“When we were young, we had pretty good chemistry. I was young and very naive, but I knew it.”
“You weren’t stupid.”
“I guess it’s interesting to me that, all these years later, the chemistry just picked up where it left off. Except now, it’s in overdrive.”
“The heart knows what it wants, E, no matter how old it is.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long moment, she just sips her coffee and watches the birds fly between the trees. The mountain is waking up around us.
“It’s going to be a great day for a hike,” she says at last, signaling that our deep conversation is tabled for now.
Which is fine with me. We have plenty of time to pick it up again later.* * *“So, let me get this straight,” she says an hour later when we’re on our way up the trail that leads to the summit of Whitetail Mountain. “We have to hike up, and then we ride the chairlift down?”
“That’s right.”
“Why don’t we ride up and hike down?”
“Because it’ll be more satisfying to be able to say you slayed this mountain. It’s only four miles.”
“Straight up,” she murmurs, but then stops to catch her breath and looks out at the view of the valley below. “Wow. The views up here are gorgeous.”
“It’s just going to get better the higher we go.”
She sets off again, a few steps ahead of me. She may complain about the hike, but she’s doing an awesome job of keeping a regular pace, stopping to drink her water, and catch her breath.
“You’re a pro at this,” I say.
“Hardly. But it is really pretty up here. Please tell me I’ll be rewarded with something at the top.”
“I’ve been told the view is incredible, and there’s a restaurant where we can grab lunch.”
“Awesome.”
We pass several people along the way and encounter others who are on their way down.
No ride on the chair lift for them, I guess.
It takes us less than two hours to reach the summit, and we are not disappointed by the views when we get there.
“Holy shit,” she breathes, her hands on her hips as she looks at the mountain range surrounding us. “I think we can see all the way to Canada from here.”
“We can,” I confirm. “I did some research before I booked the trip. Canada is due north. And to the east is Glacier National Park.”
She just stares in awe at the snow-tipped peaks and the vastness of the trees and mountains in front of us.
When we turn around, we can see the valley below, with Cunningham Falls nestled against the mountain, right next to a large lake.
“This is seriously cool,” she says. “It’s also a good thing that I’m not afraid of heights. Are you going to feed me now?”
“That’s usually my line.” I take her hand and lead her to the summit house, the building that holds not only the restaurant but also a bar and a gift shop.
We place an order and choose a table inside to take a break from being in the sunshine, sitting next to the windows that look out to the mountains.
“We didn’t see even one bear,” Elena says as she adjusts her ponytail and takes in our surroundings.
“Told you.”
“And how did you get me hiking shoes? In my size. On such short notice?”
“I called Jenna last night,” I reply. “Gave her your size and told her what I had planned for today.”
“You’re just full of surprises,” Elena says with a grin and leans back when our food is delivered. “Don’t touch my onion rings.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
She narrows her eyes at me as she takes a bite of her burger and then sighs in delight. “So good. I was starving.”
“Hiking a mountain will do that to you.”
Watching Elena eat is one of my favorite things to do. She enjoys every bite, and she isn’t afraid to order exactly what she wants.
We don’t say much as we inhale our food, and then make our way out to the chair lift to ride back down to the village.
“Oh my God,” she breathes as we come over the side of the mountain and see the view spread out before us. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything quite like this.”
“Now I know why the family loves it so much,” I agree. “Maybe we’ll have to buy a place here.”
“You mean you.”
I glance down at her and see she’s shaking her head.
“You mean you’ll have to buy a place here. I can’t buy anything.”
I sigh and wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Elena. You’re a part of my life again, and I have no intention of letting you go. Ever. Whether you’re Ally or Elena or another name, I don’t care. I plan to live a life with you.”
“Why?” Her voice is quiet. She stares straight ahead, but I don’t know if she sees the magnificent view in front of her or if she’s lost in her mind and the memories there. “Why would you risk everything for me?”