Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon by Melody Carlson

Author:Melody Carlson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon
ISBN: 9781935416180
Publisher: Guideposts
Published: 2011-03-09T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Hope wrapped the polar fleece blanket around her shoulders like a cape as she and Lewis walked toward what sounded like a pretty loud party. She could smell smoke from the campfire, and she hoped there wasn’t anything more serious than drinking going on here. She’d heard stories about outlaws manufacturing methamphetamines in the National Forest before. And she knew that people like that could be very unfriendly, not to mention unreasonable.

“Hey,” Lewis called out in a congenial voice. They were just outside of the firelight, and Hope could see a mix of tents and things and people mingling around. “Mind if we join you?”

“Who are you?” called out a big guy who was standing next to the fire.

“Just friends,” Hope called back as she stepped into the firelight so they could see her. “Friends who haven’t met yet.”

“Come on in,” he called to her.

“Thanks.” She stepped closer to the fire now, looking around to see if she could spot Monroe. “It’s getting cold.”

“And we’re looking for a friend,” Lewis explained. “He’s new in town, and we thought maybe he came up here.”

“What’s his name?” a girl with stringy blond hair asked.

“Monroe,” Hope said.

“Hey, Monroe,” called out the big guy. “Where you at, buddy?”

Hope felt her spirits soaring. “Is he here?”

“Unless there’s more than one new Monroe in town.”

“Hey, Monroe,” the girl called. “Your friends are here!”

Just then a shadowy form emerged from a tent. The way he rubbed his eyes looked like he’d been asleep. “Hey, Monroe, old buddy,” Hope said as she went over and threw her arms around her scruffy-looking nephew. “It’s been a long time. I heard you were camping up here, and I thought I’d come and hang with you.”

“Lucky dog,” the guy by the fire said. “I’d offer you guys some beer, but you have to chip into the pot first.”

“Here you go,” Lewis told him as he handed the guy a bill.

“What are you—”

“What’s up?” Hope interrupted him. “You taking off like that and not even inviting me to come, too?”

“Aunt—”

“That’s right, Monroe, your aunt is freaking right now. I told her we’d come out and find you. I’d stick around and have a beer, but maybe we should just head back, ya think?”

He shrugged with a confused expression. “Okay.”

“We’ll take a rain check on that beer,” Lewis told the big guy. “You guys have fun and be safe, okay?”

“Okay, dude. Thanks for the donation.”

“I think those were grown-ups,” the stringy-haired girl said as Lewis and Hope escorted Monroe back toward the dirt path.

“Yeah, whatever. That guy gave us twenty bucks.”

“Cool.”

“Oh, Monroe.” Hope squeezed him in tight a shoulder hug as they followed the beam from Lewis’s flashlight. “I’m so glad you’re okay. Do you know how worried your mom is right now?”

“She deserves to be worried.”

“And she called your dad, and he’s all worried, too. Plus he’s mad at her.”

“Good.”

“I know you’re unhappy, Monroe. But running away won’t help.”

“It will if it makes Mom listen to me. She’s being so freaking selfish about this whole thing.

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