When no one speaks up, I motion for Jacob and Parker to take the lead, and as they head toward the trail cut into the side of the mountain, I hear the bus behind us start up.

  “Have you ever run into a bear when you’ve been out here hiking?” Lauren asks me over her shoulder as Cybil falls into place at my side.

  “A few times, but they typically take off when they hear us coming, so sightings are rare.”

  “At my house in Oregon, I ran into a black bear early one morning when I was going from my house to my shop, which is just across the driveway,” Cybil says, then laughs. “I almost had a heart attack. Up until that point, I had only seen them from a distance, so I didn’t know how big they really are up close.”

  “What happened?” Avery asks, glancing back at her.

  “We stared at each other for what felt like forever; then he ran off, and I went back into my house to grab a pot and spoon so I could make some noise when I went back out.” She laughs, and I chuckle. “I haven’t seen him since that morning, but I know he’s around, because every once in a while, my Ring camera will pick him up.”

  “How do you know it was a boy?” Lauren asks.

  “I don’t for sure, but when I googled how to tell the difference in case it was a mama with cubs, it said that male bears typically have larger, rounder faces, which makes it look like they have smaller ears.”

  “That’s interesting,” Avery says as she looks up at her husband. “Human males have big heads too.”

  “Witch.” He chuckles, taking his wife’s hand.

  As the trail starts to take us up more of an incline, I scan the group to make sure everyone is doing okay. Before you can be approved for any retreat with Live Life Adventures, you’re required to get a physical and fill out a questionnaire so we’ll know exactly how hard we can push you. Cybil, Avery, and Lauren all stated in their information packets that they’re active but not exactly adventurous in their activities, so I’ll need to make sure the three of them are not pushing themselves too hard, too fast. One thing I learned from my time in the marines is it’s easy to burn yourself out when you feel pressure from the people around you to perform above your ability.

  “Have you always been a guide?” Cybil asks quietly, pulling me out of my thoughts, and I glance down at her, finding her watching her footing as we walk up the rocky path.

  “No. Blake, Maverick, and I were in the marines. During our last tour overseas, we decided that when our time was up, we’d go into business together. And since we specialized in teamwork and survival skills in the military, we figured we’d transfer that knowledge to the real world.”

  “How long have you been out of the military?”

  “I’ll be out three years next month, and Mav and Blake got discharged a couple of months after I did.”

  “I’m sure you saw a lot overseas.” She glances up at me, her eyes looking even bluer with the backdrop of the forests and the light coming in through the canopy of trees.

  “We did,” I agree but don’t say more, and I’m thankful when she doesn’t ask more questions. My time in the military isn’t something I like to talk about, especially given some of the things I witnessed and experienced while overseas.

  “So then you guys decided to move to Montana? Are you from here?”

  “No, I grew up in Kentucky. Blake grew up here. His family lives in the valley, and his parents owned the land the lodge is on now. When we came to them with our business plan, they sold us ten acres of their property.”

  “That’s cool. Where is Maverick from?”

  “New Mexico.”

  “You and he are a long way from home. That must be hard for the two of you.”

  “Not as hard as you think,” I say, and she looks up at me again, and I know she sees more than she should when her expression softens, making her even more beautiful. “What about you? Have you always lived in Oregon?”

  “My whole life.” She stumbles, but I catch her around her upper arm before she can fall. “Thanks,” she breathes.

  “Anytime.” I let her go as we continue uphill, then realize where we are. “Jacob,” I call out, and he stops to look at me as everyone else does the same. “We’ll stop at the clearing about twenty minutes ahead and have lunch.”

  “Got it.” He continues walking, and everyone follows suit.

  When we reach the clearing, I use the sat phone to check in with Maverick, then go in search of Cybil when I don’t see her with everyone else. Spotting her sitting on a log with a book in one hand and her sandwich in the other, I drop my pack and take my lunch with me to join her.

  “What are you reading, sunshine?” I ask as I straddle the log, and she looks up at me midchew, then flips the cover closed so I can see for myself. I raise a brow when I see a medieval-looking couple kissing and the title The King’s Prize. “Is it any good?”

  Setting the book down, she picks up her water and takes a sip before answering. “I just started, but the author is one of my favorites, so I hope so.”

  “Hm.” I pull out my sandwich and take a bite while she opens her book back up.

  “You’re staring at me,” she says after a few minutes, and I chuckle, because there are not many women who say whatever it is they are thinking—at least not many that I’ve met.

  “I like looking at you,” I tell her honestly, watching her cheeks flush a pretty shade of pink.

  “Well, stop,” she mumbles without taking her eyes off her book. “It’s making me feel weird.”

  “Weird,” I repeat, and she turns toward me.

  “Yes, weird, and shouldn’t you be eating with everyone else?”

  “Nope, mealtime is my time.” I finish off the rest of my sandwich in one bite, and she sighs as she goes back to her book. “Why aren’t you eating with everyone?”

  “I’m used to being alone, so being around people for long periods of time drains my energy.” Her eyes meet mine, and her nose scrunches. “Don’t get me wrong—I like people; I just need quiet, if that makes sense.”

  “I’m the same way.”

  “Really?” She lifts a brow, and I smile.

  “After a week out here with guests, I have to spend a couple of days alone. It drives Mav and Blake nuts when I go off the grid and they can’t get ahold of me,” I admit, wondering what else we might have in common because I haven’t met many people who like to be alone.

  “It makes my best friend, Jade, nuts too.” She laughs, and fuck if the sound doesn’t make my stomach muscles bunch. “Then again, she thinks I spend enough time alone, since I’m in my shop working on my own every day unless it’s time to ship stuff out. Then I have my neighbor Earl there with me, helping box stuff up to be mailed out.”

  “What kind of shop do you have?”

  “It’s not a real shop. It’s more like where I keep my materials and sewing machine. I design and sell vegan leather handbags at a few local stores and online through my website and social media.”

  “Really? How did you get into that?”

  “My mom was a seamstress. She taught me how to sew, and when I became a vegetarian, I didn’t feel good carrying a real leather bag. So I decided to make my own out of natural materials. The first time I wore one of my designs in town, a friend of mine saw it and wanted one, so I made her one. Then I started getting calls, and the next thing I knew, my business was born.” She shrugs.

  “That’s impressive—not many people have it in them to go after what they want or to build a business from the ground up.”

  “You did it,” she says easily, and my chest feels funny. “It also doesn’t hurt that it makes me happy and keeps a roof over my head.” She stiffens ever so slightly when Lauren breaks away from everyone else and starts toward us.

  “You okay?” I ask when she gets up and shoves her garbage into the reusable sack her lunch came in before tucking it and her book back into her pack.

  “Yep, just gonna go take a few pictures.” She pulls out her camera that is a lot more fancy than the ones people normally bring along on one of these trips and lifts the thick strap over her head so that it’s hanging on her chest.

  As I watch her go, I realize that even though she acted like what Lauren asked earlier didn’t bother her, it obviously did, and I can’t even blame her.

  “Hey, Tanner.” Lauren grabs my attention, and I lift my chin. “I was wondering about how far away the campsite is from here?”

  “Without stopping, it’s about a two-hour hike up the mountain, but I’d guess we’ll make it there in three. Is everything okay?”

  “Oh yeah.” She takes a seat on the log, and I scoot back, uncomfortable about having her practically sitting on my lap. “Oliver needs to call his wife and kids to check in. Maverick told him that he could use the satellite phone when we get to camp.”

  “I’ll make sure that he’s able to make a call if he needs to.”

  “Thank you, Tanner.” She leans toward me and lowers her voice. “He and his wife are going through a really ugly divorce, and I don’t want her to have more to use against him when they go to court.” She rests her hand on my biceps, and I somehow manage to keep my expression neutral.

  “No problem.” I stand as sourness fills the back of my throat: one thing I don’t believe in is cheating, and I really hope that’s not how their relationship started. “You should pack up. We’re going to leave in a couple of minutes.”

  “Oh.” She rubs her hands down the tops of her thighs, glancing to where Oliver is as she stands, her expression falling.

  Not sure what that’s about, I grab my pack and zip it up, then scan the area for Cybil, spotting her up the trail with her camera out, snapping photos of a squirrel that’s sitting on a rock just off the path. “Let’s load up and head out,” I call to the rest of the group, who are standing around under a tree off the trail, and they all turn in my direction before grabbing their packs off the ground and moving toward Cybil.

  “You’re annoyed,” Cybil whispers as she falls into step with me after everyone else passes, and my chin jerks back in surprise. No one but Blake and Maverick have ever been able to read me, and it took them years to be able to decipher my moods.

  “Yeah,” I agree, and she wraps her fingers around mine, squeezing quickly before letting her hand drop away.

  “Well, turn that frown upside down.” She knocks my shoulder playfully with her fist. “It’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining, and we’re on an adventure, partner.”

  Shaking my head, I smile down at her, feeling lighter than I did a minute ago. “All right, sunshine.” I grin, watching her eyes go to the dimple in my cheek right before she ducks her head.

  Fuck, but she’s going to make it really difficult not to kiss her for the next week.

  Chapter 5

  CYBIL

  After picking up sticks and twigs I think will be good for firewood, I carry them to the pile that Parker, Jacob, and I have started, then go back in search of more. My body protests under its own weight as I walk with my eyes on the ground at my feet.

  I’m exhausted. I thought I knew what exhaustion was before today, but after hiking uphill, carrying the weight of my pack, I now know I was wrong. I also hope Tanner is right that, as the days pass, it will get easier.

  “So Tanner’s cute,” Jacob says casually as he walks past me with his arms full, and my heart skips a beat at the mention of the man I spent the day getting to know.

  “Very cute,” Parker chimes in. “Don’t you think so, Cybil?”

  “Sure.” I drop my eyes to the ground and start to walk away, knowing where their line of questioning is going.

  “He seems to like you.”

  Does he? I bite my bottom lip. “It’s his job to be nice to me.” I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know the feelings he stirs in me are ones I’ve never experienced before.

  “Honey, that man is smitten,” Jacob says, and I focus on him.

  “Can’t you tell?” Parker asks with his head tipping to the side as he studies me, and I shrug. “How did you know your ex liked you?”

  “We were friends, so I always knew.” And that’s the truth. Galvin and I grew up together. He, Jade, and I weren’t just close; we were inseparable. It wasn’t until I was about to be sixteen that things between Galvin and me started to change and become more flirtatious. It’s weird to think about it now, but it seemed natural for our relationship to progress.

  “Wait.” Jacob frowns. “How long were you together?”

  “A little over nine years.”

  “Jesus, you were just a baby,” he whispers, sounding horrified.

  “We were both sixteen,” I say in my defense.

  “And he’s the only man you’ve ever been with?” Parker asks, and my cheeks warm as I nod. “Why did things end between the two of you?”

  “Don’t answer that.” Jacob glares at his husband.

  “I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” I tell them quietly. “He didn’t tell me why he didn’t want to be with me anymore. He just kept saying it was him, not me.”

  “Obviously, he didn’t lie. You’re gorgeous, funny, and—”

  “And you don’t know me well,” I tell Parker as I laugh. “It’s okay.” I wave my hand out. “You don’t have to try to make me feel better. Just please don’t start feeling sorry for me.”

  “I . . . ,” Parker starts, but whatever he was about to say is cut off when we hear what sounds like a four-wheeler coming through the trees.

  “That’s probably Blake,” Jacob says, looking between Parker and me. “We should finish up and get back to camp—I don’t know about you two, but I’m starving and ready to go to sleep.”

  Without another word, the three of us split up to finish our task. Once we’re done and are loaded up with firewood, we make our way back to camp, where the rest of the group has been clearing the area and digging a pit for the fire. With my arms full, I clear the trees and automatically search out Tanner, finding him standing next to Blake, the two of them talking quietly. Like he senses me watching him, he turns his head my way, and our eyes lock for a moment before I duck my head and drop my armful of branches onto the pile Jacob and Parker started.

  “Everyone, come here and gather around,” Tanner calls out, and everyone stops what they’re doing and heads toward where he’s still standing with Blake next to a four-wheeler that is loaded down with coolers and canvas bags. “Each couple is responsible for setting up their tent when we reach camp each evening and taking it down each morning after breakfast,” he says as Blake passes out canvas bags to each couple. “In the pamphlet you were given this morning were instructions on how to go about setting up your tent. You must follow them and work with your partner to complete the task at hand, and if you don’t, both of you will be sleeping outside in the elements for the night.”

  His eyes meet mine when Blake hands me a tent, and it’s not until that moment that I realize I’ll be sharing a tent with Tanner.

  Holy cow.

  “Let’s get this done so we can eat,” he says, releasing me from his gaze, and I gulp as I numbly carry the canvas bag across the dirt area. I drop it to the ground, then grab my pack and dig out the papers I was given this morning.

  “It’s really unfair that she has Tanner helping her,” I hear Lauren complain, and I grit my teeth to keep from saying something to her I might regret. I’ve never disliked anyone, not really anyway, but there’s something about her that rubs me the wrong way and sets me on edge.

  “Ignore her,” Tanner says quietly, squatting down next to me, and I sigh as I read over the directions, wanting to have a basic idea of what needs to be done before I start the task and work through the steps. When I finish, I set the paper aside and remove the tent and poles from the bag, then start to unfold it and lay it flat with Tanner’s help.

  “We need something to get the stakes into the ground,” I tell him, getting up and looking around for a rock. When I finally find one, he takes it from me and pounds the four posts into the ground with ease, then waits patiently for me to tell him what we have to do next. Even though I’m sure he’s done this a million times, the small gesture makes me feel essential to the process. With the next step being to set up all the poles, I do that; then we work together to weave them through the canvas loops before we raise the roof.

  Once we’re finished, I can’t help my smile, feeling proud of myself. Not only did I keep up with the group today but I just helped set up our shelter for the night. I look around and find that everyone else is finishing up as well. I grab my bag and duck my head as I take the bag into the tent, then I take a seat on the floor and lie down, wanting to close my eyes for just a few minutes. “I’m so tired,” I admit when I feel him take a seat near me.

  “You did great today.”

  “All I did was walk.” My lips twitch into a smile when he chuckles.

  “Yeah, but you didn’t spend the entire time complaining, and like I said, every day, it will get a little easier.”

  “I hope so.” I yawn, covering my mouth.

  “Come on. Since you finished first, you can help me start the fire.”

  “Shouldn’t the winner get a chance to rest?” I joke, opening my eyes to find him standing over me.

  “Nope.” He holds out his hand, so I take it, and he helps pull me up off the ground, which is good, since I’m not sure I would have been able to get up on my own. “You can rest after you put some food in your stomach.”

  “Fine, but only because I’m starving and wouldn’t be able to sleep with my stomach growling anyway,” I say, and he laughs as I follow him out of the tent.

  After we get the fire started, he and Blake bring over a large metal-looking swing with a horizontal floating sheet pan that they place over the fire. Then, the two of them set about getting dinner ready while the rest of the group sits around and talks.