“It’s always dangerous,” he points out.
I want to sayyes, I know, but I never had a say in this and I don’t have to like it, but I don’t.Hunter chose this, and he knew what he was getting himself into, and that decision hadnothingto do with me.I can take it or leave it, but I can’t start a fight about it.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
Take it, I think.
“I know,” I say, and look up at him.“Sorry.”
He leans down and kisses the top of my head.
“I practically pitched a fit when you climbed on some rocks today,” he says.“It’s okay if you worry about me.”
“McKinnon, comein,” Mike’s annoyed voice is saying.I grab the radio and press the button.
“Yes?”I say.
There’s a long, dramatic sigh.
“Hike back tomorrow,” he says.“We’ve requested air surveillance for this thing, so we’ll have eyes a lot closer in case it breaks bad.”
Hunter and I look at each other.I was secretly hoping for another day here, just hanging out and fucking a lot, but this extra day was pretty good.
“Roger that, boss,” I say.
“Great.See you then.Over and out.”
“Over and out,” I say, then put the radio on the table and tilt my head up at Hunter.
“The professionals are coming?—”
The radio sounds again, and Mike’s voice comes through.
“McKinnon, are you there?I forgot something.”
“What is it?”I ask.
“If this fire becomes a problem, tradition dictates that you get to name it,” he says.
“I do?”
“You found it,” he says.“I recommendnotnaming it after yourself, in case it kills someone.”
A quick shudder runs down my spine.
“Thanks,” I say.
“Think about it,” he says.“And hope you don’t get to name it.”
“Rogerthat,” I say.
ChapterTwenty
Hunter
We make dinner,more freeze-dried backpacking meals in bags, and eat at the tiny table.We talk, but not about anything important: whether the winter’s going to be cold or mild, what the best and cheapest place to go skiing is.I ask about Trout, and Clementine ends up telling me funny dog stories for fifteen minutes, until she clears away the dishes.
I go look at the fire as twilight gathers.Last night we couldn’t see the smoke after dark, but tonight, there’s a distinctiveglow, bouncing off the granite Spires, giving them a hellish glimmer.
