When Hugh Mathews decides it's time to get out from under his tyrannical father's thumb and away from the life he's been living, he does it in a big way. Packing what he'll need to survive in the wilderness, and with only his dog, Orion, for companionship, he heads into the mountains. When they find a abandoned cabin, Hugh begins the arduous task of repairing it, as well as hunting for food and everything else they'll need to stay alive.<br><br>Soon after, Ansel Jeffries, a nature photographer, arrives at Hugh's cabin, seeking an abandoned mine he wants to photograph. After talking with him, Ansel sees the potential for a story in what Hugh is doing -- and why.<br><br>Ansel convinces Hugh to let him tell it, meaning he'll be living at the cabin with Hugh. When he moves in, will what becomes friendship between the two men grow into more?

Off the Beaten Path

“Put them together?” Ansel asked, although Hugh suspected he knew the answer.


“Yep. Then we have to convince Orion to sleep somewhere else.”


“Put your mat in the corner by the table.”


Hugh did, pointed to it, and told Orion, “You’re there, tonight, like it or not.” The dog obeyed, giving him a baleful look. “One problem solved, I hope.”


By then, Ansel had his sleeping bag spread out beside Hugh’s, muttering, “I wonder,” before seeing if he could zip them together. “We’re in luck,” he said moments later as he did, almost all the way, before crawling inside.


Hugh turned off the light and joined Ansel, snuggling against him.


For a long moment they stayed that way, holding each other. Then Ansel slid his hand under Hugh’s sweatshirt, lightly running his fingers over his torso.


Chapter 34