WOKE BEFORE DAWN.
She reached for her cell phone and noted the time. Her alarm would ring in ten minutes. Turning it off, she scooted away from Brooke and climbed out of bed. Nathan and Leo had taken the other two bedrooms, so she and Brooke had shared.
Last night, Brooke had organized all of the supplies they needed. Two small tents, four sleeping bags, four mats. Miscellaneous food items and dried meal packages. A bear canister, water filter, flashlight, first-aid kit. Toiletries and cooking utensils.
Brooke was a ruthless minimalist. She wouldn’t allow Abby to bring any makeup or unnecessary clothes, claiming she’d regret every extra ounce. As a result, the packs weighed less than ten pounds each.
Abby put on the clothes she’d laid out the night before. They’d be stopping at the lake before they reached camp, so she started with her swimsuit, a sporty blue two-piece. Over that, she pulled on basic running shorts and a gray tank top. Her anklet socks and black hiking shoes completed the look.
After brushing her teeth and pulling her hair into a ponytail, she studied her appearance. Devoid of makeup, her face looked plain and bare. She saw smudges under her eyes, pale lips, freckles and crow’s feet.
Tiptoeing toward her beauty case, she unfastened the latch.
“Don’t even think about it,” Brooke mumbled.
“What?”
She rolled over in bed and squinted at Abby. “Your makeup will wash off when you swim.”
“I’ll keep my head above water.”
“What about tomorrow? I’m not carrying that stuff for you.”
Abby would give up a couple of meals for her MAC case. Just a little mascara, some lip gloss, a bit of concealer...
“You don’t need it.”
That was easy for Brooke to say; she didn’t need any. She had a smooth, even complexion. Her skin tanned easily. Although her hair was blond, like Abby’s, her brows and lashes were dark.
Brooke propped her head on her hand. “What do you think of Leo’s dad?”
“He’s very nice.”
“Nice?”
Abby glanced at the closed door, hoping Nathan couldn’t hear them. They hadn’t talked about this last night. Brooke had stayed up late playing video games with Leo. She’d fallen asleep as soon as she crawled into bed.
“Leo says he’s single,” Brooke added in a low voice.
“How would he know? They don’t get along.”
“Lydia knows.”
“Don’t embarrass me.”
With a smile, Brooke threw back the comforter and rose from the bed in her underwear. She was lithe and lean, pantherlike. Sometimes Abby couldn’t believe this fully grown woman had come out of her body.
Not so long ago, her daughter had been gap-toothed and giggling, wearing a party hat. She’d been a newborn who refused to latch on for the first two weeks, and then a toddler who’d refused to stop when Abby tried to wean her. She’d always been stubborn, prone to outbursts, quick to laugh and full of energy.
Brooke flipped open the makeup case and rifled through its contents. “Here,” she said, choosing a single item. She tucked the rose-tinted lip moisturizer into Abby’s palm and closed her fingers around it, as if bestowing a precious gift.
Abby turned to the mirror and applied it, her throat tight.
Brooke came up behind her. “Do you think I need boobs?” she asked, covering her small breasts with her hands.
“Absolutely not,” Abby said, appalled. Brooke had a runner’s figure, strong and sleek. “You’re perfect.”
“I look like a boy.”
“Who told you that?”
“No one important.”
“Good, because it’s ridiculous.”
“Were you flat, before?”
“You don’t remember?”
Brooke shook her head.
Brooke had been twelve when Abby had her breasts done. Too young to notice the flaws Abby had seen so clearly. “I wasn’t flat...I was asymmetrical.”
“Like, one big boob and one small?” She adjusted her hands over her chest to demonstrate.
“Yes.” It wasn’t the only reason for her augmentation; Abby’s self-confidence had taken a hit during the divorce. If she hadn’t been such an emotional wreck, she might not have gone under the knife, but she was happy with the results. “You have a lovely figure, very proportional. Besides, large breasts are a pain for sports.”
“True.”
“They also seem to attract jerks,” Abby pointed out.
“Why is that?”
“I don’t know.”
Although her implants weren’t that obvious, Abby worried about the example she’d set for Brooke. Until now, Brooke had never complained about her shape or acted self-conscious. She certainly wasn’t shy about wearing revealing clothes. Abby wondered what had prompted this conversation. “What are the boys like at Berkeley?”
Brooke stopped posing in front of the mirror and dropped her hands. She’d steered clear of serious relationships in high school, preferring to concentrate on sports and academics. “They’re hot, rich and smart.”
It was a succinct summary, delivered with more cynicism than a girl her age should have. Maybe Brooke had some trust issues of her own.
Thanks, Ray.
Brooke scooped up a pile of clothes and escaped into the bathroom. Abby hoped her daughter would come to her if she needed someone to talk to. She also wished Brooke had a better male role model. Too often, her father wasn’t there for her.
With a frown, Abby left the bedroom and headed for the kitchen. The soles of her shoes made no sound on the lush carpet. When she exited the hallway, she saw Nathan and almost jumped out of her skin.
“You scared me,” he said, removing the carafe from the coffeemaker.
It took her a few seconds to realize he was joking. “I didn’t know you were up.”
“I was trying to be quiet.”
He went to the sink and filled the carafe with water, whistling. After transferring the water to the reservoir, he plugged in the machine and turned it on.
Abby studied him as they waited for the coffee to brew. He was wearing a faded blue Toros T-shirt with tan cargo shorts and brown hiking boots. The clothes fit well on
