He moved alongside Gina. Close enough that their shoulders touched as they scanned the surrounding forest. Close enough that he caught the faint scent of her shampoo—something clean and simple, like coconut—barely detectable under the smell of snow and exertion. The casual contact sent a quiet thrill through him, cutting through the chill in the air.
The way she handled crisis situations made his pulse quicken. But what could he offer her? She clearly had her life figured out.
Nick positioned himself slightly ahead of Gina as they resumed walking, keeping her farther from the tree line where the bear had disappeared. If the grizzly doubled back, he’d be the one it encountered first.
“Good call on the bear protocol,” she said quietly. “You do that often? Face down grizzlies?”
Nick smiled despite everything. “First time, actually. Usually, I stick to facing down angry homeowners when their renovation goes over budget.”
“Somehow I think the bear might be easier to deal with.”
“You’d be surprised. Bears are actually pretty reasonable if you speak their language.” He glanced back at her. “What about you? Medical training comes in handy for more than just altitude checks.”
“I’m a nurse. ER mostly, though I float to other departments.” She adjusted her pack. “Nothing quite like a grizzly in my job description, but we get our share of wildlife encounters in Wyoming ERs.”
“How long have you been doing that?”
“After I finished school, I spent two years in Denver. I’ve been in Irma for going on five. Big-city ER was a fast road to burnout. This feels more manageable.”
“Probably a wise move.”
“Thanks.” She was quiet for a moment. “What about you? You said renovations—you do that full time?”
“When I can find the work. It’s been...inconsistent lately.” He didn’t mention the way he’d been drifting for the past year.
“Brooke mentioned you’re good with your hands. She’s excited to have you work on her place.”
Warmth spread through Nick. “Yeah, well, we’ll see if I live up to the hype.”
Her laugh was quiet but genuine. “I think you will.”
The easy way she said it, like she believed in him without question, made something shift in his chest. When was the last time someone had that kind of faith in him?
“We make a good team,” he said, meaning it.
The words carried more weight than he’d intended. Color rose in Gina’s cheeks, and she looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Before he could figure out what to say next, Kelsey’s voice cut through the moment. “Weather’s getting worse.”
She was right. What had started as an inconvenient weather change was becoming a genuine survival situation.
“Joe, you good to continue?” Nick asked, reluctantly pulling his attention from Gina.
“Yeah. Let’s go.” Joe straightened up, though his breathing remained labored.
They resumed the trek toward Bearwater as conditions continued deteriorating. The wind was picking up significantly, creating a chill that cut through his layers. Fresh snow was accumulating fast enough to obscure trail markers and landmarks.
Nick coordinated with Gina, checking on group members, monitoring conditions, making decisions together without discussion. It felt good, but it also felt dangerous. He was in no position to start anything with anyone.
Brooke walked with obvious frustration, constantly checking her GPS and muttering about wasted training time, even as they navigated the treacherous conditions.
“Brooke,” Gina called ahead. “Stay closer to the group.”
“I’m fine,” Brooke shot back. “I know this trail.”
“In these conditions, nobody knows this trail,” Nick said firmly. “We stay together.”
By the time the abandoned buildings of Bearwater came into view through the swirling snow, Nick was very concerned about hypothermia setting in. The bear encounter, terrible weather, and Joe’s struggles had turned what should’ve been a forty-five-minute return trip into over an hour of increasingly difficult travel.
