“Oh yeah,” I reply. “Doesn’t mean it’s easy though. Now you’ve got the dreaded wait until that first call. Just hearin’ theirvoiceor gettin’ a text will put you at ease again.”
Red chuckles. “The wait you say? Sounds like datin’.”
I shrug. “Haven’t done it for a while, but I assume so.”
“Hmm,” he says, rubbing his chin. “It’s not like you’re short of offers. I’ve seen you get flirted with at the diner. And the bar too, come to think of it.”
"Men shootin' their shot and wantin' a good time instead of a meaningful one is not somethin’ that’s ever interested me, Red. Besides, are you forgettin’ that I don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to romance?”
He falls quiet again, long enough that I think the conversation is over.
I look out the window as we round a bend in the road and spot the sign for the Blueberry Loop trail. “This is our stop,” I tell him, pointing ahead.
Following my instructions, he pulls the truck into a small dirt and snow-scattered parking lot before turning the engine off and leaning forward to get a better look at our surroundings. “You’re takin’ me on a hike?”
“Yep. Some peace and quiet, a bite to eat, small talk if you want—or not. Just wanted a way to help you clear your mind for a bit, and maybe distract you from that ‘wait’I told you about.”
Red stares deep into my eyes, doing it for so long that I start to waver in my belief that this plan was a good idea. That’s until a slow-growing smile appears, transforming his face and for the first time in what seems like ages, I get a glimpse of my carefree,happybest friend I used to know. The one that part of me thinks Red himself had forgotten was in there.
“Sounds like a mighty good plan, darlin’. Thank you. I think this is just what I need.”
I let out a big breath I didn't know I was holding as I watch Red hop out of the truck and come around to open the door for me.
And I do it ignoring the unusualthump thump thumpof my heart when my gaze meets his.
The crisp mountain air reminds me of home as we begin walking along the trail. The thin layer of snow under my boots is just enough to let out a satisfying crunch with every step.
I marvel at the changing colors and the longer we go, the better and clearer the view gets. Then I spot Denali in the distance, and the scene laid out in front of us is so serene, so breathtakingly beautiful that I have to stop moving and give myself a moment just to take it all in.
Red walks beside me the whole time, his hands tucked into his pockets as he keeps a watchful eye around us. Every now and then, he steals a glance my way and grins at me. It’s amusing butit’s also kind of cute. Most importantly though, he seems lighter, freer.That’swhat I wanted to happen by bringing him here.
It’s moments like these that make me grateful for our decades of friendship and the ease with which we can just be ourselves around each other. There’s never been any pressure or meddling thoughts, we’ve always been able tobewith one another. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
We reach a fork in the path and a sign showing us which way to go. One loops around and leads back to where we started. The other would take us on a side trail to a knoll that will give us the best view on the whole trail. To me, it's a no-brainer, and without saying a word, Red waves out his arm to the knoll path. "There's no point comin’ all this waynotto see the best view up here. It won’t be as good as back home at Bull Mountain, but I bet it's still worth seein’.”
This is an experience,I think to myself as we continue walking until we reach the top of a small hill. If I thought the view of Denali was good earlier, it’s nothing compared to the uninterrupted picturesque landscape laid out in front of us now.
“Never seen anythin’ like this. It’sbeautiful,” I whisper in awe.
“Me neither.” Red moves next to me and reaches for my hand, a buzzing under my skin intensifying as the warmth of his skin seeps into mine. My heart starts to do that weird staccato beat again and out of instinct, I pull my hand away, the strange feelings disappearing as soon as I do.
I catch Red staring at me with a strange expression on his face before he quickly clears it. “Do you want to eat our lunch up here?”
“Seems as good a place as any, right?”
“Right,” he replies, his voice tight and strange.What’s goin’ on right now?
Red spreads out a blanket he grabbed from the back of his truck and gestures for me to sit down. That’s when I start pulling out the lunch order from the diner. First there are a couple of club sandwiches with roast turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato & mayo on rye. Then a taco salad to share–because I couldn’t stop myself from ordering it–with iceberg lettuce, olives, ground sirloin, Cojack cheese, and salsa.
“Damn this looks amazon’. Smells good too,” he says.
I arch my brow, shooting him a glare. “You better not say this is better than my food back home or else I’ll steal your keys and make you walk back to the motel.”
He holds his hands up in surrender, feigning innocence. “I wouldn’tdaredo such a thing.”
“Better not,” I mutter.
He chuckles and digs in, unwrapping one of the sandwiches and taking a hearty bite. “So good,” he says, meeting my narrowed eyes. “Definitely not as good as yours. Nothin’ touches your cookin’, darlin’. Why do you think I’m always at the Hog?”
