“Oh, man, I hope this works out…for my sake.” I stood behind Simon as we watched the four become two pairs as they parted ways by the
bedroom doors.
“Why for your sake?” he whispered, turning his face just a little to be inches from mine.
“Because right now, behind those doors? Sophia and Mimi are trying to figure out the best way to hurt me. Physical y hurt me,” I sighed,
backing away to rinse the last of the coffee cups and place them in the dishwasher.
Simon added the soap and switched it on. As we walked around, turning lights off for the night, we talked about the hike we’d be taking
tomorrow.
“You’re not gonna slow me down, are you?” he teased.
I shoved him into the wal . “Please, you wil be eating my trail dust tomorrow, bucko,” I warned, grabbing my bag and heading for the bedrooms.
“We’l see, Nightie Girl. Speaking of, got any nighties in there for me?” He poked his hand into my bag as he fol owed me down the hal .
“Stay outta there. Nothing for you in there, or anywhere for that matter.” I stopped at the room I was taking.
He went past me to the room next door. “Look at that, sharing a bedroom wal once again.” He smirked.
“Wel , I know you’re in there alone, so I’d better not hear any banging,” I warned, leaning in the doorway.
“No, no banging. ’Night, Caroline,” he said softly, leaning in his own doorway.
“’Night, Simon,” I answered, giving him a little waggle of my fingertips as I closed my door. I placed my bag on my bed and smiled.
“Come on, guys, not that much farther,” I yel ed behind me as I surged up the final leg of the trail. We’d been hiking for about two hours now,
and while everyone stayed together for a while, in the last thirty minutes or so, Ryan had slowed considerably, and Neil hung back with him. Simon
and I kept the pace together, and were about to reach the crest of the trail.
I’d managed to avoid being alone with Sophia or Mimi, although the puffy eyes and tired faces on al four of them proved no one had gotten a
good night’s sleep—except Simon and me.
After breakfast, I dodged the firing squad by changing quickly and waiting outside for the boys before the hike. I knew once I returned to the
house I’d be in for it, although I admit I was curious to see how they were planning to rage without acknowledging that sleeping with the guys they’d
been seeing for weeks now was not, in fact, what they wanted to do.
But as Simon had said, “Here’s to things staring you in the face.” Tonight should be interesting.
I pushed up and over the last little ridge and made it to the top. Simon was only a few yards behind me, and I could hear him on his way. I
breathed deep, the clear air prickling at my lungs. It was chil y, but I was warm with exertion. It had been a while since I’d gotten out of the city, and
my body had missed hiking like this. My legs were burning, my nose was running, I was sweating like a pig, and I couldn’t remember when I’d felt
better. I laughed out loud as I looked down at the lake below, spying a few hawks gliding on a downdraft. The steely blue of the lake, the deep green
of the forest, the clean whites and creams of the rocks: it was beautiful.
And then there was my new favorite blue. Simon appeared at my side, breathing as deeply as I was. He stretched his arms wide and took in
the val ey below. He’d peeled off layers as we climbed and was now wearing a white T-shirt with a flannel knotted at his waist. Khaki shorts, hiking
boots, and a wide grin completed the wet dream I now stared at, instead of looking at the natural wonders al around us. And those blue eyes—I
could see them framing each shot as he looked around.
“Beautiful,” I breathed, and he turned to me. I got caught staring. “I mean, isn’t it beautiful?” I stuttered, gesturing widely with my arm.
He appeared to know exactly what I’d been doing, and I felt the blush come up in my cheeks. Luckily, I was stil a bit winded from the climb, and
I hoped I was already sufficiently red.
“Yes, it is beautiful actual y. Very beautiful.” He smiled, and we stared at each other. He took a few steps closer, and I felt the air shift and
change. I bit my lip. He ran his hand through his hair. We smiled. There were no words, but even the woodland animals could tel there was
something about to happen and wisely stayed in their hidey holes.
“Hi,” he said quietly.
“Hi,” I answered.
“Hi,” he said again, taking one last step toward me and stepping inside my little circle. One more step and he’d be practical y on top of me.
And how.
“Hi,” I said once more, tilting my head to the side and letting him know he could take that last step.