Chapter 12

“Jesus, Scott, where are your gloves?”

“Couldn’t find them before we headed back down,” Scott said, shrugging. “And it’d be a bad idea to dump all my stuff out of my pack now.”

“Good lord,” Brandon said. He grabbed hold of Cara’s arm. “You go on ahead, I’m going to help Scott find some gloves before his fingers fall off. We’ll catch up.”

Cara nodded, her glasses so spotted with rain and fogged up that it was a wonder she could see anything at all. “All right, boys. Don’t get lost. We’re almost down, maybe another two hours, tops. I’ve got Kristi waiting and planning a hot meal as soon as we reach base camp.”

“Sounds great,” Brandon said. He scowled at Scott as soon as Cara moved away, turning his boyfriend around bodily to reach his back. “Hold still.”

“Yes, Mom,” Scott said. “Honestly, you’d think I never got to age twenty-five without you looking after me.”