Priya finished dressing and stepped back into the cabin proper. Next to her best friend—who she immediately shot awe need to talk, you traitorlook—was her best friend’s fiancé. Also knownas Grady’s best friend and fellowNavySEAL.
How cozy. “Wyatt,” she said. “What are youdoinghere?”
“Mid-summer surprise visit to see Tegan.” He gave Grady a hard look. “And a little bird told me that Grady here had snuck into camp, so I thought I’d come and see what that was allabout,too.”
Oh. Priya gave Tegan a wide-eyed look—why didn’t Wyatt know about this?—and Teganshot her a quick shrug inreply.
They had so much to discuss. Later. First it was hike time. “Well, we’re off for the morning hike. Are you guysjoiningus?”
Tegan shook her head. “We’ll see you at breakfast, but I need to set up the Arts and Crafts sessions for today, since I disappeared last night to go and pick upWyatt.”
“Heather said you’d gone intoBriarsted.”
Tegan laughed. “A little further. His rental car died halfway here fromBoston.”
“They’d have eventually brought me another one,” Wyatt said, tugging Tegan close as they all stepped outside onto the porch and into the cool,graydawn.
It was too early in the morning for the puppy dog eyes the reunited couple were giving eachother.
“But I didn’t want him to wait on the sideof the road all night.” Tegan wrapped her arms around her partner and squeezed him tight as she gazed up at him. “Besides, it was anadventure.”
“Sounds like,” Priyamurmured.
Grady handed her the coffee mug she’d set down inside, then set his hand in the small of her back and propelled her forward. “Okay, we gotta go. Catch you guyslater.”
Her legs weren’t planning on goingquite that fast, but Grady kept even pressure on with his hand—warm, big, strong—until they were out of earshot of thecabin.
Then helaughed.
“What?”
“You don’t have a poker face at all when it comes to romanticbullshit.”
“I’m not a romanticperson.”
“No shit.” He laughed again and dropped his hand. She ignored the shiver that ran down her spine. She didn’tmiss his touch in theleast.
“I’m learning so much about you, Priya.” He shot her a quick, warm, sideways glance. “Somuch.”
She was going to regret asking this. “Likewhat?”
He shook his head. “We’re almost there. I’ll tell youlater.”
Sure enough, there was a small group formed up just ahead, and they fell in at the back of the pack. Priya’s neck burned as she triedto figure out what Grady thought he knewabouther.
She took another long sip ofcoffee.
Well, he knew that she was a nicer human being when she had caffeine, for onething.
“We’re going to do an out-and-back hike this morning,” the group leader announced. “If at any point you feel like turning around, feel free. But the oatmeal bar doesn’t open until seven-thirty, so youmight as well stick it out with us. Ready?Let’sgo!”
“I’m not ready,” Priya muttered as Grady settled his hand in the small of her back again. “And is that one of the things you’ve learned about me? That I need to be pushed throughahike?”
He laughed and pressed a little harder. She picked up her pace so she wouldn’t trip over herownfeet.
But it turned out everyone elsewas feeling pretty slow, too, and the group pace was almost leisurely as they climbed the wide path into the forest beyond the camp. Every so often, the staff leader pointed out bits of interest. Birds, rocks,trees.
The path that led to the infamous waterfalls. “Oooh,” Priya said, veering in thatdirection.
