“None of that’ll help us without a bow to hunt with or a pole to fish with.”
She hums out a soft sound. “At least we’ve got a fire, that’s something. That’s a lot. We’ll be relatively warm tonight for the first time in days.”
“How about you? Any special skills? Other than roasting me for sport.”
“A few. You’ll know ‘em when you see ‘em.” She winks, before going quiet, holding her hands out toward the heat much like he is, rubbing them together and sending him curious glances when she thinks he’s not looking. “Tell me about Oliver? I should know who my friend is marrying. At this point, all I have is that he’s an asshole most of the time. Gwen hasn’t told me much yet, either.”
“Not much to tell, really. Me and him butt heads a lot. When I said he’s an asshole, yeah it’s the truth, but he’s also loyal. If Oliver cares about you, then he’ll always be in your corner. We fight, but it’s just as much me as it is him. I’ve got some resentment I’m trying to let go of. He’s funny sometimes. Women like him. Shit, I’m not doing a good job of talking him up, am I? Gwen could do a lot worse than Oliver. If he’s all in, then there’s nothing that’ll keep him away from her.”
“Family is a difficult thing sometimes,” she mutters into her cupped hands.
“You’re not joking.”
“Does that resentment have anything to do with being dropped off together in the wilderness once a year, because I gotta say that sounds pretty awful.”
He sort of expected that their story-for-a-story deal would be void now that she’s decided he can’t be trusted, but perhaps the total lack of entertainment has left them little other option. He can’t expect her to share too if he won’t be honest in return, and as curious as Nora is, he’s equally as ready to know more about her.
Besides, he owes her a story after she told him about her ex and their zoo life.
“It might have a lot to do with it.” He pokes at the fire with a twig. “Our dad wasn’t a good man. You know how some people are just wired wrong? Hard to live with. Hard to love. Difficult.”
“I do. I know exactly what you mean.”
“That was him, to both of us, but he hid it behind the false promise that he only wanted us to be stronger. I’m still not sure how making brothers compete against each other in a yearly fight for survival after being kicked out of a helicopter in the remote wilderness was supposed to make either of us better at business dealings.”
“That sounds like a terrible reality show.”
“Lotta shit went down between me and Oliver out there. I’m trying to remember he didn’t have it easy when he was younger, either. Didn’t have any more choice than I did. Neither of us really won.”
Her face softens, but it’s not pity that he sees, only a growing spark of something else that she quickly tamps down again. “When you said he made you compete for his affection, you weren’t joking.”
“Not in the slightest. I’m trying to move on. I probably need some fucking therapy.”
“Therapy only works if you follow the advice. Just ask my therapist,” she says with a sad, half-grin. “How are your fingers? Do you need to feel me up again? I might find you slightly obnoxious now, but I’m not a monster.”
“I’ll pass on that offer for now, but if you need to feel me up…”
She rolls her eyes. “Literally just had to keep your mouth shut or say no while I offered a very small olive branch. Either of those two options would have worked.”
“Noted.”
She’s even beautiful when she’s glaring at him. A blast of wind from outside swirls its way into the cave and jolts him out of that ridiculous thought.
“Is it just me, or is it getting colder?” She frowns.
“Not just you. We got lucky for a while there. It looks like the weather’s turning.”
She edges closer to the remaining fire and, in the process, a few inches closer to him.
They don’t have enough wood to last the whole night, or enough food to last more than a couple of days.
They have no idea how much farther it is to the next house or town.
Winter is heading their way even stronger than before, and something tells him they aren’t prepared to be hit with it full force.
Chapter 5
The fire has gone out. There are no more tree branches or fallen logs to gather. They were lucky to find what they did the first time.
