Chapter Eight
Aspen
When we arrive at the top after a hike that’s left me nearly breathless, my eyes grow wide and my mouth falls open in awe. I immediately forget how tiring the climb up was.
“Gorgeous, huh?” Maddox says softly, his voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might shatter the beauty surrounding us.
I nod, eagerly taking in the view. We’re standing at the top of one of Fog Harbor’s cliffs, surrounded by a dense forest that opens into a small clearing in front of us. The lake below glimmers under the moonlight, its surface reflecting the myriad of fairy lights strung along the buildings that dot the shoreline.
In the distance, the harbor comes into view. Sailing boats and dinghies bob gently on the water, their outlines faint against the dark expanse.
Maddox steps closer, his arm lightly brushing against mine, and I can feel the warmth radiating from him. My heart expands in my chest.
“I come here whenever I need to clear my head,” he says, his gaze fixed on the tranquil lake below. “Makes me realize how small we really all in the grand scheme of things.”
I turn to look at him and smile. “It sure is humbling. And peaceful.”
“Want to sit and enjoy the view?”
“I do.”
We sit down in the grass, our backs leaning against a big rock that offers just the right amount of support.
“You know, my brother owns the campground just behind those trees,” he says, motioning to the forest behind us. “That trail we took is so remote that almost no one knows about it. My brother calls it his private pathway to the lake.”
“A campground, huh?”
“Yeah,” he continues. “We used to spend our summers there when we were kids. It was our little escape from the world. We’d explore the woods, swim in the lake, and tell ghost stories by the fire. Those were some of the best times of my life. When the land went up for sale, my brother didn’t hesitate. He bought it without blinking and turned it into a campground for nature lovers.”
I laugh. “Are there other types of campgrounds than those for nature lovers?”
“You’d be surprised. Actually, this woman he claims to hate has bought the land adjacent to his and is turning it into a small-scale glamping resort. My brother thinks glamping is an abomination. He’s all about going back to the basics.”
“I thought camping was pretty basic already.”
“Yeah, I’m talking no hot water, no WiFi, no electricity, cooking over an open fire… His campground is all about roughing it. The campgrounds don’t even have proper bathrooms—just composting toilets and makeshift showers from water collected from the stream that runs along the edge of his property. It’s as close to living off the land as you can get without completely going off the grid.”
“I wouldn’t mind unplugging once in a while, but it does sound intense.”
Maddox smiles. “It sure isn’t for everyone, but for those who love to unplug, it’s paradise. They get to experience the wilderness in its purest form. But the whole glamping thing? My brother thinks it’s just a way for people to pretend they’re camping without giving up their luxuries, hence his ongoing rivalry with Piper.”
I frown. “Is she the woman who bought the land to set up the glamping resort?”
“Yeah, and he claims he hates her because of it, but I think he’s secretly got a crush on her.” Maddox chuckles. “He’d never admit it, though.”
As I tilt my head back to gaze up at the stars, I catch a shooting star streaking across the sky, and I gasp. “Did you see that?”
Maddox grins. “Sure did. Make a wish.”
I close my eyes and make a silent wish. When I open them again, Maddox is watching me with an expression I can’t quite read, but it makes my heart race nonetheless. What’s wrong with me? He’s got me all weak in the knees every time he looks at me. I’m normally not the kind of woman who falls for someone so fast.
I swallow. Am I? Falling for him?
“What did you wish for?” he asks softly, interrupting my thoughts.
I smile, shaking my head. “I can’t tell you, or it won’t come true.”
“Fair enough,” he says, holding my gaze.
I swallow again. I should stop it before he thinks I have a medical problem.
“So, do you bring a lot of girls here?” I joke, in an attempt to turn the attention away from my racing heart.
It’s going so fast that I’m certain he can hear it beating in my chest. Even the people staying at his brother’s campground probably can.
His eyes darken and his smile falters. Oh no. I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.
“I haven’t,” he finally says. “I’ve never met a woman who I felt was special enough to want to share this spot with.”
“Oh.” It comes out like a squeak.
His gaze drops to my mouth, then travels up until his eyes lock with mine. “Until I met you.”
“Oh,” I repeat.
Great . Now he’ll think I have a speech impediment on top of a swallowing problem. Not exactly the kind of impression I was hoping to make on him.
A chill runs through me as the cold evening air nips at my skin. The hairs on my arms and legs shoot up.
“I should get you home. You look like you’re freezing,” Maddox says when he sees the goosebumps on my legs.
“Yeah, I’m cold, and I should probably go to bed,” I agree, even though every fiber of my being is screaming at me to stay here and gaze at the stars with Maddox. “I have a fishing lesson tomorrow and the instructor will be a real grump if I show up late.”
“Really?”
“Don’t worry. The instructor’s not too bad. Only a little,” I joke.
Maddox laughs, and the sound reverberates through my entire body. The chill air feels warm all of a sudden.
We get up and follow the winding path down the cliff until we’re lakeside again. Like a true gentleman, Maddox keeps his promise from before and walks me to the doorstep of our rental.
He brushes a strand of hair out of my face and smiles. “I had a great time tonight, Aspen.”
“Me too.”
He leans in slightly, his gaze holding mine. “Would you like to do this again sometime? Maybe explore more of Fog Harbor together? Grab a coffee or have dinner?”
“I’d love that.”
My heart skips a beat. Is he going to kiss me? I want him to. I can’t think of a better way for this evening to end than with his mouth on mine and his arms wrapped around my body.
He wets his lips, and I inhale a shaky breath of air, ready to be kissed. Maddox places his thumb on my bottom lip, gently pulling it down. My legs are wobbly and my hands are shaking. He’s so going to kiss me.
Right when I’m certain he’s going to press his lips against mine, he smiles and releases a soft breath. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Aspen. Thanks for a great evening.”
“Tomorrow,” I repeat.
I touch my lips with my fingers as I watch him walk away, still recovering from feeling his thumb there. Why didn’t he kiss me?
The question keeps me awake all night.