The Ride
Avery Sam
The Ride
by Avery Sam
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The Ride
by Avery Sam
© 2025 Avery Sam
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Author: Avery Sam
Contact details: averysam.parachute371@passinbox.com
Book cover, illustration: Avery Sam
Editing, proofreading: Avery Sam
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Table of Contents
Copyright Information
Table of Contents
Better Luck
Reception
Kiss the Cook
Quite Stimulating
Better Than Ice Cream
Joyful Daze
Back to Civilization
Also by Avery Sam
Better Luck
At first, Simon thought he was hallucinating when he saw the girl standing on the side of the road waving at him to stop.
The scene itself was normal enough - a car on the shoulder with its four-way hazard lights activated and the hood up. It was the very fact that it was a woman asking for help from a stranger, something that didn’t seem to happen anymore.
Slowing down and bringing his car to a stop, Simon could see that she had a young, pleasant face although it was partially hidden behind the glasses she wore and her oversized sweatshirt with the name of the local university printed on the front.
Cautious that it might be a trap of some kind, Simon remained behind the wheel as he pressed the button to roll down the passenger side window.
“Everything okay?” he asked as she walked up to his car.
“Hey,” said the woman, slightly out of breath. “Do you know anything about fixing cars?”
The truth was that Simon did know a bit about car repair. Some of his happiest memories had been helping his dad tinker with their family wagon out in the driveway.
But there was nothing to be gained and everything to be lost by getting involved with this young woman’s problems. Besides, he had a bottle of Macallan 25 in the trunk calling his name.
“Not really,” said Simon, shaking his head.
“Dang it,” said the young woman. “The lights on the dashboard started flashing, and then the engine just conked out. I just can’t figure out what happened.”
“Sorry to hear that,” said Simon.
“Yeah, me too,” said the woman. “Anyway, I tried calling for a tow, but I just couldn’t get a signal.”
“Yeah, reception is pretty spotty out on these mountain roads,” said Simon. “You might have better luck if you hike up to a higher elevation.”
“Oh,” said the woman, pausing as if to consider his words. “That makes sense.”
“Yep,” said Simon, anxious to get going even if the young woman did have a remarkably attractive face.
“Can you give me a lift into town?” said the young woman.
“To town?” said Simon, confused.
The nearest town was close to fifty miles away. This part of the state was very rural, which is exactly why his grandfather had built his hunting cabin there, Simon’s destination for the next few days.
“Yeah, to a garage or service station,” said the young woman. “I forgot my coat, you see. And it’ll be dark in a couple of hours. I don’t want to risk hiking up and down the mountain trying to get a phone signal.”
“Oh dear,” said Simon with a sigh. “The nearest town is an hour away, and I’m not going that far.”
“You’re not?” said the young woman, a puzzled expression on her face. “Then where are you going?”
“Um, to my family’s cabin,” said Simon, a little irritated by her question.
“I just don’t know what to do,” said the young woman, looking around. “My friend told me this road was a shortcut to the interstate.”
“Oh gosh, no,” said Simon with a little chuckle. “The interstate is about twenty miles back that way.”
“Shoot!” said the young woman. “I just was not prepared for this, you know? I thought I’d go home early and surprise my folks for when they get back from their cruise.”
“Right,” said Simon.
“Now I’m stuck here with a car that refuses to work,” said the young woman, gesturing at her vehicle. “I didn’t bring any water, snacks, nothing. I’m screwed.”
“Well, um, if you like, I can give you a ride as far as I’m going,” said Simon. “Maybe you can get a phone signal along the way.”
“Oh, you would do that for me? Thank you!” said the young woman, her face lighting up.
“Um, sure,” said Simon, not quite sure why he had offered to help her.
Maybe it was just knowing that his dad would’ve done the same thing. Of course, his dad had grown up in an era where people trusted one another and often left their front doors unlocked.
“Hold on one second!” said the woman, dashing over to her car and getting her purse out of the front seat, giving Simon an unexpectedly pleasant view of her small but well-shaped backside.
Ashamed of his transgression, Simon kept his gaze straight ahead as the young woman climbed in beside him. He then put the car in gear, carefully checked his mirror, and then eased back onto the road.
“So this road really doesn’t connect to the interstate?” said the young woman, glancing at her phone.
“Nope,” said Simon. “Nothing out here but logging trails and hunting camps. It’s one of the last wild corners of Colorado.”
“Dang it,” said the woman, shaking her head. “I guess that’s what I get for trusting a guy I met at a chess club party.”
For a long moment, Simon said nothing, but then he began to laugh.
“What?” said the young woman, turning to look at him.
“Nothing,” said Simon, trying and failing not to smile. “It’s just I don’t think I’ve ever heard those three words together before - chess club party.”
“Yeah, it’s a real hoot,” said the woman, joining in on the fun with a grin. “We sit around and drink Kool-Aid while replaying famous matches from history.”
“Yep, sounds like a blast,” said Simon, glad to see that his newfound passenger had a sense of humor. “My name’s Simon, by the way.”
“Danica,” said the young woman, giving his outstretched hand the briefest of shakes, but it was enough to give him a pleasant shock when he felt how soft the skin on her hand was.
“So, you said your parents were on a cruise?” asked Simon.
“Yeah, one of those seven-day extravaganzas across the Caribbean,” said Danica. “They’ve never been on a proper vacation before, so they were really looking forward to it.”
“I can imagine,” said Simon, thinking back to his father who had never been one to take vacations either.
“So, what about you? You said you were going to a cabin?” said Danica.
“Yeah, my grandfather built it as a hunting cabin almost fifty years ago,” said Simon. “It’s small and rustic, but it’s surrounded by 100 acres of old-growth forest.”
“Wow, that sounds amazing,” said Danica. “So you’re going hunting? I’ve never met a hunter before.”
“Me? Oh no, not the right season now, anyway,” said Simon, gesturing at the snow-capped mountaintops in the distance. “Just getting away for a little me time, I guess.”
“Now I'm jealous,” said Danica with a little sigh. “I wish I had a cabin like that I could run off to. Between my schoolwork and all the social pressures, college is kicking my ass.”
“Ah,” said Simon, nodding. “I saw the logo on your shirt. You a freshman?”
“Yep,” said Danica, nodding. “My parents agreed to let me skip my last year of high school, but I don’t know. The coursework is bad enough, but I’m having some difficulties fitting in with everyone.”
“Wow,” said Simon, glancing over at her. “You must be pretty smart then.”
“Yeah, but not smart enough to get on the right road to the interstate,” said Danica with a self-deprecating chuckle.
“Don’t worry about it,” said Simon. “It’s easy to get turned around in these mountains. A long time ago when I was around your age, I used to ride my motorcycle in this area, and one time I went up this old logging road and got stuck in the mud. Had to spend the night there camping out underneath a fir tree.”
“Hmm, interesting,” said Danica. “But you’re not that much older than me, are you?”
“Why?” said Simon, grinning as he looked over at her. “How old do you think I am?”
“Honestly?” said Danica, regarding him for a moment. “I’d say 25, 26.”
“Woah,” said Simon with a laugh. “Try adding another decade to that.”
“Really?” said Danica, her eyes going wide. “You’re 36?”
“35,” said Simon.
“Gosh, well you look young,” said Danica. “You must be eating right.”
“I do try to take care of myself,” said Simon, surprised by how pleased he was by her compliment.
“And you spend time in the great outdoors,” said Danica, nodding. “Yeah, it all makes sense. You’re Mister Nature Man.”
“What?” said Simon, chuckling. “No. Most of the time I’m stuck in an office just like everyone else in America. In fact, I haven’t been out to my cabin in over a year.”
“Interesting,” said Danica. “So what’s the occasion?”
Simon hesitated for a moment, not sure if he should divulge such personal information to someone he’d only just met. But then he realized that she would be on her way soon, so it didn’t really matter.
Reception
“Well, if you must know, I just got divorced,” said Simon.
“Oh no!” gasped Danica.
“Yeah, the papers just came through, so I thought I’d celebrate,” said Simon, trying not to let the pain he felt inside show.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” said Danica.
“She took the kids, too. And the house,” said Simon, his fingers tapping on the steering wheel. “So I thought I’d head out to my cabin and throw a pity party for myself.”
“My gosh, that’s really awful,” said Danica. “How old are your kids?”
“4 and 6,” said Simon, digging in his front pocket for a moment to retrieve his wallet. “Here.”
Danica took the proffered photos and examined them for a long time. “Wow, they’re really cute. The big one definitely has your eyes.”
“Thanks,” said Simon, taking his wallet back and returning it to his front pocket. “I’ll get to see them once a month, but, you know, it’s gonna be hard being away from them.”
“I completely understand,” said Danica, resting one hand on his thigh, which made him jump a little. “My best friend Sandra’s parents got divorced when she was little. It was tough at first, but now everyone’s all right.”
“Yeah, my kids are tough, so I think they’ll be okay,” said Simon, trying his best not to let his emotions show. “But I miss ’em.”
“I bet you do,” said Danica. “My parents are always on me about finishing my degree before I even think about getting married, but the secret truth is that I’ve always wanted to have lots of kids.”
“Really?” said Simon, surprised. “I didn’t think that was the done thing these days.”
“Maybe not,” said Danica with a little laugh. “But as the famous saying goes, I’m not like other girls.”
“Yes, I’m starting to realize that,” said Simon, looking over at her with a smile. “Chess club girl who wants lots of kids. Definitely unusual.”
“Correct, a chess club party girl who wants lots of kids,” said Danica, causing both of them to laugh.
“Well, I know we just met,” said Simon a few moments later. “But I think you’re going to do all right, Danica. Just hang on a while longer, and you’ll get all that college stuff sorted out.”
“I hope you’re right,” said Danica. “Because I didn’t enroll just to learn things. I could’ve done that online from home. I want the whole college experience, you know?”
“Yeah, like frat parties and raging keggers?” said Simon.
“Maybe not that wild,” said Danica. “I was thinking more along the lines of meeting cute boys.”
“Ah,” said Simon, his cheeks growing warm. “Well, I mean, you’re an attractive young woman. I’m sure the boys will find you sooner or later.”
“Really? You think I’m attractive?” said Danica.
“Well, I mean, sure,” said Simon, chiding himself for having crossed the line.
“And my glasses aren’t a turn-off?” said Danica, looking over at him.
“Hey, who knows what the modern American young man is into,” said Simon, feeling his whole body grow flush. “But why not?”
“What about you?” said Danica. “What do you think about my glasses?”
“Hmm, I don’t know,” said Simon. “Let me see you without ’em.”
Danica obliged by removing her glasses. As he glanced over at her, he saw that she was, indeed, quite an attractive young woman. But then again, it had been a while since he’d chatted with anyone her age.
“Now back,” said Simon. “Mm-hmm. Yeah, they make you look older and more sophisticated. Wiser, even.”
“Wiser?” said Danica. “I think I kinda like that. No one’s ever called me wise before.”
“Well, I guess that makes me the first of many,” said Simon, feeling somewhat giddy.
Just then, though, Danica let out a gasp. “Wait, I think I just got one bar on my phone! Slow down!”
Steve obediently slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road.
“Nope, dang it!” said Danica, holding her phone up in a variety of different positions. “It’s gone now.”
“It’s these mountains,” said Simon. “They bounce the signal around all over the place. I’ve never once gotten a good reception out here.”
“Eh, it’s okay,” said Danica, signaling for him to keep driving.
Together, they sat in amiable silence for a few moments, Danica passing the time by gazing out the window at the scenery.
Simon, meanwhile, kept his eyes locked on the road, feeling guilty about all the flirting he’d been doing with her. Because that’s exactly what it was, as much as he didn’t want to admit it.
“Hey, are you hungry?” said Simon after a bit.
“Oh, I’m starving!” said Danica. “Why? You got some food?”
“No, no,” said Simon. “But there’s this little store coming up ahead. It’s where I was planning to stock up for the weekend.”
“Cool,” said Danica. “I sure hope they have some ice cream. For some reason, I’m really in the mood for some vanilla ice cream.”
“I dunno, but we’ll see,” said Simon, trying to remember if the tiny store had a freezer section or not. Mostly, all he could remember was the refrigerator where they kept bait.
A few minutes later, Simon brought the vehicle to a stop in the graveled lot in front of the store which was so old and weather beaten that the sign above the doorway was scarcely legible anymore. The two of them got out, Danica pausing for a moment to stretch, forcing Simon to avert his gaze.
A little bell tinkled as they entered, and Hep, the proprietor, looked up from behind the counter and grinned.
“Hey, look who’s here,” said Hep. “Long time, no see, partner.”
“Howdy, Hep,” said Simon, giving him a friendly wave.
“I kept checking the papers to see if you’d sold your cabin,” said Hep, his rheumy eyes aglow as he lumbered to his feet. “Thought you’d forgotten about us country folks.”
“Nah, that’ll never happen,” said Simon.
“Well, you’re right on time,” said Hep, tapping his cane on the wooden floorboards. “Closing up tomorrow for the season. They said we’re in for a pile of snow next week.”
“Yeah, I’m just staying for the weekend,” said Simon. “Say, you got any ice cream in here?”
“Ice cream?” said Hep, scratching his chin for a moment. “Nope, but we got some popsicles somewhere in the back if you want ’em.”
“Danica?” said Simon, turning toward the young woman.
“Nah, it’s okay,” said Danica.
“All right then, let’s see about getting some food then,” said Simon, picking up a basket from the stack near the front door.
For a while, she was satisfied to follow behind him as he picked up various items from the shelves and put them in his basket. But then she cleared her throat and spoke up.
“Um, aren’t you going to get any real food?” said Danica.
“What do you mean? This is real food,” said Steve, holding up a can of ravioli in one hand.
“No, I mean stuff like flour, eggs, and oil,” said Danica. “Not canned pasta.”
“Oh,” said Simon. “I’m really not much of a cook. Heat n’ eat is pretty much all I know.”
“Well, if you want, I can make you something much nicer than that junk,” said Danica.
“If you’re offering, my answer is heck yes,” said Simon with a grin.
Quite amused, he let Danica take the basket from him and then go zooming around the store. At first, she put most of the stuff he’d chosen back on the shelves, but then she began adding items like a carton of eggs and a bag of bell peppers.
“So, Linda and the kids not joining you?” said Hep as the two men stood there and watched Danica shop.
“No, we’re divorced now,” said Simon with a little sigh, realizing that the whole world was learning about his marital failures.
“Already onto the next one, eh? You sly dog,” said Hep, grinning as he elbowed Simon in the side.
“What? No, her car broke down,” said Simon, his face sizzling with heat. “I’m just giving her a ride.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet you are,” said Hep with a throaty chuckle.
“All right, that should do it,” said Danica, holding up the basket, which was now overflowing.
Simon smiled, his throat tight. He could see how it looked from Hep’s point of view, him coming in here with a young woman by his side who was already making herself quite at home. But it was too late now, so he dutifully took out his wallet and paid for the groceries.
“Wow, you bought quite a lot,” said Simon, putting the two heavy bags into the back seat. “I’m just gonna be here for the weekend, you know.”
“Yeah, well, what can I say? I love to cook,” said Danica with a smile as she got into the passenger side. “My dorm doesn’t have a kitchen, and we’re not even allowed to have hot plates in our room.”
“Sure,” said Simon, putting the car in gear.
About ten minutes later, they arrived at the chain that marked off the private road which led to his cabin.
“Listen, my cabin’s at the end of this road, and the trees are pretty thick overhead,” said Simon. “This is probably your last chance to see if you can get a signal on your phone."
Kiss the Cook
“Nope,” said Danica after taking out her phone and waving it around. “Still nothing.”
“All right,” said Simon, getting out of the car and unlocking the padlock on the chain. He then drove the car forward a few feet before getting out a second time to replace the chain.
From there, it was ten minutes of driving extremely slowly over bumpy roads before finally the little clearing came into view. When he cut the engine, there was nothing but silence, only a faint whisper of the breeze through the branches could be heard.
“Wow, this place is gorgeous!” said Danica, lifting her arms up and twirling around. “And the smell? It’s magnificent! I could get high off of this.”
“Yeah, probably the cleanest air in the country,” said Simon with a grin as he found the right key on his ring and then unlocked the front door of the cabin.
Inside, there was a bit of a musty smell, but everything else looked all right. He was relieved that none of the windows had been damaged in a storm or that local kids hadn’t broken in to use it as a place to party.
“Gosh, how quaint,” said Danica as she stepped inside. “And cozy, too. Hey, that’s a wood stove, isn’t it?”
“Yep, we’re completely off the grid here,” said Simon. “The apocalypse could happen tomorrow, and we’d be just fine.”
“Nice,” said Danica. “But what about electricity?”
“There’s a solar-powered generator for the fridge and a couple of lights,” said Simon. “But that’s about it. Gotta make do with firelight and candles for the rest.”
“Cool,” said Danica. “I mean, yeah, it could use a woman’s touch, but this place is pretty neat.”
Simon wasn’t quite sure what she meant by 'a woman’s touch,' but he had to admit that he felt a lot less lonely having her there. He’d been in a really dark place before seeing Danica on the side of the road, and his plan for the weekend had been to drink himself into a stupor. Now, though, things seemed to be looking up.
“All right, well show me how to get this stove going, and I’ll start cooking,” said Danica, taking the old apron that said “Kiss the Cook” on the front down from its hook and putting it on.
“Yes, ma’am,” said Simon with a grin.
First, he brought in the groceries and his personal items from the car as Danica busied herself getting familiar with the pots and pans in the kitchen. He then gathered a load of wood from the stack out front and got it going inside the oven’s ancient firebox.
“It’ll take a few minutes to get going,” said Simon. “But then you use these levers here to determine how hot each section of the stovetop is.”
“Wow, this is so fascinating,” said Danica. “Cooking with radiant heat is gonna be a fun challenge.”
“If you say so,” said Simon with a chuckle.
“Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out,” said Danica. “You sit down and have a drink or something. There should be a couple of beers in that bag.”
“Actually, I brought some whiskey with me,” said Simon. “You know, to celebrate with.”
“Right,” said Danica. “I saw some glasses in that cupboard over there. Go sit down and let me work.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Simon, amused by her bossy confidence.
He wandered into the living room area and picked up the hand-cranked radio. After giving it a good juicing, he switched it on and then adjusted the volume.
“Hope you don’t mind jazz,” said Simon. “It’s the only station you can pick up around here.”
“Jazz is fine!” called out Danica from the kitchen.
Bopping along to the music, Simon poured himself a generous amount of his Macallan 25 and then sat down on the sofa. As he sipped his drink, it occurred to him that his wife - oops, ex-wife - Linda had only been to the cabin once, and she’d hated it.
The kids had been really little then, and Linda had constantly fretted, worried that a poisonous spider was going to bite them or a bear would attack them in the woods or some other such nonsense.
It was only now that he realized that it wasn’t anything particular about the cabin she disliked - she just hadn’t been comfortable in the country. Which made sense, as she’d been born and raised in a big city.
Danica, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease. She was nodding to herself as she worked, four or five pans on the stove all going at once, and it wasn’t long before a tantalizing aroma began to fill the cabin.
As the light outside began to fade, Simon brought in a stack of wood for the fireplace and then got that going. Sitting there and staring at the flames, he began to feel pretty good, the whiskey warming his belly.
By the time Danica told him the food was ready, he had a nice little buzz going, and all his earlier problems felt like they were a million miles away.
“Oh wow, this looks amazing,” said Simon as he sat down at the handhewn wooden table.
“Hope you’re hungry,” said Danica with a grin. “Because I made a lot of food.”
“I am,” said Simon, his stomach rumbling with eager anticipation.
The two of them fell to feasting, Simon groaning after every bite because it was all so delicious. Linda had never been one for cooking, usually preferring to order in or pop something frozen into the microwave.
“You like it?” said Danica. “You don’t think the gravy’s too rich?”
“Are you kidding me?” said Simon. “This is the best meal I’ve eaten in years!”
“Gosh, thanks,” said Danica, her cheeks taking on a rosy hue. “Save some room for dessert, though.”
“Wait, what?” said Simon, thunderstruck. “You made dessert, too?”
“Yep, an apple pie,” said Danica. “Without a thermometer, I can’t be sure I got the oven temperature right. But it looked okay when I checked on it.”
“You know what? I am so glad I ran into you today,” said Simon. “You truly are an angel.”
“What? No,” said Danica, making a dismissive gesture with her hand, but he could tell that she was secretly pleased.
Sure enough, the pie turned out perfect, the top golden brown with just the right amount of crunch while the center was warm and ooey-gooey with apple deliciousness.
“Oh my god,” said Simon with a groan after finishing the last bite. “I think my stomach is going to explode.”
“Would’ve been better with some vanilla ice cream on top,” said Danica. “But I’m glad you liked it.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but I need to rest for a minute,” said Simon, getting up and waddling over to the sofa.
“No problem,” said Danica. “I can bring you some coffee in a few minutes if you want.”
“No, no, I just need to digest all this food,” said Simon, sighing with relief as he unbuttoned his pants.