“What happened? I mean, besides the Pilates thing.”
“I brought chicken noodle soup over to his apartment.”
“He hates chicken soup that much?” Noah’s face looked like he was trying to calculate an algebra equation. Or figure out why people like Benson Boone songs.
“Long story.” I managed to get my torso upright. “The important thing is I made a commitment never to make another commitment again.” I whacked a small rock with my hiking stick, allowing myself a brief moment of joy by visualizing the rock as my ex’s head. “Dating is overrated anyway. Like hiking. Shouldn’t we get going? I’m sure you have betterthings to do than hear about my tragic and traumatic love life.” Reminiscing with Grumpy Mountain Flannel Pants about my past was not something I wanted to do. Even if it meant more hiking.
“I’m just trying to connect the dots between chicken soup and declaring a life of celibacy.”
“You really want to know?” I braced myself for a snide comment or another insult.
Instead, Noah simply said, “Yes.”
I relaxed my grip on my trekking poles. “We were supposed to go see a limited showing of my favorite movie,Titanic, but he said he was coming down with something and wasn’t up for it. So, me being the daughter of my mom, decided to fix everything with chicken soup.” I kicked another rock down a cliff, imagining my ex’s screams as if it’d been him. “When I walked into his apartment … well, I guess he was up for other things, apparently.”
“He was with someone else?”
“With someone … that’s one way to put it.”
For once, the grumpy look on Noah’s face didn’t seem to be directed at me. His eyes narrowed. There was tenseness in his jaw. “Good thing he didn’t come with you.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Cause he’d be hanging off the edge of a cliff right about now. Or Yeti would have eaten him.” Right on cue, the wolf-dog emerged from the woods, prancing back over to join us. “Here.” He reached for my backpack straps.
“What are you doing?” I clutched them tighter.
“We need to move faster if we’re going to catch the sunrise.” He gently pulled the pack from my shoulders. “It’s not much further anyway.”
“I can carry my own …”
“Samantha. Sam.” His voice was firm, but notunkind. “You’re going to want to get set up and have your phone ready before the sun pops up over the mountains. Trust me.”
I released my grip on the straps, watching as he slung my pack over his shoulder like it was stuffed with feathers.
“So,Titanic,huh?”
“Mass tragedy seems to resonate with me. That, and Leonardo DiCaprio.”
“It’s Brie’s favorite too. She made me watch it like a thousand times.”
“Wow. Were you going for some sort of Brother of the Year nomination or something? Clothes shopping and movie watching with your little sister?”
“Something like that.” Noah smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Then let’s go get your first good look at authentic Colorado.”
Chapter Fifteen
We emerged from the treeline into an open clearing, and I froze. The sky blazed with streaks of amber and rose as the first rays of sunlight crept over the jagged edge of the horizon. My hands trembled as I fumbled for my phone.
“Oh my God,” I whispered, peering through my phone’s viewfinder to make sure I was capturing it all. The mountains stretched endlessly, snow-capped peaks catching fire in the light of dawn. Wisps of clouds turned to spun gold, and the valley below us filled with a purple haze. “Stay right there,” I said, backing up a few steps.
This time, Noah didn’t dodge away when I pointed the camera in his direction. He stood at the edge of the clearing, Yeti sitting proudly beside him, both of them silhouetted against the blazing sky.
I captured dozens of photos, then switched to video. The sun continued its slow climb, painting everything in impossible colors, as if cast from a wizard’s spell. The mountains stretched endlessly, each peak wearing a different crown of clouds.
