Page 69 of In this Moment

Maybe hanging out with the ladies wouldn’t be so bad after all. They were obviously determined to make her laugh and Evie could do with a little laughter rightnow.

“Just let me get my stuff ready.”

“All you need are your hiking boots.” Gwen held out her packed bag. “We took care of it. Trustus.”

She wasn’t sure how they could have pulled it all together so quickly, but she did trust them. And even if she didn’t have everything she needed, it was only one night, afterall.

Evie shrugged. “Well then, I guess let’sgo.”

The women jumped into action and practically carried her into the car. Milena was behind the wheel, driving them to the trailhead. She barely even looked out the window. Any other time she might have asked more questions, but as it was, she was just too tired to care much. Sure, the girls were making her smile, and even as they started hiking down the trail, she laughed once or twice. But just beneath the smiles and the laughter, Evie was fighting back tears.

Never in her life had she felt such a profound sense of loss as she felt without Declan beside her. Especially the moment she realized they were on the exact same trail that she’d taken him backpacking on not that long ago. On the night they laid under the stars and made love for the firsttime.

A sob caught in her throat.

“Are you okay?” Jade grabbed her hand, but Evie nodded and lookedaway.

She’d be fine. She would have to be. Sooner or later, she would have to create new memories. It might as well be sooner.

“It’ll be okay.” Jade gave her hand a squeeze. “I know it doesn’t seem like it right now. But I promise you, it’ll beokay.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I am.” Jade grinned. “I’m definitely right aboutthis.”

They walked for a few more minutes and Evie actually found herself relaxing into the hike. She didn’t talk, but she didn’t have to because the other women kept them entertained, engaging Jonah in conversation and laughter, a fact Evie was beyond grateful for. But as they got closer, Evie recognized the final curve in the trail before they’d break out of the tree line and into the clearing where they would set upcamp.

Her heart sank when she saw the smoke from afire.

As much as she wasn’t looking forward to being in the same spot where she’d camped with Declan, the idea that they couldn’t also made her sad. She wasn’t making any sense atall.

“It looks like someone might be in that spot,” Evie said as she came alongside Milena. “Maybe if we go a little farther up the trail, we can find anotherspot?”

“I don’t think so,” Milena answered cheerfully.

“What do youmean?”

“Oh,” she said. “I don’t think we’ll need to go up the trail. I think this is the perfect spot righthere.”

Evie shook herhead.

“Don’t you think so?” Milena pointed ahead of her on the trail and stepped to the side so Evie had a clear view of the campsite. And the camper who had set up in theirspot.

She froze, her feet planted on the trail. She shook her head, not believing what shesaw.

Finally, the camper took a step toward her and she opened her mouth, her voice barely a whisper. “Declan.”

He watched as she came up the trail. He watched as she saw him for the first time, and then when finally his name formed on her lips. It wasn’t until then that Declan took a step towardher.

The other women fell back a few feet with Jonah, leaving her standing alone.

Evie stared at him as though she were seeing a ghost, but when he took another step toward her, and then another, she didn’t backaway.

“Hey,” he said when he was in front ofher.

“Hey.”

“I heard you were going camping.”

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