Page 172 of Wayfarers

“Anyway, yeah, my family went a bunch. That was our main way of bathing.”

Sylvie’s nose wrinkles. “That sounds like a pretty ineffective method.”

“It was. Why do you think I was so concerned about how I smelled that first time we met in front of the showers?”

“What’s funny is that was one of the things that kept me from worrying that you were part of that group Dawn was with. They did not seem to care at all about that sort of thing.”

“While I can’t recommend skinny-dipping as a means of personal hygiene, it can be a really good time.”

“That seems like something I should do while I’m young.” Sylvie seems to be turning this over in her mind for a few moments. “I wanna go,” she says finally.

“You absolutely should.”

“Tonight. With you.”

“With me?”

“It sounds like you’re an experienced guide.”

“I guess so. Hey look, for obvious reasons I’m not going to try too hard to talk you out of this.” My pulse has rocketed. “Got a place in mind?”

“I was thinking water.”

Man, I’m going to miss her.

A LITTLE LATER

“Sylvie!”

“What?”

“Did you see that sign?”

“I wasn’t paying attention.”

“It said ‘Crystal Springs State Natural Area.’”

“Yes. There. Let’s go there.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“I guess losing your skinny-dipping virginity in a crystal spring is the goal, right?”

“Ideally you want to in a body of water that sounds like a bottled water brand would be named after it.”

“Get off at the next exit. The great thing about a natural area versus a state park is the natural area won’t have as many rangers patrolling it. Also, the cops are probably tied up with eclipse traffic.”

“Love traveling with a seasoned criminal,” Sylvie says, and her smile tells me she means it.

Knox Naked

We park at the empty trailhead

to Crystal Springs. It’s a quarter mile in,

which isn’t much, but which I know makes it