Knight gave his sister an irritated look.“I was just checking in.”
Ada opened her mouth, but Knuckles spoke first.“Uh-huh.That must be why Brynn texted me and told me to revoke your phone privileges.”
“She what?”Knight’s eyes went comically wide before narrowing in irritation.“That little shit.”Everyone laughed.
“She’s fine.”Knuckles clapped Knight on the shoulder.Then plucked his phone from his hand at the same time Ada took Lavender’s.“And no matter how good your intentions are, you’re smothering her.”
“You know she’s fine,” Ada said gently.She put an arm around Lavender to comfort the other woman.“Besides, Tillie says she’s a natural with kids.Margot has started looking for Brynn the second she wakes up.”
Lavender let out a shaky laugh.“You tell Tillie if her daughter learns Brynn’s sarcasm, it’s her own fault.”
“Come on.”Ada looped her arm through Lavender’s and urged the woman forward.“Let’s go enjoy the fuck out of nature.”
The hike was moderate in difficulty, but the elevation gain was steady.My legs reminded me that yesterday’s activities had used muscles I normally forgot existed.But the physical exertion felt good, purposeful, and I found myself falling into the rhythm of the walk.And the sex had been fantastic.
As we climbed, I observed the group.They behaved like family.Teased each other.Picked on each other.Helped each other.And they’d come to my defense with Eric and Jade.Sure, they likely came to support Oktober, but I got the feeling none of these people would have let a woman be bullied in front of them without intervening.No matter what their background, they were decent human beings.
“How much farther?”one of the guys called from the back of the group.
“About twenty minutes to go,” Ada responded from somewhere ahead.“The overlook is just around this ridge.”
The final push up was steep enough that conversation became hard.We climbed in focused silence, our breath coming harder, legs burning with the effort.Then the trees opened up, and we emerged onto a clearing so stunning that I actually gasped.
The vista spread out before us was breathtaking.The lake lay far below, a mirror of blue and green reflecting the sky.Dense forest covered the surrounding hills in shades of green that seemed to extend infinitely in every direction.The waterfall we’d been climbing toward was visible now, a thin silver thread plunging down the far cliff face.The overlook itself was formed by a series of large, flat boulders that created natural seating.
“Is that our waterfall?”I looked up to smile at Oktober.The tender look he gave me stole my breath yet again.
“Ja, Kätzchen.It’s our waterfall.”
“I’m taking a break,” Ada announced, already settling onto one of the larger rocks.“Y’all’er crazy.”Some of them laughed.Most of them groaned in agreement.
“Everything OK with Knight and Lavender?”I asked Ada quietly, accepting the water bottle she offered me.
“Knight found out six months ago that he had a daughter,” Ada said softly, her eyes on the landscape before us.“She was sick.Really sick.From kidney failure after a strep infection.”
My stomach tightened.“Oh no.”
“He finally got matched for donation,” Ada continued, her voice barely audible over the breeze rustling through the surrounding pines.“Two months ago, he gave her one of his kidneys.The transplant took, and she’s recovering well.But he worries about her constantly and she’s starting to push back.Knight can’t help it, though.”
“Does she live with him?”
“Her and Lavender both do.They’re trying to figure out what family looks like now.”Ada took a long drink of water.“They had some issues of Knight’s making, but he and Lavender have worked things out.Brynn keeps Knight in line.”
“That’s…” I trailed off, unable to find adequate words.“That’s actually incredibly moving.”
That’s when I noticed Lavender approaching.She had a slight build and short, curly blonde hair and an expression that suggested she’d overheard at least some of our conversation.She lowered herself onto a rock beside Ada with a self-deprecating snort.
“Which is how we all ended up out here in the first Goddamned place,” Lavender said, her voice carrying a musical lilt beneath the dry humor.She glanced at me.“You’re the kayak girl, right?Oktober’s been insufferable about you.”
I felt heat climb my neck.“He has?”
“Constantly,” Lavender continued with a knowing grin.“Talking about your hair, your laugh, how brave you are.”She affected Oktober’s German accent.“‘She’s different, Lavender.She’s not like other women’.”She dropped the accent and shook her head.“I almost threw a shoe at him.”
The group erupted in laughter.Real, genuine, warm laughter that seemed to clear away some of the tension that had been shadowing Knight.Even he cracked a smile.
“Verdammte Hölle,” Oktober called out, his accent thick with embarrassment.“Lavender, you’re a menace.”
“I know,” Lavender agreed cheerfully.“It’s my best quality.”She turned to me, her expression becoming more earnest.“But seriously, thank you.He needed the distraction.We all did.”
