Chapter Twenty-two
Their first zip-lining group of the day canceled last minute so Ryan, Mark, and Ethan seized the opportunity to walk the property together, finalizing the course for the upcoming Adrenaline Rush. They’d held the team-based obstacle race for the first time last summer as part of the grand opening for Off-the-Grid, and it had been such a success they’d decided to make it an annual event.
“I think we should add a mud obstacle this year,” Ethan said, leading the way down the path toward the stream.
“You really want to make a mud pit out here?” Mark asked.
Ethan shrugged. “Simple enough to fill it in afterward.”
Ryan lunged upward to grab an overhead branch, swinging for a moment before jumping back onto the trail. “You got a spot in mind?”
“Maybe the field behind the ropes course.”
“Yo, we paid Artful Blooms to reseed that field for us a couple of months ago. Not a good investment to dig it up.”
“Oh yeah.” Ethan looked thoughtful.
“Could use the area behind the second zip-line platform,” Mark suggested.
“That might be perfect,” Ethan said. “It’s mostly mulch, and it tends to get muddy anyway.”
“I like it,” Ryan said. “We definitely need to switch some things up this year, keep the course interesting and unpredictable.”
“I agree,” Ethan said.
They spent the next hour walking and talking, coming up with new ideas and deciding which bits of last year’s race they could repeat. They headed back toward the main building just in time to get ready for their next zip-lining group.
“So you’re really going to let Emma move to Georgia next week?” Ethan asked, smiling like a cocky bastard.
“Let her? It’s not my job to tell her what she can and can’t do.”
“No, but don’t you think you guys ought to have a chat? You know, about feelings and all that mushy shit?”
Ryan wanted to punch the cocky grin right off Ethan’s face. “Feelings?”
“Bro, you can’t just let her walk away without fighting for her.”
Ryan tripped over a tree root and almost fell flat on his face. “Of course I can. This thing between us was always short term. It’s just casual.”
“Just casual, huh?” Ethan glanced at Mark. “You hear this shit?”
“Seem to recall having the same conversation with you not so long ago,” Mark commented drily.
“That’s true,” Ethan said. He turned to Ryan, his expression gone serious. “There are photos on Gabby’s phone of Emma in a wedding dress.”
Ryan damn near fell on his face again. “Say what now?”
* * *
Emma spent Saturday evening finishing up the summer landscaping at Off-the-Grid. She’d brought in several lavender asters to brighten up the walkway area and the flower bed beneath the sign. They were hardy and should flower on and off all summer long.
The guys needed low-maintenance, especially after she left town. Another wave of homesickness hit her as she imagined someone else here tending their landscaping, adding new flowers to the bed she’d built.
But no matter. They were just flowers, after all.
She’d just finished up and put her tools back in her car when she spotted Trent headed down the path toward the ropes course, cell phone in hand. She jogged after him. “Hey, Trent.”
He turned, swiping a lock of hair out of his eyes with a smile. “Hi, Emma.”
