At Any Price(113)

“Perfect, so am I.”

Fuck. I should have known he would say that. As always, he’d thought a few steps ahead of me and had been ready.

“I would only slow you down on a run,” I said, anxious to evade this.

Adam smiled, gazing into my eyes knowingly. “It would be fun. Do you know of any great views?”

Mom, of course, had to put her two cents in. “Why don’t you take him up to that vista spot you love so much?”

Sometimes I wish I could tell her to shut the hell up. I gritted my teeth and darted Adam a murderous look. He looked supremely satisfied, like a bear that had just dug into a picnic basket.

An hour later, I was in my room changing into my running gear when my mom knocked on the door and came in. “Did I put you on the spot back there? Are you okay with taking him out for a run?”

I hesitated. Here was my chance to back out. Maybe I could tell her I thought Adam looked suspicious, like I didn’t feel comfortable being alone with him. That second half, at least, was true. But it might make Mom suspect something and I’d really prefer she not find out the truth. Beyond that, Adam would know why I’d bowed out and he’d already called me a coward once. My pride was on the line. And lastly, that curiosity beast was nipping at my thoughts, asking endless questions. Likely I’d be able to get some answers when we were alone. I shrugged noncommittally. “Sure.”

“Mia, I don’t know what’s been up with you lately, but can I ask you to put in a little extra effort with this guest? He’s a CEO for a company down in Orange County and he’s mentioned possibly doing some retreats up here for his employees. I know you don’t schmooze, but just…you know, turn on your sunny personality. I know it’s in there somewhere.”

“Yeah, sure,” I grunted, already preoccupied with what this run was going to entail.

There was no way I was going to outrun him. I’d seen him move, after all, and he was like a human cheetah. Maybe I could lose him on one of the upper trails, but Mom might get pissed at having her first cabin guest after the renovation dying of dehydration while wandering the barren hills of the Cahuilla Mountains in search of an oasis. Maybe I could get away with just pushing him into a cactus patch.

I resigned myself to the fact that I was stuck with him for the run, but that didn’t mean I had to be nice to him.

We set off along the edge of our property into the long shadows of early evening in midsummer. I had a snakebite kit strapped in a fanny pack around my waist and a six-foot, two-hundred-pound shadow clipping closely at my heels. I scooted over to the far right on the trail, hoping he’d go around and ahead. His legs were longer and his stride much bigger than mine so he’d be free to open up if he were in front.

However, having to stare at his muscular back and rear, his gorgeously cut legs in his running shorts was not my first choice either. I just needed him off my heels.

After a few beats, he moved to go around me but then matched his pace with mine. I was going at a good clip, which ended up being an easy jog for him. He wasn’t even breaking a sweat.

As soon as we were out of view of the house, I stopped, bent, and put my hands on my knees. He stopped, too, and of course he wasn’t even winded. Asshole.

“What’s wrong?” he said.

And I straightened, shooting him a death glare. “What’s wrong? How about you being here in the first place?”

He handed me his water bottle, which I waved away and his eyes took on that mischievous, calculated look of his. “I don’t suppose you’d believe it was a coincidence?”

I shook my head. “Why are you here?”

He took a long swig from his water bottle. “Can’t we at least walk while we talk?”

I dramatically swept my arms toward the path in front of us as if to sarcastically say, “After you.”

He started to walk and he again matched his pace to mine so that we walked shoulder to shoulder.

“I talked to Heath last week,” he said in answer to my question.

My fists tightened at my sides. “He needs to mind his own fucking business.”

Adam shot me a look and then focused again on the trail. We were gaining some elevation now, moving to a higher vantage point where we would be able to look down on the little valley that contained my mom’s ranch and the neighboring properties. At sunset, the sky was incomparably beautiful, all magentas and purples against the ruddy desert sand. I came up here often at this time of day to calm myself, to try and ease my troubled thoughts of the day. I’d been doing it for years. And now I was taking Adam to my special spot. The flame of irritation singed me.