the bus. By the time we retrieved our bags, the lights in the kids’ RVs were already shining, portable gas firepits had been cranked to life, and music filled the cooling night air.

Gabe turned on his phone flashlight and headed away from the crowd. “My RV’s over here.”

“I'll follow you.”

We walked through the grass for longer than I expected, and I stopped when the kids’ music began to fade, scrutinizing the firelit party in the distance. “Gabe, where are Charlie and Lucy?”

“Um, they stay back near the kids.” He followed my gaze. “Why? Would you feel safer if they were with us?”

“No, it’s not that.”

This was more spread out than we’d been at Gabe’s place, and discomfort squirmed in my gut. I could make out Meghan’s profile. She sat with a cluster of girls, but the blond boy I kept seeing her with throughout the day was right at her side. “Who’s the boy that’s been hovering so close to Meghan?”

He squinted in the kids’ direction. “You mean Connor?

“The blond. On her left.”

“Yeah, that’s Connor. Trevor’s neighbor growing up. Sweet kid, really. I think he just finished high school.”

I stared at the faraway scene, deliberating. Gabe knew these kids. But I didn’t.

“You’re worried about Meghan?”

“A little.” Even though she would be a college student soon, exposed to hordes of new people, living with the freedom to exercise all kinds of bad judgment, I still felt uneasy.

The kids were cracking open beers when we’d walked away, and I had no idea what else would be passed around.

Inebriation never produced terrific judgment in anyone.

Gabe tilted his head. “You know I’ve got Charlie and Lucy all over this, right?”

I met his eyes. I didn’t know anything.

“Sammy, I didn’t think to say anything before, but we’re aware Meghan is underage. She’ll stay in Lucy’s trailer, along with any girls who go overboard. . . Period.”

I nodded.

“Look, it’s a party and we give the kids some latitude, but the team knows: nothing happens on this property that could cause actual harm. . . or leave me liable.”

Another strange aspect of his world. At times, I worried about what happened at my home when I was away, but I’d never hired a team of professionals to manage it. “I guess you’ve thought through this already.”

“Motto’s simple. Have fun. Be safe.” His smile twitched in the glow of the flashlight. “Avoid idiocy.”

I chuckled. “How’s that working for you?”

A spark of humor lit his eyes. “Better with the kids than with me, evidently.”

His levity was infectious. “You’re funny, you know that?”

“Sometimes.” He squeezed my hand, bouncing on his heels. “Come on, Sammy. All’s well, and I’m starving.”

We finished our trek toward the twinkling lights of Gabe’s RV and stepped inside to find surprisingly posh accommodations.

Dark wood cabinets and gleaming stainless steel surfaces accented a kitchenette, and plush leather seating surrounded a table for four.

A luxurious sleeping area lay along the back wall, and open windows let in the cool night air.

Gabe dug foil containers out of the fridge and sifted through bottles lining a well-stocked bar. “Hungry? Anything to drink?”

“We munched appetizers at the Canyon, so I think I’m okay. But I’ll join you in a nightcap.”

He heated up a plate in the microwave and poured us both a short glass of Irish whiskey over ice, then sat down and dug in.

I could only imagine how much he needed to refuel. “You guys crushed it tonight. That crowd was so full of energy.”

“Yeah.” His infectious smile was full of excitement. “Did you have a good time?”

“Are you kidding? The venue lived up to the hype, and the concert was genuinely epic.”

He grinned and wolfed down a few more bites before chattering away again. “Man, I’m amped. I love a night like this–when the band vibes, the crowd is charged, and the venue is so pretty. I can’t describe it.”

“I could feel it. I’m bubbling, too.” I sipped the whiskey while he ate, savoring notes of caramel and the warmth it spread through me.

Despite being in the elements all evening, the night air drifting through the windows was so enticing and fresh, and I just didn’t want to be cooped up yet.

“You know, when you’re done, why don’t we go sit outside?

That’s as good a place as any if you’re energized. ”

Gabe agreed, and when he finished, we grabbed the whiskeys and a portable speaker and headed out the door. The temperature had dropped a bit, but it was still wonderful outside. We settled into camping chairs with an outdoor rug at our feet and string lights overhead.

“Hmm. . . hold on. Check this out.” Gabe stood and turned the string lights off, plunging us into darkness.

Then he rolled the awning back, revealing a brilliant spectacle of stars.

With last night’s cloud cover gone and no light pollution from the amphitheater, they shone from every corner of the sky.

“Wow. . .” It was so much clearer than anything I’d seen in Philadelphia.

“Just wait. Keep looking.” He came to stand behind my chair.

My eyes adjusted slowly, and the contrast of the inky sky against the bright pinpricks of light became clearer.

Layers of fainter stars gradually appeared behind the brightest ones, until a sparkling blizzard of distant suns filled the sky.

The faint cloud of the Milky Way whispered into focus, stretching in an ethereal ribbon across the heavens. “It’s overwhelmingly gorgeous.”

“Pretty spectacular.” He squeezed my shoulders, then came around my chair, bursting into a grin. “I’ve got to do something though. Should we go hang with the kids? They’ve got some campfires, and I could grab my guitar.”

I studied him. It was such fun seeing him all wound up and joyous. “We could go hang with the kids for sure, but one other idea. . . do you like to dance?”

He laughed. “Are you kidding? Of course I do.”

I connected my smartphone to the speaker and cued up a band I loved to listen to when I was cooking or enjoying cocktails at night.

The sounds of a keyboard, guitar, upright bass, and drums poured out, and a woman’s rich, full voice filled the night.

The music rocked and swayed, a soulful blend of classic sound, jazz, and rock.

Gabe held out his hand to me, and I stood to join him.

He spun me around to the mid-tempo rhythm, his fingers warm on my skin.

His body was no less captivating this way than any other time.

His strong shoulders and chest made me want to stay close, and when the music slowed and he pulled my hips against his, heat and arousal wound a sinuous path through my body.

We kept dancing and taking breaks to sip our drinks, letting the music wash over us. Before long, the magical sky, the stirring melodies, and the warmth of the whiskey produced a glow in me so strong I couldn’t remember any pain at all.

In fact, I realized everything was a little too soft.

Evidently, whiskey plus appetizers-wasn’t going to cut it.

The last thing I wanted was to go over the edge and miss out.

I asked Gabe to give me a minute, and I fumbled my way inside to down some water and a few bites of food.

Once I felt steadier, I made my way back outside, sat on a lawn chair, and laid my head back.

I turned my eyes to the sky, enjoying the music’s jazzy, lilting beat.

A moment later, the first one blazed by. “Oh my God, did you see that?”

“No. What?” Gabe’s eyes followed mine, and another sizzled by. “Whoa!”

I tried to make my brain work, but it was foggy. “Gabe, what’s the date?”

“August eleventh. The festival is a week later than usual this year.”

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I forgot.” I looked around at the dark skies and felt like I’d won the lottery. “The Perseid meteor shower is tonight. It’s always strongest the night before Tina’s birthday. I can’t believe I didn’t connect the dots. Hold on.”

I popped into the RV again and brought out pillows and blankets to cushion the thin outdoor rug. Meghan wouldn’t want to miss this either, and I shot her a quick text:

Perseids meteors! Look up!!

We lay down and settled our heads on the pillows.

The meteors would peak before dawn, but with the sky so dark, we could still catch an impressive show.

Brilliant streaks of light raced across the sky at unpredictable moments, like little, thrilling gifts from the universe.

The music played, the stars dazzled, and the night continued to feel like a soft, glowing, living thing.

We watched the celestial display as the songs ticked by, but the ground was admittedly hard. Eventually, Gabe propped himself on his elbow. He brought his warm lips to mine, his beard a gentle tickle on my face. His hand slipped over the curves of my body.

“You’re a genius, Sammy. This was perfect, really, but why don’t we go inside and finish the night the right way.”

And we did, at least twice before morning broke, as ancient meteors continued to fall outside, leaving trails of fire in the sky.