Swept Away Read Online Free

either.
Distraction—there’s a plan!
Amber chuckled out loud as she dialed.

Chapter 3
HIT THE BOOKS
    “Come on girls. We’re going for a run
slash
hike.” Amber’s mom bounced into her bedroom dressed in one of her lavender warm-up suits. “You two need a break from all this studying. You’ve been at it all day. Enough’s enough. Your Saturday’s going to be over before you even know it.”
    Amber flopped back on her bed and groaned. “A break makes sense, Mom. But a run? That’s not quite what I had in mind. Do we have any Oreos?”
    Brittany’s eyes widened. “Oreos sound good to me. I ran on my treadmill this morning.”
    “Nope. No cookies in the house. Besides, you two have been inside sitting on your duff for weeks—you used to run all the time. Youneed fresh air, activity … and so do I. It’s going to be way too cold to hike in the mountains in a few weeks—so come on, let’s go.” She checked their feet. “Brittany, I see you have your running shoes on already. Amber can loan you some warm clothes.”
    Brittany stared at her Nikes.
    Amber could read her mind. She knew Brittany wished with everything in her she’d worn high-heeled shoes that day. Why, oh why, had she worn running shoes? Across the room, Mom had her foot up on a desk chair, stretching her calf.
    It’s no use
. “We’d better get this over with, Britt.” Amber shook her head and laughed. It had been a long time since she and Mom had gone running together. Maybe it would be nice to get out and stretch a little. “How far are we going to go?”
    “I want to jog the Hidden Falls trail. You remember? The one that runs along Jenny Lake and overlooks the cascade.”
    “Mom, that’s got to be five miles long!”
    “We’ll go up two and a half miles and then return the same way.” She laughed. “You can do it. We used to go much farther than that. We’ll take it slow and walk when we have to.”
    “Okay with me, Mrs. Stevens. Sounds kind of fun, actually.”
    Amber shot Brittany a look. What changed her mind? Oh well. Maybe it would be fun.
    They collected what they needed and headed to the garage. Amber scurried barefooted, carrying her running shoes, across the cold cement garage floor and climbed into the car. While her mom drove them to their starting point, she pulled on her socks and tied her shoes.
    Brittany pulled her hair into a ponytail.
    Finally ready, Amber relaxed and watched the beautiful, familiar terrain out the window. Immediately, a sense of peace washed over her.
Why would anyone live anywhere else?
“We should go skiing this weekend. There’s enough snow at the higher elevations. And with Christmas next month, the slopes are going to get busier soon.”
    “Not a bad idea. We had better get as much use as possible out of our season passes—I doubt we’ll be able to afford them next year.”
    Sigh. Thanks for the wet blanket, Mom
.
    “Here we are.” They pulled over outside the park entrance and got out of the car. The echo of three doors closing shuddered through the mountains.
    The sharp, crisp smell of the evergreens awakened Amber’s senses. Amazing how a few short miles up the mountain completely changed the air—changed everything, actually. She inhaled a few times, clearing her lungs and her mind with every breath.
    They stood beside the car and stretched their muscles. “Ready?” Mom sounded eager. “Let’s go.”
    They set off in a jog up the mountain trail, the pine needles crunching beneath their feet. The frigid air felt much colder than their home in the valley.
    Her breath making little white puffs of smoke, Amber said, “This really does feel good.”
Gasp. Puff
. “I forgot what fresh air could do for me.”
Gasp. Puff
.
    “It sure doesn’t sound like it feels good.” Brittany laughed as she easily kept pace.
    They jogged along the western shore of Jenny Lake in silence except for the rhythmic
crunch … crunch … crunch…
of the evergreen needles beneath their feet. The