“Thank you. That would be nice.” When he flashes his smile at me, I can’t help but return the favor.
“Does your brother always hike like this, or?” Beth asks from ahead of us, trying and failing to whisper. We’ve finally caught up to her now that I’ve gone the last ten minutes without stumbling. I still haven’t let go of Theo’s arm, though he doesn’t seem in a rush to put distance between us despite our almost disagreement.
“No, he’s definitely doing it to look at you,” Theo responds from my left. The two of them are referring to the fact that Alex hasn’t stopped looking to the right of the trail, rather than watching where he’s going.
“I can hear you, you know,” Alex says, only a few paces ahead of us. “And for your information, I’m only looking to make sure the women don’t get hurt. I am a gentleman, after all.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’re such a gentleman,” Beth responds, lacing her words with heavy sarcasm.
Alex stops in his tracks, letting us catch up to him. Once we do, we all come to a brief stop as Beth stands facing Alex, her arms crossed over her chest. Theo and I glance at each other. When our eyes meet, it becomes harder for both of us to hold in our smiles.
Alex takes a step toward Beth, causing her to strain her neck to look up at him as he towers over her short frame.
“Something tells me you don’t care too much for ‘gentlemen’ anyway.” He speaks quietly, but Theo and I overhear, holding back a chuckle at his words.
Beth’s only response is a scoff as she turns to continue up the trail. When Alex follows her, Theo and I bend over with laughter, holding on to each other for support, unable to hold it back any longer. I don’t think Beth has ever met a match as equal as Alex.
I’m thankful for the laugh, as it helps break whatever icy tension was created between Theo and me during our prior conversation. He’s looking to be made an equal partner in his family-owned company right out of college. I’m looking for any entry-level job remotely related to my field of study. Without building my career immediately, I fall behind on my life plan. Unfortunately, I’m not sure Theo will ever understand the pressure I’m under.
“I swear, you guys get slower every year!” Leo calls out to us. Alex lifts two middle fingers in response and runs to catch up to him and Roman. Beth and Theo continue to ensure that I’m not at risk of falling on my face, and we eventually catch up to the rest of the group as well.
Looking at the view at the end of the trail, I’m speechless.
“Surprise,” Theo says to me. “Told you it was worth it.”
“Absolutely.” It’s all I can manage as I look out at the expanse of the lake in front of us.
We’ve hiked to the top of a small cliffside. The lake is surrounded by more evergreen trees as the sun sits high in the sky, reflecting off the deep blue water.
Somewhere in the distance, a flock of birds flees fromone of the trees, and their caws punctuate the air. We’ve all fallen silent as we take in the view.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, more to myself than anyone else.
“Stunning,” Theo agrees. When I glance at him, I notice he isn’t looking out over the cliff. He’s looking at me. The green of his emerald eyes is all-consuming. Theo is a sight to behold, framed by the trees behind him, the sun shining down on his lightly tanned skin. There’s no question he belongs in a place like this. My eyes fall to his lips, forgetting we aren’t alone until Leo interrupts the silence.
“Food is ready.” I look past Theo to see that Leo has set up a large picnic blanket. A spread of snacks and sandwiches lay out across the plaid design.
Looking toward Theo again, I feel a sliver of hope that the previous moment isn’t gone forever. But my stomach growls in protest, and when he notices, he grabs my hand, pulling me toward the blanket.
“C’mon.” He chuckles.
Sitting on the blanket with the others, we’re all enamored by the view as we indulge in the cold summer snacks. Finger sandwiches, bowls of fresh-cut watermelon, strawberries, grapes, and ice-cold lemonade are all enjoyed in complete silence. It’s a type of peace I don’t think I’ve ever had the chance to experience.
I’m overjoyed when we stay sitting there for a few more moments, no one moving to clean up the empty containers. When Theo leans back on his hands, placing one of them behind me, I lean my head on his shoulder,relishing in the added comfort he provides in this peaceful moment.
If this is what relaxation feels like, I’ve certainly been missing out. Theo breathes steadily beside me, and I watch as the breeze blows through the tops of the trees across the lake. I should be more concerned about bringing my plan to fruition, but I just can’t seem to give a damn at this moment with Theo by my side.
18
SIENNA
When Theo explained the water balloon fight, I didn’t think it would be so elaborate. Theo and his brothers have been setting up for it all morning. Beth and I have been watching them, sitting on the back porch steps. We offered to help, but they insisted we save our energy for the fight itself.
I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised they’ve put so much thought into this game over the years. Watching Theo and his brothers the past few days, it’s clear they’ve developed a smooth cadence with each other and their daily routines. One I’m sure they’ve been perfecting since they were kids.
Leo is the one to lead the charge when it comes to meals. Roman always plays the role of his sous chef. Alex and Theo have been given the responsibility of setting the table and cleaning up after a meal. Beth and I have taken it upon ourselves to help them with the latter.
In a strange way, their daily routine is beautiful towatch. Seeing each of the men take on a role around the house without much communication among themselves speaks to how often they’ve done so over the years. My instincts tell me Roman is behind it. While he’s a grump, I’ve come to learn he’s an organized, methodical, rigid grump. I laugh to myself at the irony as I watch him set up for the water balloon fight.
