8. Nate
Chapter eight
Nate
T he morning light filtered through the dense canopy of trees, casting a beautiful glow on Susan's face. I couldn't help but feel a rush of emotions. My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to look away, trying to ignore the confusing feelings stirring within me. I told myself it was just the peaceful atmosphere getting to me.
"Hey, want to get away from the group and get some fresh air for a bit?" I asked, aiming for a casual tone. "I was thinking we could take one of the trails, just the two of us."
Susan's eyes lit up. "I'd love that! Being out in nature sounds perfect."
As we hiked along the winding path through the lush woods, I stole glances at the way the shadows played across her delicate features. Focus, I scolded myself for my wandering thoughts, turning my attention to the birdsong and rustling leaves.
"It's so nice to have some quiet time," Susan murmured, her voice hinting at wistfulness. "The retreat's been more fun than I expected, but..."
"But you're truly an introvert at heart," I finished her sentence with a knowing smile.
She laughed, the sound warming me like sunshine. "Exactly. Being around people all day can get tiring. Even people I really like. Add in trying to fake a relationship and be quick-witted in front of a group of people. It’s a bit overwhelming," Her eyes held mine meaningfully.
I nodded, touched that she felt comfortable enough with me to share that vulnerable part of herself. We walked in easy silence for a while, appreciating the natural splendor surrounding us.
We ventured deeper into the forest, spotting all sorts of wildlife. Squirrels darted along tree branches, their bushy tails flicking behind them. A rabbit slipped silently through the underbrush. A family of deer grazed in a sun-dappled clearing, raising their heads to watch us curiously before bounding away.
I didn’t realize that I had become distracted by watching the wildlife and had not paid attention to my surroundings.
Up ahead, the path forked in two directions. I paused, squinting at the weathered signpost with faded inscriptions, trying to decipher which route to take.
"Hmm, I think it's this way." I pointed to the left with false confidence.
Susan tilted her head, studying the signpost intently. "Are you sure? I think we should go right."
I shrugged off her doubts with a playful wink. "Nah, left is correct, trust me." I heard Susan sigh, but she followed behind me.
We walked for a good twenty minutes before the terrain started looking unfamiliar. The trees grew denser, enclosing us in shadow. I felt a trickle of doubt but resisted glancing back at Susan. I had to appear sure of myself .
"So, there seem to be a lot more trees than before," Susan said lightly. "Are you absolutely positive this is the right trail?"
I hesitated. "Of course! It's just...taking us somewhere more secluded."
Susan laughed, the sound echoing through the woods. "You have no idea where we are, do you?"
I slumped in defeat. "No, I don't. I'm sorry. I should've listened to you back there."
Susan reached out and touched my arm gently. "We all make mistakes. At least we're on this adventure together! And honestly, getting lost in nature isn't the worst thing that could happen." Her eyes held mine with genuine warmth.
Despite being lost, her good-natured humor made me smile. "You always see the bright side of things, don't you?"
Susan grinned. "Of course! Like when I was twelve and full of wild ideas. I convinced my best friend to join me for a late-night adventure, sneaking out past curfew and into the woods behind our house. We had planned to camp out under the stars, but we got hopelessly lost in the thick trees of our neighborhood."
I raised my eyebrows, intrigued by this glimpse into her childhood. "Did you find your way back?"
"Eventually, but not before running into a skunk that we'd mistaken for a stray cat," Susan giggled. "We sprinted all the way home smelling like rotten eggs and had to confess everything to my parents."
I burst out laughing, picturing a young Susan in that hilarious predicament.
"Well, this hike can't possibly be worse than that," I said, amusement lingering in my voice.
Susan smiled. "Definitely not."
"Speaking of misadventures, when I was in medical school, my buddies and I decided to road trip to Vegas." I glanced over at Susan. "We'd gotten this old beat-up van that well... broke down halfway there, in the middle of nowhere."
Susan's eyes widened, her laughter filling the air. "The middle of nowhere? What did you guys do?"
"We ended up hitching a ride with an Elvis impersonator who was passing by. It was the longest, most bizarre ride of my life," I confessed, chuckling at the absurdity of it all.
Susan doubled over with laughter. "It's not funny," she managed between giggles, "but...Elvis? Seriously?" Her eyes sparkled with amusement, and her hand covered her mouth as if trying to contain it.
"Hey! The King's generosity saved us," I retorted, pretending indignation. My heart pounded in my chest, not from the memory but from the joy of hearing her infectious laughter. I felt like I could let my guard down and be myself. Out here in the quiet woods, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.
Our laughter subsided as we ventured on, eventually arriving at a clearing with a small, serene pond. Lily pads floated lazily across the still water.
"Let's take a break here," I suggested, sitting down on a fallen log. Susan joined me, both of us gazing out at the pond. Dragonflies flitted and danced above the water's surface, leaving tiny ripples in their wake.
We sat in comfortable silence, taking in the beauty. I snuck a glance at Susan, noticing how the dappled sunlight illuminated her face. She looked so at peace here.
The quiet was interrupted by the sound of voices and footsteps. We turned to see Ethan and his wife, Lizzie, emerge from the woods behind us.
"Well, well, look who we found," Ethan said with a grin. "Seems you two took a wrong turn on your hike this morning."
I felt my face grow warm. "We, uh, may have misread the trail signs," I admitted.
Ethan laughed good-naturedly. "It's easy to get turned around out here. We have been here before, and the camp leader asked us to come and check on y’all and make sure you weren’t lost."
"We should all hike back together," Lizzie suggested brightly. "Safety in numbers, right?"
Susan and I exchanged relieved glances. With Ethan and Lizzie's guidance, we'd make it back to the retreat center just fine. Our unplanned detour had led to an unexpectedly intimate moment between us, and I felt grateful for this blossoming connection.
Susan stood and brushed the leaves from her pants. "Lead the way," she said with an embarrassed smile.
As we hiked, Lizzie filled the silence by chatting about the different birds and plants we passed. Her enthusiasm was infectious. Susan pointed out a few varieties she recognized from books at the library, and the two delved into an animated discussion.
I hung back a bit with Ethan, watching Susan's face light up as she spoke. He followed my gaze and chuckled. "You've got it bad, man," he remarked, clapping me on the back.
I shrugged slightly. "She's something else," I admitted.
Before long, the retreat center came into view up ahead. Susan let out a dramatic sigh of relief at the sight.
"Home sweet home," she said with a laugh.
We thanked Ethan and Lizzie for rescuing us as we approached the main building. I held the door for Susan, and we stepped back into the bright, bustling lobby.
Just then, a man's voice called out, "Susan! There you are. I didn’t know if we needed to send out the rescue party."
I immediately noticed the easy familiarity between them as Ryan greeted Susan warmly. She introduced us, and Ryan and I exchanged a polite handshake, though I felt an unexpected pang in my gut.
I saw he had a badge and assumed he was one of the workers at the retreat, but how did he know Susan so well? I tried to shake off the strange new feeling of jealousy creeping in.
"Good to meet you, Nate," Ryan said with a friendly smile that somehow irritated me even more. "Susan is amazing with the kids at storytime. My daughter Lucy loves her."
I forced a tight smile in return. "Yes, Susan has a real gift with children."
Susan gave me a curious look at my clipped tone before turning back to Ryan. "How's Lucy doing? I know she was nervous about starting kindergarten."
As they chatted, I shifted on my feet, feeling like an awkward third wheel. Ryan was clearly taken with Susan, complimenting her work and making her laugh easily. I didn't like the subtle intimacy I sensed between them one bit.
I jumped in, trying to steer the conversation away from their connection. "Susan, we should probably get checked in. I'm sure they're wondering where we wandered off to."
"Oh right, of course," Susan said. "It was nice seeing you, Ryan. Give Lucy a hug for me."
"I will do that. I hope you two enjoy the rest of your stay," Ryan said pleasantly before walking away.
I let out a quiet breath, relieved to have him gone. As we headed toward the front desk, doubts crept in about what exactly was happening between Susan and me. I caught myself wondering about her past relationships and if I'd completely misread things.
With a shake of my head, I tried to clear away the sudden influx of insecurity. One friendly conversation didn't have to mean anything. I just needed to be patient and see where this journey with Susan led next.
Susan glanced over, her eyebrows knitting together. "Everything okay?"
"Oh yeah, all good," I said, trying to sound casual.
She gave me a knowing look. "You sure about that? You seem a little...off."
I hesitated before admitting, "I guess I was just surprised to run into someone you knew so well."
"Ryan? We just chat sometimes at library events. He brings his daughter Lucy in for storytime. He’s a single dad, so I try to give Lucy a little special attention." Susan explained.
"Right, of course," I nodded, feeling slightly relieved.
Susan nudged my shoulder playfully. "Wait, were you jealous back there?"
"What? No, no, not at all," I scoffed a little too forcefully .
Susan laughed, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You so were! I can't believe it."
I could feel my face getting warm. "All right, maybe a little," I muttered.
Susan slipped her hand into mine and squeezed it. "You're cute when you're jealous."
I looked down at our joined hands, my doubts fading away. No matter what came next, I was grateful to be on this journey with Susan. As long as we kept communicating openly and honestly, we'd navigate this fake relationship territory together.