She nodded. “I have. Something about this, though…it’s so peaceful. It feels like…”
Her voice trailed off, and I glanced at her. A look of pure contentment shone on her face as she smiled and took it all in. She lifted her camera and started to take photos too. I stepped aside to give her more room. Hudson reached for my hand and held it as we stood there. I loved that we were able to experience this with his family.
I started to remember the last time we were up on this ridge. The memory had me peeking over at Hudson and daydreaming about when we could be alone again.
A rush of warm air hit the side of my neck as Hudson quietly asked, “What are you thinking about, Greer?”
I shook my head. “Nothing I can talk about here.”
His soft, rumbled laughter felt as if it moved through my body, and I leaned back against him. Hudson wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on top of my head.
“This has got to be the most perfect day I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “You, my folks, Everly, this beautiful area. I don’t think it can get any better.”
I let myself melt into him even more and smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this relaxed and at ease in my entire life.”
His hold on me tightened, and we watched both Everly and Doug take picture after picture. When I looked at Kyle, my smile grew bigger. He looked like he was floating on cloud nine as he walked alongside Everly, pointing things out to her.
“Best day ever.” I lifted my head to look at Hudson. “Thank you for showing me there’s so much more to life than working nonstop.”
He kissed the tip of my nose. “Wait until later. I’ll show you even more.”
Greer
“The yellow stick moved!” Bishop called out as Kyle slipped a blue stick from the pile.
When his stick was safely removed, Kyle glared at Bishop. “It did not move. You need glasses!”
“I need glasses? No, you need them. Who else saw the yellow stick move?” Bishop glanced around the table at each of us. I held up my hand.
Kyle pointed at me. “You little liar, you weren’t even looking!”
I shrugged. “How would you know, if you were focused on your stick?”
If it were possible, I was positive Kyle would have steam coming from his head.
“Do they always play so…passionately?” I heard Everly ask Hudson.
“Yep. When the pick-up sticks come out, watch out. It’s like us with Monopoly. Just be glad they’re not betting with money this time.”
Everly nodded. “Oh, I see.”
“Kids, calm down. I’m the judge, and I didn’t see the yellow stick move,” my mother declared.
Bishop shook his head. “You aren’t a fair and impartial judge.”
My mother gasped. “I beg your pardon, young man. I am very fair.”
Rolling his eyes, Bishop sat back and pouted.
“And this is exactly why you’re single,” Kyle stated with a smug smile.
Bishop sat up and pointed a finger at Kyle. “Fu—shut up, Kyle.”
“I believe it’s Everly’s turn,” I quickly said before Kyle and Bishop got into a fighting match. For as long as I could remember, it didn’t take much to set Bishop and Kyle against each other. My mother always said that if she didn’t know better, she’d think they were the twins.
The two of them were the best of friends and the worst of friends. I also knew they would die for one another. When Bishop’s wife, Abby, left him, Kyle and Hunter were there to help him pick up the pieces. He would deny it, of course, but he nearly fell apart when Abby moved to Boston. She’d wanted something different. A life outside of Boggy Creek. Bishop had thought he was enough to make her happy, but he wasn’t, and it had broken him. Bishop had a reputation for sleeping around, but I knew it wasn’t true. Kyle had told me Bishop hadn’t been with that many women since Abby left him. It was painfully obvious to those of us who knew him that he was still in love with Abby.
“Do I have to play?” Everly asked with a concerned look on her face. When Kyle had suggested heading over to our folks’ house after our hiking trip since there was more room, I’d had a feeling he wanted a rematch on the pick-up sticks.
“Yes,” replied nearly everyone at the table.
After a deep breath, Everly sighed and then took her turn. When she safely removed a yellow stick, I could see her entire body relax.
“Fun, isn’t it?” Hudson asked with a sarcastic tone in his voice.
After we finished the game, we spent the rest of the night outside around the fire pit. Kyle and Bishop told stories about all of us growing up in Boggy Creek, and Hudson and Everly shared stories about their childhood in Boston and traveling with their folks. Everly told us about her research trips to Alaska, Greenland, and a possible upcoming trip back to Alaska. Her job was fascinating to hear about, and you could tell by the passion in her voice that it meant everything to her.