Page 18 of Just Act Natural

It’s like I’m being interviewed for that magazine article all over again.

“Probably the marmots.” I know they want something technical—crossing the snow and ice at the top, dealing with thephysical exertion, or the dangers of sudden bad weather. But I’m already enough of a spectacle as it is. I don’t need to give them more fodder.

He chokes on a laugh. “Marmots?”

“They’re a real threat. They’ll chew up anything they find to get to food. One of the guys came back from Whitney to find holes in his tent, his pack decimated, and marmot poop everywhere.”

Thousands of dollars in gear destroyed, all for the sake of a granola bar wrapper. Which reminds me—Lila’s still got one in her pocket.

“Do they have marmots here?” Her question doesn’t sound as casual as she probably intended. Maybe she’s thinking about the wrapper, too.

“Big ones. And they’re mean.” Scott bares his teeth like a chipmunk and waves his crooked fingers as if he’s clawing at her.

Four more days with these guys.He’s harmless and only trying to joke around with her, but I don’t like how she’s become their punchline simply for asking questions.

I shift slightly in front of Lila, blocking her from his bad marmot impression. “I’ve never had issues with them in the Cascades,” I tell her. “Deena and Mitchell would have mentioned it if they were a problem.”

Any animal ransacking their camp would be worth a warning. They’re not even using bear canisters out here, only odor-proof bags—we’re probably safe from curious rodents.

“Do you have any marmot spray on you?” she asks.

I pat down my chest. “I left it at home.”

“I thought you were prepared for everything.”

“Not everything.” I’m not prepared for her, that’s for sure. I could stare at the curl of a smile along her pink lips for the rest of the trip. Shouldn’t, but…could.

“What’s your most memorable climb?” Brian asks. “What’s the one that stands out the most?”

I know my answer before he finishes the question.

“Mount Katahdin, about five years ago.”

“Really? Katahdin’s not a technical climb. More of a walk in the park. You had a hard time on that one?” He looks like he’s about to crow.

This is why I don’t feel like giving them details. Guys like this only want to compare. Even when someone else comes out on top, they’ll find a way to spin it in their favor. There’s no winning.

“It’s not memorable because of the challenge. I met a woman on that climb who gave me some much-needed perspective.” The men bob their eyebrows, but I shake off their suggestive looks. “She was celebrating her cancer going into remission. She’d been battling it for three years, and finally got the all-clear. It was a special moment to witness.”

I was still reeling from the shock of heartbreak when I tackled that mountain. I’d been in a fog of regret, and wanted the physical exertion to numb my emotions. That day, I didn’t care about the sights, the experience, or even checking another mountaintop off my list—I wanted the mental escape.

But she conquered the climb as a testament to possibility, and how beautiful life can be despite our setbacks. She smiled the whole way, in awe she had the chance to experience it.

Watching her glory in being alive shook me out of my pity party. I’d gone up a heartsick fool, and come down…well, I like to hope a slightly wiser fool.

“You asked what stands out,” I say. “That one does.”

“Okay, what’s your mostchallengingclimb?” Scott asks.

I shrug. “Denali, I guess.”

“Whoa.”

Denaliisan impressive accomplishment, but it doesn’tstand out in my mind like that day on Katahdin. Sometimes the heart of the climb is more important than the technical details.

“Here’s a tip.” Brian sounds like he’s ready to whip out a whiteboard and teach a class. “Always lead with the more impressive one.”

“He did,” Lila says at my side.

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