Page 59 of Double Exposure

“Hey.”

“I can smell the bacon from here.” He sees my face. “What?”

“I’m not sure I’m ready to go back up to the main cabin. Your family will know—”

He smiles and pulls me closer. “Don’t worry.”

“They’ll think I sleep around.”

“As long as you sleep around with me, they’ll be all for it,” he says.

“I grew up in a very different household.”

He grins. “That’s what makes life interesting.”

I kiss the back of his hand.

“I want to take you to Echo Falls today. It’s supposed to be a lot warmer and the falls will be spectacular with the runoff.”

“I've seen them, I—”

He shakes his head. “I want to take you to the beginning of Echo Falls, to the origin point.”

I tilt my head up to kiss him. He’s so much taller than me he has to anticipate my kiss by bowing his head. It’s so cute, my heart shimmies every time he does it. “Sounds perfect,” I say after leaving a damp spot on his cheek.

He swirls my hair in a ponytail, knots it, and presses the bun to the nape of my neck. “I love being with you. I love standing here with you, drinking coffee. I cant think of any other place I’d rather be right now.”

None of this is grandstanding. All of it felt real. It is real.

“Maybe in a shoe store?” I say and glance down at his feet. He’s barefoot. Well, almost barefoot. He’s only wearing wool socks. “How do you do that?”

“I grew up in snow. Are you finished with your coffee, young lady?”

“Just a second,” I say and swallow the last gulp. As soon as I’ve finished, he picks me up, hoists me up over one shoulder, and carries me back into the studio. The mug dangles in my hand.

I’m deliriously happy right now.

We pull on boots and walk to the cabin. Carter packs radios, cell phones and battery packs. I'm quite impressed with how safety conscious Carter is although, this time, he doesn't seem to be particularly worried about much. It's almost automatic. He's laughing with his brothers and grabs a piece of bacon off a plate that used to be piled high with strips.

I’m self-conscious at first, then realize no one seems to care the two of us spent the night in the apartment. Even Codie is sweet and funny. Savi licks my hand after I, too, enjoy several pieces of bacon. Helen is chatty while Jace pours us a large thermos of coffee.

I use the bathroom, brush my teeth, and call my mom for a quick update. My mother, succinct on the phone as always, explains Dad got the green light to go home. Once again, we don’t talk about me taking off.

In half an hour, with the thermos tucked into Carter’s pack and two Danish in paper towels, we’re ready to go.

As Carter explains, it’s a five-mile run up to the top. Carter and I will hike back. Brock climbs into the cockpit with a mock stern smile.

“Almost ready to go co-captain?” he says to me as I settle into the seat next to him. This will be different, riding in the front. Carter grins from the back jump seat.

“Is this an authorized use of your vehicle?” I ask with a smile as we start to climb into the air.

“You have no idea,” he says which, though cryptic, I think I understand.