Adam shifted the truck into first and cranked the wheel hard to the left. “Part of the surprise. Now no more questions,” he said as they accelerated out of the parking lot, passing Heather, Winnie, and company on the way. Clare resisted the urge to roll down her window and flip them all off.

Adam’s surprise amounted to his two-man tent, a bundle of firewood, a pile of sleeping bags and blankets, a six-pack of Coors Light, a bottle of Cook’s sparkling wine, and his secret fishing spot on the North Platte River. Clare offered to help him set up the tent, but he settled her onto a nearby log overlooking the river and told her to give him ten minutes.

She sat, listening to him unpack the back of his truck and pull the tent material and poles from their bag. Five feet in front of her, the North Platte rushed over submerged boulders and uneven terrain, the moonlight reflected off white-water cascades, wet dirt, and the tall grass near the bank. Since it was so warm, Clare slid off the dress shoes she’d worn for Adam’s performance and dug her toes into the grass and dirt. The rapid current mesmerized her, made her wonder about where the water had come from, where it would eventually end up.

After several more minutes, she called out, “Are you sure I shouldn’t help?”

“Already finished,” Adam said, suddenly beside her and making her jump. “I told you I only needed ten minutes. I could set up that tent blindfolded.”

He reached out a hand to her, and when Clare took it, he pulled her gently from her log and into his arms. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the sound of his heart beating hard beneath his dress shirt. “What exactly are we doing out here?” she asked.

Adam took her hand again and guided her to the campsite he’d constructed. As promised, the tent was up, filled with the sleeping bags and blankets, and two low-slung camping chairs she hadn’t noticed before were arranged near a circle of large river stones that would act as a firepit. He’d arranged the wood into a teepee and surrounded it with dry grass and kindling. Adam led her by the hand to one of the chairs. “Your seat, my lady.”

Filled with questions she didn’t think she’d get answers to right away, Clare sat down and looked up at Adam. He reached into the small Igloo cooler between the chairs, took out a bottle of beer, and twisted off the top before handing it to her. “A cold beverage?”

She took the beer from him and sighed.

Adam held up both his hands. “All your questions will be answered shortly. But first, we need some fire.”