Page 68 of Mistletoe Mischief

“And none of those guides carried a weapon?”

“Well, yes, but that’s because there were lions and tigers and dangerous people.”

“This is Idaho, Kitten. We have mountain lions, wolves, bobcats, wolverines, and even a few dangerous characters cooking shady shit.” Pike picked up Jo and gave her a reassuring smile. “We’re going to stay on the trail, but I’m always cautious. When the tourist season dies down and hunting season is over, the critters around here aren’t used to seeing humans.”

Ryler stared at him for several seconds before taking Jo from him. “I’ll carry the baby so at least your hands are free.”

Pike closed his trunk, following her back to the group. When he stopped between Alia and Ryler, he addressed everyone. “Make sure you make noise as you walk in case there’s an animal nearby. We don’t want to spook it.”

Alia stared at Pike with wide eyes. “What exactly are we going to spook?”

Pike was surprised by her apprehension. “Like I was telling Ryler, there’s always a chance of encountering animals when we’re in the woods, especially near a water source. I just want all of us to be cautious, and if you do see an animal, make yourself large and imposing.”

Neil snorted. “You’re doomed, Alia.”

“Shut up, Neil,” Alia snapped.

“Whoa, okay, don’t make me separate you two,” Ryler joked.

“Oh, please do!” Alia said, marching back to Pike. “I’ll walk with you.”

Pike glanced toward Ryler, who held his puppy in her arms, and pushed down the disappointment in his stomach. “Alright, we’ll lead the way, but you three stay close to us. No stragglers.”

Pike took off, Alia keeping pace beside him. The first part of the trail was relatively flat, but about halfway down, it would start to climb as they drew closer to the waterfall.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“You’re wearing Nikes instead of a shoe with ankle stabilization and tread for hiking. I just don’t want you to roll an ankle.”

“I didn’t expect us to hike today. I thought we were going sight-seeing.”

“Fair enough,” Pike said, following behind as she pulled ahead. Pike glanced behind him, and Ryler smiled. Jo seemed perfectly content for Ryler to hold her as they walked the trail. Pike noted that Kit and Ryler wore heavy-duty hiking boots, while Neil had on simple sneakers. He must have thought the same thing as Alia.

Alia was nothing like how he’d imagined her to be after listening to her podcast for six years. He’d always assumed she’d be tough, level-headed, and personable, but she almost came across as a whiny princess. While Alia wasn’t a jerk, he’d noticed that she wasn’t as charming as he’d expected, especially when it came to people helping her. When she’d gotten up last night to grab another drink from the bar, Ricki hadn’t seemed terribly impressed. He’d overheard her telling Holly that Alia was a diva. Not exactly the description he’d expected after some of the interactions she’d described on her podcast.

“Is this where we start singing The Ants Go Marching?” Kit called out.

Pike chuckled. “Depends on if you’ve got the voice of a dying cat or not.”

“Nah, Kit’s got the voice of an angel,” Ryler said.

“Who you talking about?” Neil asked. “’Cause I’ve been out with this man when he gets a couple beers in him, and he sounds like a cow looking for a mate.”

The group laughed, except for Alia, who continued to march ahead. Pike ended up next to Ryler and Jo, who strained toward him. He took the dog from her and held her against his chest, scruffing her ears.

“Your cousin doesn’t seem to like hiking.”

“She does,” Ryler said, brushing a hair off her forehead. “She’s just been under the weather the last few days.”

“Ah, okay.” Pike took a deep breath; the scent of pine trees and crisp, cold air was comforting. “This is what I needed today.”

“I’m glad I could provide a distraction for you,” Ryler said, her full lips stretched into a smile.

I’d be happy to let you distract me any way you want.

Pike didn’t know where the thought had come from, but there was no way he was going to make a move on Ryler, especially given what she’d witnessed between him and Anthony. He’d said that they would keep things professional, and that was exactly what he was going to do.