26. Chapter Twenty-Six
“That was gorgeous!” Kylie gushed as we regrouped on the trail.
“Crazy to see what nature can do,” I said, nodding in agreement and pretending like I wasn’t dying to sneak a peak of the selfie Grey had captured.
Tory, Alex, and Brad stood a little apart from us, talking. Trent glared in their direction, a scowl filling his face. Curious about what was going on, I waited, letting those around me carry the conversation until Tory rejoined the group.
“How would you guys feel about making this a longer hike?” Tory had looped her arm through Trent’s, though I couldn’t decide if she was oblivious to the tension radiating off him in waves or if she was simply choosing to ignore it.
Brad stayed in his spot a little farther down the trail, watching the group. Since his one-on-one time with Trent, Brad only came near Tory when another person could act as buffer, not that Trent seemed to notice or appreciate the gesture.
“I’m game. What did you have in mind?” Grey asked from behind me, and a tiny voice in my head wondered what it would feel like to lean back into his solidness and warmth.
“There’s a waterfall a few miles down the trail that’s one of my favorites. It’s a long hike, but not hard. Probably about five miles round trip from the car.”
Now that I was on the hike, I wasn’t ready for it to end. The combination of sun, exercise, and fresh air was intoxicating. Add in the gorgeous views, and I was happy to hike some more, especially if Grey continued to hang back with me. I might even find the courage to lace my fingers with his while we walked.
“I’m down to keep going,” Grey said.
The others nodded their agreement, all except Trent, who remained silent next to Tory. We took his lack of response as agreement and continued down the trail. My stomach seemed to be hiking its own trail of excitement as Grey stayed by my side.
We once again found ourselves towards the back of the group. I wasn’t sure how Tory was keeping Kylie up front with her, but I wasn’t mad about it. I couldn’t get enough time alone with Grey, a thought I wasn’t going to examine too closely. Instead, I enjoyed the quiet between us, for once not desperately trying to think of ways to make conversation.
“I love hiking,” Grey said as we followed the dirt path.
“I do too, though I don’t go often enough.”
“I’m the same way. Why do you think that is? We live in Utah. Some of the best hiking in the world is just minutes away, and yet, I barely leave my house on weekends.”
I paused, trying to decide how vulnerable I wanted to be. I’d already told Grey so much. What was a little more? “I used to hike all the time with my friend, Emily. But then I started dating this guy who…who didn’t appreciate nature unless it was on a golf course. And, well, I kind of stopped trying to get him to go with me. It was just easier to do what he wanted.”
Grey stayed quiet, processing my words before speaking. “I know nothing about this guy except he’s no longer dating you, and I can already tell he’s an idiot.”
I barked a surprised laugh. “You know, that is the best description of him I’ve ever heard. After all, how could you not love this?” I struck a pose, hip cocked, hands thrown in the air, sweat trickling down my back.
“Beats me,” Grey said, his face serious and warm as he drank me in. It was the kind of look a girl could get lost in.
Clearing my throat, I started rambling while leading Grey down the trail, not quite sure what to do with the nervous energy building in my chest. “Of course, I can’t blame him entirely for me forgetting nature exists. I’ve kind of been avoiding it.”
I trailed off, my next words even harder to speak than sharing Lyle’s betrayal. I swallowed, determined to press forward, show him all my hidden places.
“My mom was in a car accident involving a deer at night driving down a canyon. It messed her up pretty bad.” My words were quiet. Even now I could remember that night, Dave’s desperate phone call, me frantically booking a flight and packing, trying to get to Mom and the girls as fast as I could. It wasn’t until after I’d landed that we’d known how bad she really was, those hours on the plane the longest of my life.
Grey stopped, snagging my arm and turning me to look at him.
“Was that why you were so determined to stay on schedule when we were driving to the cabin?”
I bit my lip and gave a small nod.
“Now I’m the idiot. I’m sorry, Audrey! If I had known…” He trailed off, his face stricken.
“The only people who know are Tory and my roommates,” I said, my voice quiet. “I don’t like talking about it. I went to California for a few weeks to help Dave with the girls while Mom recovered.”
“Wow. That must have been hard.”
A melancholy smile touched my lips as we continued crunching along the gravel trail. “You could say that. Though Mom’s fine now, and those few weeks meant I got to spend quality time with my sisters.”
“That’s a relief!”
I could leave it there, pretend like that was the worst of it, but knew I couldn’t. “The story gets worse, if you can handle it.”
I tried to keep my tone light, but this was veering into dangerous territory for me and my emotions.
“Hit me with it.” He nudged my arm in encouragement.
“I was engaged when I went to help Mom. It was that guy who didn’t like nature. His name was Lyle, and I thought he’d be my forever. He quickly proved me wrong. Not long after I left, he started cheating on me with my best friend, Emily.” I choked on the words but pushed forward, desperate to let someone see my scars fully. “I found the two of them making out at his apartment when I got home.”
“That’s—” Grey broke off, for once at a loss for words as he reached for me and hesitated, shoving his hands into his pockets. “That sucks.”
“That’s the understatement of the century.”
“With your best friend? The gal you used to hike with?”
“Yep.” The “p” gave a distinct popping sound as I said it. That was probably the part that hurt the most. Emily had been my first phone call when I’d found out about my mom, encouraging me to take the trip, promising everything would be okay. Her betrayal still tasted bitter on my tongue.
“That proves they’re both dumber than I thought.” Grey’s words caused an unexpected warmth to settle in my chest.
We started walking again, and only a moment later he brought his hand up, nudging my pinky with his. The brave little pinky leading the charge. I accepted the invitation, lacing my fingers with his, not caring who saw, as warmth stole up my arm and settled in my cheeks at the surprisingly comforting gesture.
“They might disagree. They got married the day we left for this trip.”
Grey remained quiet for a moment, processing my words before a mischievous grin crept across his face.
“I hope he gets gored by a bison on his honeymoon. Nothing fatal. Just something that might impede other activities.” Grey’s eyebrows danced suggestively as he squeezed my hand.
“Grey!” I laughed in surprise.
“Stampeded by a moose? Chased by a bear? Really, any of those options sounds appropriate.”
I shook my head, not even trying to hide the grin Grey’s words triggered. “You’re assuming he’s honeymooning somewhere like Yellowstone. What if he’s somewhere tropical?”
“I’m sure we could come up with some appropriate alternatives. Bit by a shark? Allergic reaction to his sunscreen?”
“Sunburned where the sun doesn’t shine,” I said before I could think about it.
“Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.” Grey nodded sagely, his face schooled into a serious expression that only lasted a moment before his smile returned. “The question is, what activities are they participating in that would result in a sunburn in that location?”
I bit back a laugh and shook my head. I’d actively spent this week trying not to think of Lyle and Emily, and now here I was, freely sharing the most painful parts of myself with Grey and finding humor in them. We’d come a long way since those first moments in the car when I had been ready to strangle him.
But what about that phone call? I pushed the thought away, choosing to stay here, happy in this moment.
“I vote for a change of topic,” I said, gesturing to the scenery around us. “Would you rather live the rest of your life in the mountains or on the beach?”
“Do I get to visit the beach if I pick the mountains or am I forever stuck in a cabin in the woods?” Grey asked, following my lead and embracing the shift in conversation.
We continued hiking, making our way through the forest. The trail, while it did wind some, was mostly flat, making me wonder what kind of waterfall could wait for us at the end. Back home, most hikes to waterfalls included steep hills and sharp drop-offs. But my body, used to yoga and walking my dog, was grateful for the milder hike.
When we reached the waterfall, I could only stare, soaking in the simple beauty. While not a roaring, massive waterfall, the steady stream spilling over the cliff face to the waiting cavern and pond below was stunning in its own way. I clambered over rocks and downed trees, eager to get closer to the waterfall. The sound of the steadily rushing water filled my ears as I drank in the view in front of me.
“Wow. Not quite what I was expecting, but still, wow,” Grey said.
A portion of our group had gathered near the pool at the waterfall’s base, watching as water plunged down the cliff face. Grey stood to my right with Kylie on his other side. Brad and Alex had made it to the waterfall ahead of the group and were settled on some rocks, snacking on granola bars and ignoring a curious chipmunk that had skittered over to them. Tory and Trent hung back, choosing to take in the view from farther away.
“I can’t even imagine how long it would take for something like this to form,” Kylie said.
I nodded, continuing to take in the scene and snapping a few photos. As I turned to take a selfie with the falls in the background, Grey looped his arm around my shoulder, joining the photo with a cheesy grin. If the knowledge that he’d photobombed my picture made my smile all the wider, I chose not to question it. Instead, I captured the moment, nestled into Grey’s warmth with my new favorite waterfall in the background.