Chapter Grae #2
I slid my phone out of my pocket and shot off a text to my mom, letting her know what we were doing.
Caden glanced at me. “You got your pack?”
I winced. “I left it back at SAR training.”
He lifted his and swung it over his shoulder. “I should have us covered.”
“Can I steal some water?”
Caden handed me his bottle, and I took a long swig. “Geez. It’s lucky I brought two.”
I gave him a sheepish smile. “I was pushing the pedal to the metal over here.”
His brows pulled together. “You need to be careful; those ATVs can be dangerous.”
I rolled my eyes and handed him the water bottle. “I’ve already got four older brothers. I don’t need a fifth.”
Caden chuckled. “Noted. You want to take the north trail?”
I nodded. The views from that one were absolutely stunning. You could see the town nestled next to the lake and everything else for miles around.
Caden started off, heading up the mountainside. The path was wide enough in this first part that we could walk side by side. We were mostly quiet at first, letting the late-summer breeze swirl around us.
I never felt pressure to talk around Caden.
I could simply be. There was comfort in just having him beside me.
But if I ever did want to give voice to anything, I could do it without fear of judgment.
Caden was one of those people who saw all sides of something and knew that things were rarely black and white.
“She loved those,” Caden said quietly, inclining his head to the purple flowers mixed in with the other plants.
“They’re beautiful. What are they called again?”
“Lupine.”
For as privileged a life as Caden had led, he loved nature and consumed knowledge about it like a man starved. The only person who knew more than him was Roan. And that was probably because he spent more time with the mountains than he did with people.
I lifted my phone to take a picture, then jotted it down in my notes app.
“What was that for?” Caden asked.
I shrugged. “I want to remember it. Every time I see it now, it’ll remind me of Clara.”
Caden’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “It keeps her alive in a way. Every time we remember.”
I wanted to take his hand again, to give any sort of comfort I could, but I held back. “We won’t let her be forgotten. I promise.”
Caden nodded, clearing his throat. “How was SAR going?”
I got the message. He needed to think about something else and not let himself drown in the grief of today. “Mostly good... Lots of the team was there. My brothers were annoying. The usual.”
He chuckled. “What were they getting on you about today?”
I blew out a breath, fluttering wisps of my hair. “Rance Granger.”
Caden’s footsteps faltered the slightest bit. “What about him?”
“They think I have a crush on him.”
“Do you?” Strain wove around Caden’s voice.
“It wouldn’t matter if I did. They scare off anyone I want to go on a date with.”
Caden grunted. “Good. If your brothers can scare a guy away, he’s not worth your time anyway.”
“I’m never going to lose my virginity,” I mumbled.
Caden immediately started choking. “Shit, Gigi. Warn a guy before you say something like that.”
Annoyance flitted through me. “I’m almost sixteen, you know. Most girls my age have had boyfriends. I’m not a kid.” He was only a year older than me, and I knew he’d messed around with plenty of girls.
Caden halted on the path, looking down at me. “Trust me, Gigi. I know you’re not a kid. But you shouldn’t rush into that. It should be with someone you care about who cherishes that you’re sharing that part of yourself with him.”
“And did you wait? Was it special and cherished?”
Caden winced. “You know me. That’s not ever going to be something I look for.”
Pain lanced my chest. “Why?”
His gaze slipped from me. “It’s just not. Don’t want to go there.”
Caden hadn’t always been this way. When he was in middle school, he’d had girlfriends he took on dates and to dances. After Clara died, that had all stopped. There was nothing resembling commitment in his romantic life now.
“Can I have your water again?”
He handed it over. “You okay?”
I nodded but had to admit the first part of this trail had gotten to me more than it usually did. I wanted to lay down and take a nap. “I didn’t sleep great last night.” I’d been too worried about him.
Caden took the water bottle back. “We can go back if you’re not up for this.”
I shook my head. “No. The fresh air will help.”
We started up the path again, and my muscles protested the movement. I ignored them and kept pushing on. It got a little better, but my vision blurred when we reached the first outlook, the scene in front of me wavering.
I reached out for Caden’s arm on instinct.
“Whoa.” He immediately steadied me. “Why don’t you sit down for a minute?”
Caden helped me over to a boulder, but my legs shook the entire way. He crouched in front of me. “You dizzy?”
“Yeah, and my vision’s blurry.”
Even through my not-quite-right eyesight, I saw Caden’s worry.
“Can I have some more water?” My tongue felt like it was sticking to the roof of my mouth.
He handed me the bottle, and I guzzled the rest of it down.
“How do you feel now?” he asked.
The world tilted again. “Not right. I feel like I’m high or something.” Not that I knew what that felt like, exactly, but this was what I imagined it would be.
Caden stood, pulling out his phone. “I’m going to call your dad.” He cursed. “I don’t have enough bars.”
“You don’t need to call him.” I stood, but it was a mistake. I tipped sideways. It felt like the ground was a moving conveyor belt beneath my feet.
Caden caught me before I hit the dirt. “Shit, Gigi! What’s going on?”
“I-I don’t know.” Pain lanced through my stomach.
Caden’s face was a blur above me as he lifted me into his arms. “I’ve got you. We’re gonna get you some help.”
“You can’t carry me.” It was too far back to the trailhead.
“You? You’re nothing compared to those massive guys we’ve had to haul off the mountain.”
I might be tiny, but he was carrying me all by himself, and we’d already gone at least a mile or two.
Dark spots danced in front of my vision, and my head slumped against Caden’s chest.
“Gigi?” Panic lit his voice.
“Hmm?”
“Stay with me. Stay awake,” Caden commanded.
I wanted to. I always wanted to be with Caden. But I was so tired.
The darkness pulled me under, but not before I heard his voice calling after me.
“Don’t you leave me, too.”