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

They took the small elevator up to the second floor, went down to their room, and within five minutes they were undressed and in bed.


“A real bed, with sheets and…” Ansel’s voice faded away as he fell asleep. Seconds later, Hugh and Orion were also sleeping.


It was dark when Hugh and Ansel woke up. Hugh had to look at the clock on the nightstand to figure out if it was night, or morning. If it hadn’t said six P.M., he still might not have known for sure. The other side of the bed was empty, and he heard water running in the bathroom, so he figured Ansel was taking a shower.


Getting up, Hugh crossed to the coffeemaker on the counter on the other side of the room. He started it, then opened a pack of complimentary crackers sitting in a small basket beside it. “Manna from heaven,” he murmured as he ate them.


“Then share,” Ansel said, snaking an arm around him from behind. “We’ll get a real breakfast, or dinner I guess, after you’ve showered, and I walk Orion.”


Chapter 40