Page 16 of Mess With Me
“Where should I put this?” she asked, wringing out her white shirt.
He forced himself to focus. “I got it.” He spread it over a rock he knew would have full sun for a while longer.
“Last one there’s gotta jump in the lake!” she said, grabbing her pack and taking off.
He shook his head. That would be a several-hundred-foot dive into the lake, but he had to admire her fortitude. He grabbed his pack, the huge hat she forgot, and caught up with her easily. He could hear their group, now cheerfully talking after their refreshing water war, but he couldn’t see them. They really should catch up.
“You want a piggyback ride to the summit?” he asked, setting her hat on her head. “It’s no problem. You’ll keep the sun off my back.”
She frowned. “Maybe we should’ve put my wet shirt on your back for sun protection.”
“Nah, I’ve got a good tan from the summer, I’m used to it. Besides, we’ll be back in the shade trees before you know it.”
Her gaze dropped to his chest and then lower before jerking back to his eyes, her cheeks flushing pink. “You’re so…” She cleared her throat. “I mean, dang, I’m so embarrassed how much more fit you are than me.”
She wants me.
“Everyone starts somewhere.” He strapped his pack on backwards onto his chest, turned and bent down. “Climb on.”
“I weigh more than a hundred pounds, you know.”
He glanced at her over his shoulder. She was staring at his back and he couldn’t tell if she was tempted to climb on or just checking him out some more. “I’m aware fully grown adults normally do.”
“You’re saying you can hike with a hundred pounds on your back?”
“I could do more. Come on. We’re losing daylight.”
She walked around to stand in front of him. “I want to be you when I come back as a tough guy.”
He laughed and sprang to his feet.
She waved him on. “Keep going, tough guy. I’ll do this my own way. Slow, but I’ll get there.”
He tweaked her hat. “Slow and steady has a lot of integrity.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“I’ll wait for you at the summit. If you’re not there within a half hour, I’m coming back for you.”
“There won’t be a search and rescue, geez!” She adjusted her hat and spoke through her teeth. “I…can…do…this.”
He put his palms up and headed back on the trail at his usual pace. Far be it from him to get in the way of a determined woman. He admired the hell out of her grit.
He caught up with the group, keeping his ears open for the sound of a determined woman collapsing on the trail behind him. Next thing he knew, they were in the clearing at the summit. The view took his breath away like always—blue sky as far as the eye could see, the wide expanse of lake reflecting the sky, the surrounding trees lit with afternoon sun in an explosion of colors—green, yellow, red, and orange. He inhaled deeply, at peace. Moments like this he believed, contrary to all of his experiences, that the world was a good place.
He turned back to the trail and looked for Ally. Several minutes passed in silence except for the sound of the group behind him eating and joking around. They often ate a healthy snack at the halfway point. He’d wait for Ally to eat his. He’d brought two apples, one for him, one for her.
He heard her before he saw her, her feet heavy like she was trudging along. It took everything he had not to scoop her up to give her some relief.
Finally she came into view. The moment she saw him, her face broke into a wide smile and she threw her arms in the air. “I did it!”
“Sure did,” he managed over the lump in his throat. Her small victory touched him for reasons he couldn’t comprehend. It wasn’t likehedid anything. He was just so happy for her.
She made her slow way over to him. “I guess I’m the one who has to jump in the lake.”
“Nah. Much too big a fall. C’mon.” He jerked his head for her to follow. When they reached the best viewing spot, almost but not quite at the edge, he whispered, “Check it out. Your reward for all that hiking.”
She sucked in air. “Oh! It’s just like you described. Breathtakingly beautiful.”
