Page 44 of Just Act Natural

Her eyebrows tug together like she’s about to ask me why I’m sounbotheredagain. The truth is, I’m completely bothered. No way on earth can I pretend this morning never happened.Waking up with her in my arms is burned into my memory. I’d like to relive it again, as soon as conveniently possible.

But since she’s already asking me to forget about it, I need coffee. Breakfast. Anything to get me out of this tent.

“No, thanks. I’ll just…” She looks around the tiny space. Finding nothing to occupy her, she sags deeper into her sleeping bag. “I need five more minutes.”

“Is this hurkle-durkling?”

“Half hurkle-durkling, half dying of embarrassment.”

“You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about.”

She laughs. “I practically drooled on your face.”

“Very few men would complain about that.”

She makes a sound like an angry bear cub and swings her hand over her shoulder, shooing me away. “Go get your coffee. Let me drown in regret.”

“That hurts, princess.” That word pinches something deep in my chest, but she doesn’t need to know I mean it literally. Certain words and phrases become sore spots when you’ve been left at the altar.Regret.Mistake. I can’t do this.

I love you, but I’m not in love with you.

I shake myself out of cataloging my trigger words and climb from the tent, leaving Lila to her regrets. I have none.

But if I stay in here any longer, I just might.

By design, the hike back to the pick-up point is the shortest leg of the trip. Lila gives no indication we woke up in each other’s arms this morning. If anything, I get the feeling she’s trying to distract me by giving voice to every thought that comes into her head. She comments on the clouds of bugs in the air, how lucky it is her hiking boots didn’t give her blisters this week, and herplans for decimating Sunshine’s water supply as soon as she gets home.

“I’m going to take a shower and use up all the hot water. When the tank warms back up, I’m going to do it all over again.” She groans softly. “Withsoap.”

“Soap? Aren’t you fancy.”

“Then, I’m going to sleep in my comfy, cozy bed. The refrigerator’s ice maker clanging around will be the only spooky sound to keep me awake at night.”

“You’ve been bothered by sounds out here?” It can take a while to get used to sleeping out in the open. I don’t like the idea she was afraid in her tent and never said anything.

“There’s a million things in the woods, and all of them make noise. I only slept well last night because?—”

Her gaze darts to mine. She closes her mouth, clearly rethinking the end of that sentence.

“Because?” I prompt.

She shrugs. “It didn’t feel as spooky when you were there.”

My chest puffs up as though I actually defended her from wild animals.

When we reach the parking lot we started from a few days ago, the Horizon Hikes twelve-seater van already waits for us. A teenage girl jumps out of the driver’s side and runs over to hug Deena and Mitchell.

“You’re supposed to be at grandma’s,” Mitchell says.

“I know, but I figured I’d give Curtis a break.” She’s trying to play it cool, but she can’t stop looking over at Lila. “Because I’m such a good employee.”

Deena laughs. “You’re on thin ice, miss.”

The girl puts her hands together, silently pleading.

Mitchell opens the back of the van and helps load our gear while Deena leads her over to us. The teen looks like she might burst from glee.

“Lila, this is our daughter, Skye. She apparently only mostly-legally drove the van here so she could meet you.”

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