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Chapter One

Introductions

Erin

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“ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUTthis?”

Peering up at the forest-laden and steep terrain ahead, my eyes widened. The wildlife park had looked glossy enough on the website, but standing at the start of the trail, I wasn’t sure I was capable of overcoming it.

“It looks intense.”

“Oh, come on!” James thrust his fist into the air as though he’d already conquered the challenge. “Stop whining, Erin. This will be fun!”

“Fun?” James clearly had a different idea of a good time to me.

“Excuse him.” Chelle perched on the upturned log beside me. “James is just excited.”

“He’s like a dog with a new toy.” I glanced her way. “How do you put up with him?”

Chelle had been dating James for six months, and their adventurous hikes had been a feature of the budding relationship. I, on the other hand, was single and preferred the treadmill to a trek through the forest, but she was my best friend, and she’d begged me to join her. The fact James had brought his pal, Miles, wasn’t lost on me, either. Chelle had been trying to set me up with a long list of his friends for weeks. Miles was the latest offering.

“I don’t know.” Her lips tugged. “I find his enthusiasm alluring, and I like his upbeat and ‘can-do’ attitude. It’s infectious!”

“Yeah, like the plague...” I shielded my eyes from the sun as she rose and strode toward her lover, fighting the tinge of envy simmering within me.

It had been a long time since I’d been in love, and looking back, I was sure that rush of emotion had only been a surge of rampaging hormones. Staring at Chelle and James together, though, I could see how happy she was. No matter how much he grated on me, he must have been doing something right. She and I had been friends for years and I’d never known her so content.

“Ready for this?” A shadow broke the intensity of the early morning sun, and looking up, I realized Miles was responsible for the reprieve.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “It looks even bigger than it did online.”

I considered offering him a smile but decided against it. I was sure he was a decent guy, but if he was there under the pretense of romance, he’d be sadly disappointed. I wasn’t in the market for a man, and even if I was, the last thing I wanted was to be match-made. Being forced into proximity with him for the next few hours was going to be bad enough.

“I’m sure you’re fit enough to manage the incline.” His lips twitched as though he was tendering a compliment, but his words only jarred.

Was he trying to imply that Iwasn’tfit enough?

Charming!

Any chance of ‘getting to know me better’—which had already been slim—evaporated in that instant.

“Yes, I’m certain I’ll be fine.” Rising to my feet, I put space between us. “Thanks for your concern.”

“I... didn’t mean it like that.” Miles’s brow furrowed as thoughI’dhurthisfeelings. “I was just saying...”

“I said, come on!” James’s holler broke the frosty ambiance. “We have to meet the guide in five minutes.”

“I don’t even know why we have a guide,” Miles mumbled. “We’re perfectly capable of getting through the trees and to the top.”

“It’s for safety, Miles.” Chelle reached down to grab for her backpack. Like the other three, the bag looked fit to burst with equipment. “James thinks of everything.”

“Yeah, right.” Miles glanced my way as though he was expecting me to support his droll tone, but for once, I agreed with James.

“The guide is a good call.” Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I walked away from Miles. “Someone who knows the territory will help us.”

“Bravo, Erin!” James clapped his hands together, his patronizing tone escalating my waning mood. I was only there to support Chelle, but increasingly, the idea of running back to my car looked like a great one. “He’s waiting for us at the bridge.”

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