Page 34 of Love By a Landslide

“Are you all right?” Lucy asked when she finally looked up from destroying her meal, a flush of embarrassment staining her cheeks. “You look a little stressed out.”

“No, I uh.” He thought for a moment. “Bit my tongue a little. That’s all.”

“Oh, ouch. Sorry.” Lucy grimaced as she rose to clean up. “Are you done?”

Jonathan nodded and handed over his also practically-licked-clean plate. She carried them and the dirty utensils over to the creek.

“I assume you have camping soap?”

“Yeah.” Jonathan walked over with a little green bottle. “I can handle the dishes. Go relax by the fire.”

“Nope, sorry. If you didn’t do the cooking, you’d better do the cleaning,” she cooed in a sing-song way that suggested the saying was a regular in her home growing up.

“Are you sure, ’cause I could—”

“Absolutely sure.” She gave him a look that said she meant it. “Besides, I like having some way to contribute.”

“You remember that you’re the one who hired me, though, right?”

“So, take it off my bill.” She waved a dismissive hand and returned to the plates.

“All right, fine. You wash, I’ll dry.” He snagged a small microfiber cloth from his bag and returned to her side. Piece by piece, they cleaned and dried. Lucy also took the opportunity to wash her face and dip her toes in the water one last time before settling in by the fire for the rest of the evening.

Twilight had come and gone. More stars than he could begin to count peppered the black sky as Jonathan handed a can of beer to Lucy and sat down a couple feet away. “I always bring a beer up for each hiker to celebrate on our first night. I had them cooling in the creek, so they’re decently chilled.” He opened the pop-top and took a swig. “And damn refreshing after a long hike.”

Lucy looked at the Rainier with approval. “A little vitamin R. Thank you.” She opened her can and clinked it against Jonathan’s.

They sat together in silence, drinking beer and staring at thefire.

“Mmm. That hits the spot,” she mumbled, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. “Do you wanna play I Never?”

“No.”

“Oh, come on. Why not?”

“Because I’m not fourteen, and this isn’t a slumber party.” Jonathan hoped his lack of eye contact and deadpan would get the point across.

“Ok, fine. I’ll drop it if you do me one favor.”

He was almost afraid to ask. “And that would be?”

“Tell me something about yourself.” She leaned in a little, wiggling her brows like she’d just requested something scandalous. “And make it personal.”

Jonathan looked over at Lucy trying to determine her intentions. Why did people always insist on sharing secrets around a campfire?

He confided in a select few people throughout his adult life, and even then, only when he couldn’t carry the burden alone. Zac and his best friend from college, Benji, were like the brothers he’d always wanted. On numerous occasions, they’d spilled their guts about familial pain points or shitty days. The only other person he trusted with his secrets and emotions was his sister, Frankie. They’d spent a lot of time talking about their dad while he was sick and leaned on each other after. When Cynthia passed, Frankie and Zac stepped up while Jonathan went catatonic. He’d been through big things with Zac, Benji, and Frankie. Life-altering experiences that proved he could trust them. Lucy appeared to be in that category now too after barely escaping the landslide earlier. They were in this predicament together, and while it didn’t quite warrant divulging deep dark secrets, a little something personal seemed reasonable.

“Fine.” He nodded and gazed back into the fire. “I never feelmore at home than when I’m outside. I bought a little house on some property out in Plain a few years back. And my mom still lives in our family home, which is close enough to visit, and I see her often. But neither of those places really feels like home. They feel incomplete . . . Or I feel incomplete when I am there. I don’t know; it’s hard to explain.” Jonathan took a deep breath and glanced upward. “But when I am out here—out in the woods, on a trail, climbing a mountain, walking through a meadow, I feel . . . whole. Like nothing is missing and I’m enough.” He glanced over at Lucy, who was studying him with all the seriousness in the world. “I’m not sure that makes any sense.”

“No, it does. It makes perfect sense.” She gave an encouraging nod. “I live in Seattle, but I don’t belong there, and I don't think the city itself doesn’t want me there. I grew up in rural Oregon. The woods and wide-open space feel more comforting and make a hell of a lot more sense than skyscrapers and bumper-to-bumper traffic.”

Jonathan took in her wistful expression. In the dark, with the firelight dancing across her face and shimmering in her hair, her beauty was magnified. He hadn’t been struck like this by another woman in the better part of a decade. Everything about her tugged at something inside him he’d long thought dead. Something possessive.

Like he wanted to make her his.

Jonathan shook his head.No. Don’t get attached. Life gets too real, too risky, when someone depends on you.

Clearing his throat, he said, “It seems like you get it. I feel complete out here. Well, everywhere except rivers.”

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