Page 7 of Don't Make Me Fall
My phone pings, the tone indictive of a work email.
I glance at the screen.
It’s Tyler.
Of course it is.
My chest hurts seeing his name on the screen. He knows I’m out of the office through Sunday. Before he announced his engagement to Cindy in accounting earlier this week, I wouldhave welcomed any form of communication from him while I was away. But now chucking my phone into a river sounds more appealing than responding to one of his emails.
I put my phone on silent and slip it into my back pocket.
“Everything okay?” Reid asks.
“Yep. Just wedding drama stuff,” I lie.
Winnie flashes me a look that calls bullshit. Or at least I think she does. The flicker in her eyes is quick. Maybe I imagined it. Either way, I’d wager there’s more to this unassumingly sweet woman than she lets on.
“What types of activities do you offer at this lodge, anyway?” I direct the question to my brother but walk up to the counter where Winnie has laid out some brochures. Maybe getting some fresh air would do me some good. Help me clear my head. Or at the very least, allow me to escape reality while I still can. Monday will be here soon enough.
“There’s kayaking, white water rafting, guided hikes, a flight that takes you out to a fire lookout tower, wildlife tours?—”
“I think I’m good on the wildlife front right now,” I admit. “What’s this one?” I point to a brochure showcasing a photo of an epic mountain view, the sun dipping low into the horizon. It looks…peaceful.
“That’s our guided hike to Sunset Point,” Winnie explains.
“Oh, you should definitely do that one,” Reid agrees.
“I didn’t bring hiking shoes,” I admit. “None of us did. We were packed for the beach.”
“There’s the cutest outfitters store in town,” Winne says, pulling something out of a drawer and placing it on the counter. “As a first-time guest of the Cinnamon Creek Lodge, you can get twenty-five percent off your purchases there.”
“Hard to say no to that,” Reid says.
“It’s just a block past the bakery,” Winnie adds. “You should really try one of Ivy’s cupcakes on your way. They’ll change your life.”
“She’s not wrong,” Reid agrees.
“Want to come with me?” I ask my brother. I would ask one of the other ex-bridesmaids, but after last night’s conversation about local activities, I got the distinct impression that none of them hike on purpose. “On the hike?”
“Can’t, I’m afraid.”
“Oh come on. Your favorite sister is only here for a long weekend.”
“You’re myonlysister.”
“The details aren’t important.”
“I’m remodeling our honeymoon suite,” Reid says, his tone hinting at apology. “We have a newly wed couple booked in two weeks. You didn’t exactly give me a lot of notice you were coming.”
“There will be others on the hiking excursion,” Winne reassures me.
This bit of knowledge makes me feel better. If I spend the day surrounded by complete strangers, no one will figure out how pathetic I am for being heartbroken over the boss who led me to believe we had a future together when he was boning Cindy in accounting the whole time. I can pretend to be whoever I want to be.
“You should do it,” Reid encourages.
“You’ll keep an eye on Erin?” I ask him.
“Yes,” he answers without hesitation. Almost as though that were his plan all along. But surely I’m imagining that part. It’s probably just jetlag. Erin is family—to both of us—and has been since she and I were in second grade. “I’ll make sure she eats something, too.”
