Page 19 of Wrong Turn, Right Bear
But I overheard the guy introducinghimself as Romey and explaining Ash would be leading the hike and he was waiting at the trailhead.
“Excuse me. I didn’t book but is there room for one more?”
Romey checked his list and nodded, and after I scanned the QR code and paid, he said, “Jump in.”.
Now we were on our way to Ash, anxiety gnawed at my insides. What had I done? I should have arranged to meet him at the lake and explain my decision. Instead I was turning up when he was working. That wasn’t fair but it was too late to bail unless I opened the door and jumped out.
If I waited until everyone else got out, I could hide and pretend I wasn’t here. But the pesky driver would know I was. This was a huge mistake, one in a long line.
Romey didn’t drive close to the hotel I’d stayed at previously. But drove further up the lake.
“Hope you’ve packed snacks and got plenty of water,” he said over his shoulder. “It’ll be a long morning if you haven’t.”
Everyone had. I had my water bottle and probably a squashed cereal bar at the bottom of my pack but nothing else. I didn’t even have the damned hiking boots and was wearing sneakers. What happened to the boots? Shit I wasn’t prepared for a half-day hike. Who did that?
The van slowed, close to where a small group was gathered. I was the last to get out and of course Romey had to announce he’d picked up an extra person.
The crowd parted and Ash stood at the other end, facing me.
“You.”
TEN
ASH
“You!”
I had to be imagining my mate’s face. He’d left days ago, leaving a Theo-shaped hole in my life. My heart would never be whole but in time, I’d piece it together. There was a Japanese saying about when something was broken and put back together it was more beautiful and unique than the original.
I wasn’t sure I could say the same about my heart but I would survive.
But now I was hallucinating. Not a good sign.
Theo, or pretend Theo, strode toward me, hand outstretched, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
“Hi. I didn’t book but Romey said it was okay if I joined the hike today.”
“That’s… that’s f-fine.”
“Thanks so much. I’m looking to change my life and this seemed like a great way to do it.”
What did I make of that? There was no correct response to what he said so I mumbled something about being in nature always giving people time to think.
I took note of his shoes. Not the boots that had started a chain of events none of us could have foreseen. If it weren’t for them, Theo might have stayed and we could have muddled through our… courtship or whatever humans called it. But I had his boots, they were close to my bed and I blew them a kiss every night.
“You’ll need water and snacks.”
“Great.” He retreated to the back of the group, keeping his head down.
I was so discombobulated that the welcome spiel I gave to every group and had memorized years ago came out accompanied by splutters and stops and me repeating half the words.
We started off with me at the front, pointing out the bluffs and the legends around the pine trees. I explained how ancient the forest was and people asked questions.
I walked backward while talking to the small group and Theo had his eyes on me but dipped his head when I snuck a look at him. Getting him alone wasimpossible until we stopped for a break or for people to snap pics. But we needed more than five or ten minutes and being surrounded by people wasn’t ideal.
Theo took out his water bottle and chugged down the liquid. Some escaped and dribbled over his chin. How I longed to scoop them up with my fingers or even lap them.
Shit, my cock was swelling. I couldn’t have a hard on while leading a tour group. I thought of anything that might lessen the swelling. Baby poop, not flushing the toilet, dirty feet in the bed and someone picking their nose. That did it. My arousal deflated.
