EPILOGUE
“It's not fair. You're cheating!” I shouted, watching Connor accelerate up the climb, gripping the canyon rocks, skipping past the fixed anchors.
Connor dropped back a few feet and reached out to help me up. When I passed him, I sped up and reached the top before him.
“You're a traitor!” he shouted from below.
I felt my heart pounding—not because I'd just climbed almost a kilometer up a canyon in Hawaii and we were now at the top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere.
This was my second anniversary with Connor, and we'd decided it would be a good idea to try a vertical race. I'd been planning all this for months, but a week ago I probably should have canceled.
But then I thought it would be the best anniversary in the world—one that would only be topped by next year's.
“I'm never trusting you again.” Connor reached the top and threw himself on the ground. “I want you to remember that I'm not as young as I used to be.”
I looked down at him, standing over him.
“The view's still great,” he joked. “But these trips are getting more dangerous by the day. Last month it was the salt flats in Bolivia. Two months ago we were about to go skydiving.”
I helped Connor get up.
“I don't even want to know what other assassination attempt you're going to drag us into.” He laughed, using my hand to pull me toward him. “My little Dora the Explorer.”
“I hate when you call me that,” I scolded, unable to hold back my laughter.
We turned to take in the view. From there we could see a good part of Honolulu and the island beyond.
“It's beautiful up here,” I said.
“It really is,” Connor replied, looking at me. “Like you.”
“You know what would be great right now?”
“Sex on top of the island?” His hand slid to my butt.
“A riddle!” I suggested. Connor hated my riddles because he always got them wrong. And when he did get them right, I found a way to make him think he was wrong.
“Oh no.”
“This one's easy.” I flashed him a big grin.
“Okay. I'll let it slide because it's our anniversary. But I still think sex on top of the island is the better option.”
He looked at me. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the most important words of my entire life.
“Ready? Here we go.”
“My journey begins hidden, invisible to all,but my arrival transforms the world.In the womb of the desert, I am mystery and promise.Who am I?”