Chloe watched Darius’ expression as she revealed where she was from but he didn’t even seem to blink at the mention of New York City. She hadn’t really been expecting any specific reaction but she wondered what he thought of it.

Remembering the sign at the entrance of the campground she couldn’t help but respond, “And here I thought perhaps these you lived here,” she said, gesturing to the surrounding forest, “The mountain does share your name after all,” she joked with a coy smile. Still, it was clear from the amount of baggage in his car that he had been traveling in from a neighboring city. It didn’t really matter which one though, she wasn’t particularly familiar with California’s geography. This was her first trip to the west coast.

Despite her joke, Chloe couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit disappointed about the distance between them. She knew she shouldn’t feel that way though, what had she expected, a fellow New Yorker who was just crazy enough to travel all the way across the country just to go camping on a mountain? Highly unlikely. Still, she couldn’t help but sneak glances at him and marvel at his gentlemanly ways. He was so different from the other men that she had met so far in New York …

Darius’ voice pulled her away from her musings as he mentioned his travels. She smiled, “New York is one of a kind, that’s for sure,” she said, her voice neutral. She both loved and hated New York. For now it was a means to an end that so far had been less than productive. Mentally shaking herself, Chloe forced her thoughts away from the downward spiral that usually accompanied reflection on her current situation and future. “I’d love to travel,” she admitted, smiling at the thought of discovering new places. “I lived in Paris a few months as part of a study abroad program,” she said, “It was interesting but I was also glad to come home in the end.” Paris was beautiful but the language barrier always seemed to get her into trouble.