"How Did You Get Home ?"

"I'm so sorry to have left you stranded like that Deb but Charlotte was so angry, she insisted we pack up and leave right that minute without even looking for you and Max !"

They were back in the small office office of their fledgling consultancy on Monday morning. Unlike when Carol had last seen her, Debbi was fully clothed in her formal business suit and every inch the professional woman. "Where were you anyway ?" Carol continued.

"I was so confused to wake up in the morning with that jerk Max next to me in the tent, then it all came back to me" Debbi began. " I didn't want to stay in the tent, so thought I'd get an early shower before other people on the site started to get up. Of course, I woke up Max getting out of my sleeping bag and trying to put my knickers back on. He insisted on coming to the showers with me, said he'd guard my clothes. Such as they were; one pair of knickers and my sandals."

"But it shouldn't have taken that long ? It took us a while to pack up all the tents and camping gear. Charlotte was quite happy for you to come back with us but not Max. She said he could take an uber for all she cared, she was done with him. But then when you didn't come back, she insisted we weren't going to wait any longer. So I just left your bag with your phone and stuff after we'd taken down your tent and Charlie just threw Max's stuff all around" Carol explained.

"Yeah, it was a hell of a surprise when we got back" said Debbi. "But what took you so long at the showers ?" Carol repeated. "Well, Max hadn't thought to bring his towel and mine was nicked as you know. So there I was dripping wet again like the night before. Not that that mattered over much. But we ran into that creep Stanford outside. Well, I say ran into him; I reckon he was staking the place out. Anyway, he said it was such a nice morning again and he was hoping to get early morning glimpses of the wildlife for his camera and why didn't we join him on his nature walk."

"With you just wearing your knickers ?" Carol grinned. "Yeah, exactly" confirmed Debbi. "So, of course, I said no way. But they kept on about how it was early, there wouldn't be many people on the trail and so on. Then they went on about pumas and stuff if I went back to the camp on my own."

"So you went for another nature hike ?" Carol was openly laughing now. "Well, at least my hair and skin began to air dry" Debbi answered defensively. "And did you bump into any other people ?"

"A whole bunch of them as it happened. I tried to sort of hide myself in between Max and Stanford but they would stop and chat with everyone ! Anyway, by the time we got back to the camp we were shocked to see you'd gone."

"So, what did you think ?" Carol was eager to know. "Max kind of guessed what had happened" Debbi replied. "Did he seem bothered ?" asked Carol. "Not in the least, other than how were we going to get home. He told me that being with Charlotte had run its course but he didn't seem exactly broken up about it. I reckon he thinks he's got a chance with me but that's never going to happen" Debbi affirmed.

Carol was delighted at the success of her plan because Charlotte had spent the Sunday evening at home phoning around her same age college friends and organising a double date. "I hope Charlie's not mad at me ?" said Debbi, who had always got on well with Carol's daughter. "I wasn't throwing myself at Max or anything" she added. "She'll get over it" Carol reassured her. "But what happened then ?"

"So, we talked about calling for an uber. Though it'd cost a bomb from there. But Stanford said we could go home with him but he wasn't leaving until early evening."

"And you spent all day in just your knickers ?" Carol laughed. "Tell me about it" Debbi snorted. "And they insisted on going all the way down to the lake because we never got there on Saturday. Where of course they wanted me to go skinny dipping."

"And did you ?" "Well, you know how hot it was yesterday" Debbi confirmed defensively. "God knows how many photos of me that perv Stanford ended up with !"

"Oh well, you have been looking for dares to indulge your exhibitionist kink" Carol reminded her. "OK but not with people I sort of know like Max and Stanford" Debbi protested. "Oh god, I hope Derek wasn't offended ?" she suddenly thought. Carol laughed again. "He knows you well enough by now Deb. He calls you his naughty little sister ! So Stanford drove you both home ?"

"Eventually" said Debbi. "With me sitting in the front next to him. And a burger takeaway on the way back, though they had the sense to go to the drive through rather than expecting me to go inside in just my knickers."

"Well, again, sorry about all that Deb" repeated Carol, not looking at all sorry. "By the way, have you seen this ?" She showed Debbi a news item on her screen. 'Great puma hoax exposed. Images were AI generated from photos of domestic cats !'

"Oh, and while I think of it......" Carol grinned as she reached below her desk for a bag with Debbi's clothes and her towel from the weekend !