Chapter 10
Jett
"Man, I feel like a different person already," I say, eating a sandwich, staring out from a grassy ledge on the mountainside. "It's amazing what being out in nature can do for a person."
"Know what you mean," Wilkin concurs. "Old me would have made some sort of crack in response to that comment. New me is only going to point out that you have some mayo on your chin."
I swipe my finger along my chin and scoop up said mayo and lick it. I could volley back with an insult, but this damn fresh air has my mouth saying "Thanks" instead.
Reeve turns his head dramatically to face me, caught off guard, mid-chew.
"What? I can be a nice person."
"He can," Wilkin says with a small nod.
My immediate instinct is to wait for the inevitable smart-ass barb like, 'When he's sleeping,' but Wilkin picks up another sandwich and takes a bite. No barb forthcoming.
"We should head back soon," Reeve announces. "But tomorrow I want to take you to the secret waterfall."
"How is a waterfall a secret?" I ask.
Reeve grins. "Locals know about it. Tourists don't."
"I was doing some reading about Cumcircle yesterday," Wilkin says. "Apparently the name keeps tourists away."
"Yep." Reeve wipes his hands of crumbs. "Almost as if whoever came up with it did so for that very reason."
"You have some inside intel?" I hedge.
He smiles at me, then at Wilkin, then winks as he gets up. "Maybe I do."
Okay, not going to lie, day one of our little camping adventure is going way better than I thought it would. For starters, Wilkin and I haven't murdered each other.
"You guys want any more food?" Reeve asks.
We're sitting on the tiny porch off the back of the cabin, under a blanket of stars.
"No. I'm good. That was amazing," Wilkin says, rubbing his belly. "Farrah again?"
Reeve smiles at him. "The one and only."
Normally, I'd get pissy at the smile they're sharing, but after a day of hiking, and a delicious meal, I'm strangely peaceful. Tired, but peaceful.
Possibly a world first for me.
Wilkin offers to help clean up, but Reeve isn't having a bar of it.
"You're my guests. Sit back and relax. I'll clear the table, then I'll be back out with dessert."
Reeve scoops up our plates and leaves.
Wilkin looks at me, that smug smile back on his lips, testing the limits of my newfound peace.
"Food really was great," he says.
"It was."
"How are you doing?"
"Fine. Tired, but good tired. Not the same type of tired as after a fourteen-hour day on set."
"I hear you on that."
"I come bearing cheesecake, vodka, and a proposition," Reeve says, expertly laying out three plates of the most delicious-looking cheesecake and generous side of whipped cream in front of us.
"Just so you know, I'll say yes to anything right now," Wilkin says, practically drooling over the cake even though he said he was full not less than two minutes ago.
"Really?" Reeve sounds surprised. "I had Jett pegged as the easier one of the two of you."
I chuckle, grabbing a fork. "Oh, I am way easier."
It's true, and I own it. I don't have a ton of insight into Wilkin's dating life, but he turns up his nose at the apps, and he can't get out much since his hours are even crazier than mine, so I'd venture to say he's in a drought.
Not that I'm much better, but I make sure to find some time to hook up.
As we dig into dessert, Reeve opens the bottle of vodka. "My first ever shot was with Grandpa. I was fourteen, but if Granny asks, sixteen."
I smile. "Noted."
"Sounds like you and your grandpa were close," Wilkin says.
"Yeah, we were." Reeve fills three shot glasses to the brim. "Here. Cheers to surviving our first day."
We all take a swig. The sharp burn of the vodka mixes with the sweetness of the cheesecake as it goes down.
"Another?" Reeve asks, even as he pounds his chest to help swallow the vodka.
"Why not?" Wilkin replies, surprising me since he's usually so restrained. But after everything we've been through the last few days, maybe it is time we let our hair down a bit.