Chapter 12

Adam

Two hours and two liters of water later, I'm down to shorts and an Under Armour t-shirt. I'm impressed with my hiking partner. She may be a big city woman but she's built for the mountain. Tight muscles glistening with a light sheen of sweat, she's keeping up with me.

Rising before dawn was a good move, even if it required a blaring alarm and a Red Bull. My heart is racing fast, and it isn't from exertion or the energy drink. Evie is doing it for me.

When I first saw her at Yosemite Sam's, my reaction was immediate. She's stunning. Those alluring eyes pulled me in so fast, I nearly forgot my own name. Watching her kick Zane's ass with confidence was the icing on the cake.

We've spoken little since starting the hike, which I appreciate and it seems she does as well. Twice I've witnessed her closing her eyes, knowing she was listening to the breeze rustling the leaves, the insects buzzing, the scampering of woodland creatures in the brush. Just like I do.

We come upon a narrow clearing with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, several of their peaks draped in snow. I drop my pack beside a felled tree log.

"Hungry?" I ask. "I'm going to take a potty break and then grab a bite."

"Sounds good," Evie says. "I'll do the same."

When we're back at the log, Evie pulls out two sandwiches, offering one to me.

I look at it, then at her. "No salad or kale chips?"

Evie takes a bite of the sandwich and swallows. "I'm the daughter of a deli owner. I was reared on pastrami and aged salami."

"Oh, what I wouldn't do for an overstuffed pastrami on rye right now."

"Next time you're in. Hartford, Connecticut, I'll hook you up."

"Connecticut girl."

"I was. I moved to the Big Apple for college and have been there ever since."

"Like it?"

"It's fine. And by fine, I mean expensive and crowded."

I chew, listening.

Evie goes on. "I'm not going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Both of my kids live in Manhattan, most of the time. And my job is there. I'm a lawyer in a mid-size firm. Lots of pressure."

"You have kids?"

"Surprised? I'm turning fifty. Not that unusual."

"I just didn't think of you as a mom," I say, unsure exactly how I thought of her.

"Thanks, I guess."

"So you came out here alone?"

Evie nods. "Circumstances changed at the last minute." She pulls out her phone. "No reception."

When I give her a questioning look, she says, "My best friend, Caroline, broke her leg hours before the flight. She insisted I come alone."

"You feel guilty leaving her behind?"

The answer is written all over her face.

"Yes, I do. But from the sounds of things, she's managing just fine. If I had to guess, her doctor is holding her interest."

I smile, watching a group of five hikers go past. I hear them speak in Italian.

"What about you?" Evie asks.

I feel a moment of unease. It's a reaction I experience whenever meeting someone who doesn't know my story. "What about me?"

"What's your story?"

"No story. My life is pretty boring."

She makes a face. "Boring? You live near Yosemite, hike every day. Sounds anything but boring."

I shrug.

"How is it you're able to spend your days like this out here?"

"How do you know I'm not on vacation also?"

She looks at me. "The waitstaff at Yosemite Sam's knew you well. You haven't shaven in days and you have tan lines that appear months old. So you don't work in an office. And from what I can tell, you're not one of the Park Rangers, so . . ."

"Maybe you should have been a detective rather than a lawyer," I say, and take a bite of my sandwich, looking away.

Evie's eyes turn empathetic. "There's no shame in losing your job or being unemployed."

Initially confused, I realize she must have taken my behavior as deflection. It is, but not in the way she thinks.

"I have lots of connections through my law firm," she says. "What are you trained in?"

I work hard to hold back a guffaw. "You're going to help me find a job? You don't even know me." It's sweet, actually.

"You have a good point," she says. "But let's hear it anyway."

"I studied computer science at Stanford. Dabbled in software development for a while."

Evie places her wrapper in her bag. "I would think there's quite a market for that out here. We're not that far from Silicon Valley."

"True."

She seems to pick up on the cues and pivots. "How about you? Do you have kids?"

"Me? No. Maybe someday. But my sister's getting married in a couple of weeks. That's gonna be fun."

"By your tone, I assume you don't mean it. Why wouldn't your sister's wedding be fun?"

I pause. Only Zane knows my deal. But Evie is a stranger. She doesn't know any of the players. What harm could it cause to tell her?

"Because they're expecting me to bring my fiancée."

I catch Evie's fleeting frown.

"Oh, congratulations," she says.

I'm not sure she means it. I get a strange, tingly feeling inside.

"I didn't realize you were getting married. When's the big day?"

I let out a lungful of air. "Well, that's just the thing. I'm not technically engaged."

"Oh, I see. But it's serious."

"Well . . ."

Evie gestures for me to go on.

"Actually, there is no fiancée . . . or girlfriend. I just said that to get my family off my back."

Her gorgeous eyes widen. "You're serious."

I suck in my lips and nod.

"Wow. What are you going to do?"

"Haven't figured that out yet."

Evie laughs, a wonderfully musical sound. "Good luck with that one."

"Thanks," I say, standing. I grab my pack and she does hers. "I'm going to need it."