Page 32 of The Grumpy Side of Paradise

So, maybe I still have something to believe in?

Chapter 16

Adam

The thing about blowing up at my brother is that I feel better than I have in months. Am I embarrassed that I lost my cool in front of Evie? Sure. But Zach has always known when to nudge my pressure valve to release. I let off a lot of steam, but I didn’t explode, which is where I was headed if I’d kept everything in much longer.

Don’t get me wrong. I meant it when I told Zach I hadn’t forgiven him. It’s going to take more than a big blow-up for me to get over everything my brother’s done to me. But at least now, spending the rest of the day with him won’t be torture.

Evie undoes her seatbelt and slides across the back seat to point out the opposite window. “Are those deer over there?” She asks, which are the first words she’s said pretty much since she told us to shut up.

Zach leans close to me to follow the trajectory of her pointed finger. “Yes, they are. Good eye. Mule deer, it looks like.”

I glance out the window at the top of the hill, but I can’t keep my eyes off the road long enough to see them.

“There’s a trail there.” Zach points to a dirt road, and I make a sharp turn to follow it. Evie flies across the truck, a victim of inertia.

“Sorry about that.” I just keep making good impressions.

“I’m fine.” Evie pushes herself upright and clutches the emergency handle as I make my way down the rocky road.

When my truck can’t go any further without risking serious undercarriage damage, I pull to the side and park. I grab my parka and slide out the door. “We’ve got to move fast, but quiet so the deer don’t run.” I shoot a warning look at Zach.

“What? I’m quiet.” He opens his door, and my stainless Yeti rolls out, hitting the rocky ground with a loud clank.

I raise an eyebrow. “That’s why Dad quit taking you with us when we went shed hunting.” I open Evie’s door and help her out. “The deer need to store all their energy for winter. They live on their fat reserves once there’s snow cover. If we move too fast or make too much noise, they run, which uses up their reserves. Then they starve when the snow gets too deep to find food.”

“Got it,” she whispers and silently slides out of the truck.

For a city girl, I’ve got to hand it to her. She catches on fast. She also looks good in Mom’s parka. It brings out the darker shades of blue in her eyes.

Which is not important. Definitely not something that will help us find antlers. What we’ll need for that is luck. Especially with Zach around. He tosses the yeti back into my truck, then slams the door shut. The sound echoes over the hills.

I take a deep breath and quietly shut my door.

“Whew, it’s chilly out here.” Zach stamps his feet and rubs his arms like this is the first time he’s been to the mountains surrounding Paradise in the fall.

Evie presses her mittened hand to her lips, shushes Zach, then shoots me athis guylook.

As soon as she looks away, I grin. She gets it.

I take a couple pairs of binoculars from the storage box in my truck bed. One pair goes to Evie, and the other pair I sling around my neck.

“What about me?” Zach asks. Not in a whisper.

“You should have brought your own. I only brought enough for the people who were invited.”

Evie huffs a laugh, and Zach glares at me. “Cold, bro. Real cold.”

My grin threatens to return, so I zip up my coat all the way to my mouth. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Except, I made Evie laugh. It’s been a while since I’ve made anyone laugh. Even a little. Maybe that’s why it takes a minute to get my grin under control.

When I finally do, I point to an outcropping of rocks. “Deer like to stay on the other side of that ridge.” I press the binoculars to my eyes for a closer look. “They’re protected from the wind and the snow doesn’t get as heavy.”

“Can we get there?” Evie scans the hillside through her binoculars.

“Not easily. Which is also why they like that spot. Harder for hunters to reach.” My eyes dart to her, ready for a reaction at the mention of hunting. I never met a New Yorker who didn’t flinch at the idea. But Evie just nods. “You ready for a hike?”

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