Page 5 of Crossed Paths
Her gaze flickers, and for a second, I think I’ve caught something in it but then it’s gone, and her expression smooths.
“Hunter,” she replies, with a small nod.
There’s a pause. Not awkward. Just stretched. Loaded. Years and silences and maybes hanging in the air between us.
“Did Peter promise you cake or threaten to revoke your Netflix if you didn’t show?” I ask, keeping my tone light.
That earns me the tiniest twitch of her lips. “Neither. He just wore me down.”
“Persistent, isn’t he?”
“Like a rash.”
I grin. “Well, I’m glad he was irritating enough to get you here. You look…” I stop myself before I go too far.Beautifulfeels like too much. Too obvious. “You look like you needed the fresh air.”
Another flicker of a smile. It’s there—small, reluctant, but real.
It’s not a laugh. Not yet.
Nancy claps her hands together and steps forward, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Alright! Thanks for turning out. We’ll be heading up to the Three Oaks this morning—it’s a gentle climb, nothing too dramatic. Lovely spot to stop for lunch, gorgeous view over the village, and then we’ll loop back down on the east path.”
A murmur of agreement goes around the group as people start adjusting rucksacks and zipping up jackets.
I glance sideways at Alex. She’s chewing the inside of her cheek, scanning the route ahead like she’s calculating survival odds.
“You alright?” I ask.
She hesitates. “Just wondering if I’ll make it past the first stile without wheezing.”
I arch a brow. “You’re worried about fitness?”
“I run a pub,” she says dryly. “The most walking I do is from the bar to the cellar and back again. Uphill isn’t usually involved.”
“Well,” I say, slinging my rucksack a little higher, “lucky for you, I happen to be an excellent walking companion.”
“You don’t have to stay with me,” she says quickly. “You’re ridiculously fit. You should be leading the pack or bounding ahead with the other golden retrievers.”
I laugh. “I’m not here for a personal best. I’m here for the air, the view, and the company. And anyway, walking slower is just what I need. Helps me actually see things.”
She tilts her head, studying me like she’s trying to figure out what I’m playing at.
“I mean it,” I add, softer this time. “Let me walk with you.”
She doesn’t smile right away—but she nods. Just once.
And as the group begins to move up the trail, side by side, I match her pace.Right. Let’s get that laugh.
Chapter 3
Alexandra
The path curves gentlyuphill, wide enough for two, but not by much. We walk side by side, saying nothing at first, just listening to the crunch of our boots and the distant chatter of the group ahead.
They’re slowly stretching away from us—not that I’m in any rush to catch up. I’m too busy trying to keep my breathing quiet and steady. Hunter doesn’t say anything about the pace, just adjusts to mine without fuss, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
It’s… oddly comforting.
