Page 22 of Fragile Heart

“Do you know of any places I can hike? I miss being outdoors, but I’m not sure where to go.”

“Oh, yeah.” I name a handful of places he can hike in our area. I’ve been to all of them, so I rate them best to worst and pull up a map on my phone and show him which ones are the closest.

“Would you want to go with me?”

“Me?” I ask, my voice higher than I wanted it to be.

“Yeah. When’s your next day off?”

“Tomorrow,” I say slowly, still thinking this is some kind of joke. Why would Hudson Porter want to go hiking with me? I didn’t even think he liked being around me.

I watch as he pulls out his phone. After a few seconds of staring at something, he says, “Perfect. It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow. I have the day off, too, so we can get back to our day shoots on Monday.” I sit stunned for a beat too long because he looks up at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Wouldn’t you rather go hiking with Vaughn or someone?”

He grunts a laugh. “Vaughn doesn’t hike.”

“Oh. Um, I guess I thought you hated me.” Might as well just get it all out in the open.

He looks at me, a little surprised. “I don’t hate you, I just. . .” he trails off.

“You just?”

“I just don’t know how someone can be so fucking happy all the time.”

An awkward laugh comes out of me. This has to be a first for me. Usually, people are drawn to my happiness. “Is that a bad thing?”

“I’m just not used to it, I guess.”

“You’re sure you want to spend your day off hiking with me?” I question, giving him another opportunity to change his mind.

“I don’t know anyone else here.”

Ouch. Ok, so he just needs someone to go with him because he doesn’t know anyone else. That’s fine. I can do that. I can be a temporary fill-in friend for him.

“So, you in?” he asks again.

I nod. “Yeah, sure.” I give him my number so he can text me about the time. I don’t ask for his number, and he doesn’t offer it.

“I should probably go home and sleep, but I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says as he rinses his plate and puts it in the dishwasher. I watch him in disbelief that he’s in my apartment washing his dishes. What alternate reality am I living in right now?

“Oh. . . ok,” I stutter.

I walk him out and close the door behind him, pressing my back against it and still in a little shock. The hottest guy I’ve ever seen wants to go hiking with me. Sure, maybe because I’m the only one who’s talked to him, but still. I let out a breath. What have I gotten myself into?

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