Chapter Ten #2
“You’re doing great, sweetie,” I shout behind me as Valentina slows down during a particularly muddy section.
“Can you waddle any faster?” Maria complains. “We’re losing the group!”
“Listen. I’m going as fast as I can. You two go on ahead. Leave me to my demise. I can only hope my death by mud drowning will be quick and painless.”
I wave to Maria to go ahead and catch up with the group while I wait for Valentina.
She steps one foot forward, and I hear it plop into the mud and sink slightly. Valentina waves her arms around in a circle to regain her balance.
“This is pathetic, Val.” I snort. “Get your hiking legs! Put your back into it!”
“What do you think I’m doing, Valdes? Having a little puppet show in the mud for you?”
I’m trying incredibly hard not to laugh.
“Come on, pick up the next foot. You got this!”
“Isabella—” She grabs her thigh with both hands and swings her leg ahead of the other foot. “You just wait until I get over there.”
“Will it be today? Because we’ve got things to do, you know. Brunch will be over by the time you’re done making mud pies.” I mockingly look down at my watch. “We all got through this part just fine. So why did you choose the muddiest part to walk through? Did you think you were Indiana Jones?”
“Why don’t you come over here and help me?” she shouts and reaches her hand out toward me.
There is something so pleasing about the confident, charming Valentina looking like a newborn giraffe walking through the mud.
“Absolutely not. You’re going to just pull me in with you. I know that trick.”
“I won’t. Get me out of this quicksand!”
“You’re so dramatic.” I sigh and reach my hand out toward her. “If you pull me in, I’m not speaking to you for the rest of the week.”
“Oh, please, as if you wanted to speak to me anyways.”
“Okay, fair.”
I grab her hand and begin pulling her toward me. She lifts her back foot and lands on a dry part of the trail, but the other foot is still in the mud. She loses her balance and begins to lean backward. I grab her hand with both my arms now to prevent the fall.
“Isabella!” Valentina screams as we both fall into the mud.
I land right on top of her, but my boots, knees, and hands are covered in mud. I can’t complain, considering Valentina’s entire body saved me from the messy fall.
I look down at her face and realize we are perfectly at eye level, our noses practically touching.
Considering how much taller she is than me, it is odd to see her so closely.
Her eyes dart back and forth between my own.
For a moment, it feels like we’re the only two in the woods.
No trail to hike. No family to impress. No investment to win. Just…us.
Sinking in the mud.
I smirk. “Thanks for breaking my fall, Val.”
“You were supposed to save me, not throw me in the mud, Isa!”
“I thought you needed a mud bath. Your skin is going to be so soft after this.”
“Maybe you need one, too, then.”
“Oh, no, Val. I’m okay. Thanks, anyways.”
I try to get up, but she wraps her legs around my waist and locks me in.
I’m completely stunned, but I don’t pull away.
She jerks me toward her, pushing my face even closer to hers.
I feel a jolt run through my body. With one fell swoop, she swings her body on top of mine, landing my back into the mud. This time, she is looking down at me.
“Who’s dirty now, Isa?” Valentina laughs.
We stare each other down for what feels like an eternity and then suddenly break into laughter.
“Valentina! I’m supposed to be impressing Luciano. Now, look at me.”
“Hey, at least we’re both in the same mess,” she says, grinning.
I can almost melt into the mud at the sight of her from this angle. The way the sun casts a halo around her hair. The little pieces of mud drying on her cheek and forehead. I could stare at her forever.
For a moment, we are silent, our eyes lingering.
I watch as her eyes dart back and forth between mine again, but I can only imagine her thoughts.
Butterflies quickly form in my stomach. My lips feel dry but achy, as if they need something.
Something Valentina could provide. My heart is beating loudly in my chest. I’m almost certain she can hear it unless she miraculously has mud stuck inside her ears.
“Hey! Are you two all right?”
I lift my head to see Maria looking over at us.
“Yeah, we just fell in the mud,” Valentina says, then turns around and gazes at me for a moment longer.
Her eyes shift toward my lips and then back to my eyes.
I freeze. She chuckles, climbs off of me, and stands up.
I quickly become aware of the fact that I was lying in a disgusting pile of mud.
It’s the cold, icky dose of reality I need.
What the hell am I doing? I need to get a grip.
“You go ahead. We’ll catch up!” Valentina shouts.
“Good, because I don’t want a part of any muddy mess,” Maria cackles.
We stand up, and I look down at my clothes. Then, I look over at Valentina, who is completely covered.
“Your hoodie! I told you not to wear it.”
I can only imagine how much it cost.
“Eh, it’s fine. I’ll get it dry-cleaned when we get back. Or buy a new one.”
Right. I forgot. She’s one of them. I’m the odd one out here.
We start to hike over to catch up with the group.
“At least we have the showers and a change of clothes, right?” I recall.
“Oh. Right. About that.” Valentina chuckles.
“What did you do?” I groan.
“It’s all part of my plan.”
“Val…”
“Okay, so I may have moved the changing stations and portable showers yesterday. Hid them somewhere in the back of the woods at the top.”
I stop and stare at her, feeling both annoyed and impressed. The sun casts a glow on her cheek.
“Are you fucking serious? Why did you do that?” I shout.
“Sh. Luciano was in charge of the tents and showers. So, I figured if I hid them, Sofia would get pissed that he ruined the brunch, and everyone had to eat in gross, sweaty clothes. It’s genius, actually.”
She isn’t wrong. It does seem like a solid plan for her. It just sucks for everyone else, including me. The girl covered from head to toe in mud. What a great way to impress the rest of the family. At least they’ll all also be sweaty and gross, right?
“You seriously suck. Why do you need to do this, anyways? Do you still love her?” I finally ask, unable to keep the annoyance out of my voice.
Valentina’s gaze shifts, softening just a little. “It’s not just about how I feel about her. I just think she deserves better. Luciano isn’t right for her, and maybe she just needs a reminder of what that looks like.”
I feel a pang of something—jealousy, maybe?—and quickly shake it off. “Whatever, dude. I just wish I didn’t have to suffer through brunch because of it,” I mutter, frustrated.
Valentina looks away, a hint of wistfulness in her eyes, but the determination remains. She’s convinced that if Sofia just sees things clearly, she’ll make the right choice—her. And now, I’m caught in the middle of her plan.
As we continue walking the path, slowly catching up with the group, we spot flashes of vibrant green ferns and brightly colored wildflowers.
The woods are alive with the sounds of wildlife, and I can hear the distant calls of squirrels and the shuffling of chipmunks through the fallen leaves.
We even pause for a moment to examine a spider’s web, glistening with dew, and admire the intricate design of its delicate silk threads.
If we weren’t muddy, wet, and miserable, this would be such a gorgeous hike.
“Damn, what the hell happened to you?” Sofia asks as we quickly approach the rest of the guests.
Valentina is occupied with Silvana, who comes to her “rescue.” I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“What? Oh, right. Nothing. I was just saving Valentina from the mud she fell in.” I shrug.
“Looks like you fell in yourself. A little mud wrestling, perhaps?” Sofia snickers.
“Shut up—it was not like that. Wait, where’s Luciano?”
“Oh, he’s somewhere at the front with Daniel. Probably chatting away about boring stuff, like mushrooms or football. I just got tired of trying to catch up to their steps.” Sofia drops her gaze to my legs. “Cute pants! Where are those from?”
“Oh, they’re from—”
“Dude, what the hell! You smell.” Maria pokes me.
“Shut up. I do not. Do I?” I grab my shirt and take a whiff, but I smell nothing but dirt.
“Yeah, you smell like mud and caca.”
“Maybe it’s your upper lip,” I retort. Very mature of me.
As we approach the mountain’s peak, my excitement and anticipation build within me.
The trail has become steeper and more challenging, but the breathtaking views along the way have made the effort worth it.
The air is thin, and each step requires a little extra effort, but I’m determined to reach the summit and see the brunch setup.
I can see the site up ahead between the trees—the linens flowing in the wind. Finally, we reach the top.
I pause to catch my breath and take in the stunning panoramic views of the mountains and valley below. The sky is a brilliant shade of blue, and wispy clouds cast soft shadows on the distant trees.
I look at the brunch setup, and I’m already in awe.
A large, elegantly arranged table is decorated with fresh flowers and accented with crisp white linen and gleaming silverware.
In the center of the table are various gourmet breakfast and lunch items, such as poached eggs with hollandaise sauce, artisanal cheeses, juicy grilled vegetables, and baked goods, such as croissants and pastries.
A light breeze rustles through the trees as a harpist plays lightly near some trees. Near the musician is a bar area for guests to enjoy cocktails, including refreshing mimosas made with freshly squeezed orange juice or some sparkling rosé with a fresh strawberry inside each glass.
“Holy crap. This is incredible,” I whisper to Maria.