Now, that woman is no longer in the picture, and it’s as if my dick just woke the fuck up. I shake my head, dodging my thoughts, because no. Everything is in shambles. I can’t be tempted to test the waters. Not when I betrayed my brother and the promise I made to him.
I deserve to hate myself for a while, not wonder what the wild side is like.
And fuck. I can tell Collie Meadows would be a different shade of wild. Possibly a wild I’d never recover from if I let her sink her pretty claws into me.
“You good with that side?” I ask her.
“Yep.” It’s when Collie settles beside me that I smell it. Smell her.
Cotton candy.
Shewouldsmell like fucking sugar. Sweet and fruity.
“I can’t get over this place. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. When I walked the freaking trek to the shower earlier—which, what a hike, if I might add—I saw the biggest deer. The cutest doe eyes and all. It had to have been the size of a horse.”
I chuckle, turning to my side while she gets comfortable. “You’ll see a lot of those out here. But don’t let the wildlife scare you. There’s a shit ton of beauty to see. If you stay calm, the animals will respect you.”
Collie listens kindly. “You sound like a Disney princess. Please don’t sing,” she teases before continuing, “I’m guessing you’ve been here before?”
“Actually, no. Always wanted to. That’s partially why I’m here. It’s kinda similar to back home, except for the deep forests. We have some of that too, but it’s different. Lots offishing, hiking, and farmland. Enough to keep busy. It’s my favorite way of life.”
“And where’s home for you?”
“Salt Hollow, Alaska. Small town off the coast of Sitka.”
She smiles. “Never heard of it. But I have heard Alaska is really beautiful. I’d like to go there someday.”
Despite how shitty I feel on the inside, it’s nice to talk to someone. Especially someone who isn’t my family. Someone who doesn’t know me, possibly about my brother’s death, and all the events that followed.
There’s no judgment between us as strangers.
The sun has since set, making the stars in the sky feel zoomed in and brighter. The only light in the camper comes from the stars shining through the sunroof and the illumination of the string lights.
It’s tranquil. Relaxing.
“Do you travel for work a lot? Or was this a one-time trip?” I ask casually, hoping I don’t touch a nerve. I know today has probably felt painfully long for her.
God, has it really only been a day?
Yesterday was supposed to be my wedding day. A sunrise wedding with close friends and family at the top of Nashville’s most extravagant vineyard. It’s depressing, and I’m not sure I’ve really had a free second to process it.
I should really get some sleep, but I’m enjoying talking to Collie more.
“You mean do I always kill myself for someone else’s reward? Well, yes. Yes I do.” She rolls her eyes and smirks. “Kidding. Work sends me off and on. But most of my travels are for fun. Traveling is a high I’ll never get enough of.”
“Maybe it’s a good thing, you know?”
“Maybe. I still have a lot to figure out, I guess. All I know is that it’s nice to have the time to do it.”
“Fuck. Don’t tell me I’m gonna wake up in the middle of the night to you singing ‘Kumbaya’ and meditating around the camper? Channeling your inner Zen for some life direction?” I wink and earn myself a shove to the shoulder.
“Okay, dickhead. I might do that now—just for you.”
She’s playful. It’s nice. Kinda forgot what it feels like to laugh because I actually wanted to. Not because someone important was watching and needed to be convinced.
“What did you do for work?” I ask.
“I’m a fitness instructor. I run—I mean ran—a studio back home, teaching close to ten classes a week. I was in Nashville for a conference with my company. We essentially train other trainers how to be better trainers. If that makes any sense.”
