Hudson let out a roar of laughter. “Who owns the bridge now?”
“It’s all part of an endowment she had drawn up after she bought the property and set up the park and nature preserve. The fee they charge for the park, along with donations, helps to keep the land and the bridge maintained.”
Hudson glanced my way again. “So that’s why it’s called One Lane Bridge Park.”
“Yep!”
Hudson laughed. “Remind me not to cross the women in your family.”
We kept talking about the town, until I realized we were pulling into the parking lot for the trailhead of Falling Waters Trail that led to Cloudland Falls.
Hudson reached into the backseat and pulled out a basket. “A little birdy told me about these amazing picnics I could pick up at the Adams Apiary.”
I gasped as I looked at the basket. “Did Arabella make this?”
He nodded and opened the lid so I could peek inside. “Candace told me about it when I stopped in on Thursday and mentioned my plans for your birthday.”
“Isn’t Arabella a delight?” I asked just as my stomach growled.
Hudson’s eyebrows went up in surprise before he laughed. “Yes, she was very nice. Come on, I’m starving you on your own birthday. The quicker we get to the falls, the quicker we can get to our picnic.”
We got out of the car and each strapped on our hiking backpacks and headed to the trailhead. The dense forest was beautiful, and I told Hudson this was one of my favorite trails.
“If we had more time, we could hike all the way up to Franconia Ridge,” I said. “The view is so beautiful up there. You can see for miles on a clear day.”
“I bet it’s nice when the fall colors are at their peak.”
“Yes! It is.”
“I’ll have to be sure to come back for it.”
I smiled, even as I was reminded that this was all temporary. Hudson was only here for a short time, and I had to remember that. I could easily get lost in his company and start to fall for him…and where would that leave me? Maybe in a long-distance relationship, if Hudson felt the same way I did. Or, maybe it would lead to a brief love affair where we’d both walk away from one another when his time was up and his book was written. Either way, I wasn’t fond of the possible outcome.
“This is where it gets a bit harder to hike,” I said as we made our way along the cascading stream. I listened to the sound of the rushing water—one of my favorite things to hear. I paused a few times and closed my eyes, simply taking in all the sounds. It was so peaceful. Water rushing over the rocks and down the mini falls, harmonizing with the sounds of birds singing. Every now and then, the rustle of the leaves blowing in the wind nearly had me swaying along.
“You okay?” Hudson asked as he looked back at me.
With a silly grin, I nodded and made my way to him. “This is Stairs Falls.”
Hudson pulled out his camera and started to take pictures. The water fell gracefully over the tiered rocks, and then meandered down to follow the trail we had just walked up. The sound was so soothing, I had to take another moment to let it filter through me.
“I can’t even imagine what this place looks like when fall is at its peak,” Hudson said.
“Winter is beautiful, as well, when the water is frozen over the falls. You can still hear the water running under the ice.”
“I see why they call these the Stairs Falls. It’s beautiful.”
I smiled and watched while Hudson snapped a few more pictures.
“Up just above this falls is another one called Swiftwater Falls. There should be a good spot up there if you want to stop and eat.”
Hudson looked back at me and winked. “I am starving you on your birthday, aren’t I?”
I raised my index finger and thumb and almost pinched them together. “Maybe a tiny bit.”
“Come on, let’s go.”
As we made our way up the trail, we saw another couple coming down. We said our greetings as we passed, and then Swiftwater Falls came into view.
“Oh my God,” Hudson said, lifting his camera from where it now hung around his neck. “You didn’t tell me there was a bridge above it, Greer!”
I chuckled and took the basket that Hudson had been carrying during our hike. “There’s a spot over there. We can sit on the rocks and eat.”
Hudson took more pictures, the shutter of the camera going crazy. “There’s a blanket in the basket under the food, courtesy of Arabella.”
I shook my head and let out a soft laugh. Of course, there was. The moment she’d heard Hudson was taking me on a picnic, Arabella had probably called Willa and they’d brainstormed about how to make this as romantic as possible.