Page 126 of Seale the Deal

Seriously, though, she says, her voice lower. There aren’t, like, bears waiting to ambush us the second we step onto the trail, right?

I cough to cover a laugh. Like some kind of elite bear CIA?

She glares, and then I really do laugh. I pull her closer and kiss the top of her head. Don’t worry. I have a gun.

She steps out of my arms, horrified. Near me?

You’re perfectly safe, I assure her.

She presses her lips together, looking wholly unconvinced.

Come here, baby. I pull her back into me. You’ll be fine. I’ve got you.

She melts against me a little, and I revel in the feel of it. I hope she knows I don’t just mean from bears, but from everything.

The sound of tires on gravel breaks us from our moment. I turn my head toward the road, and my brows pinch as a blue SUV with two people pulls in next to my truck.

That’s Brandt’s rental, I mumble as I let go of Wrenley.

Remi bounces out of the passenger side, all sunshine and ponytail, while Brandt unfolds lazily from the driver’s seat.

Gorgeous day, Remi says, tilting her face up to the clear blue sky.

It’s nice for October, Brandt agrees. He opens the back of the SUV and pulls out a backpack.

I furrow my brows. Why did you two come together? I ask, moving a finger back and forth between them.

Remi shrugs. We happened to both be at Alpine Brewing last night and thought it made sense. Save gas, the environment, blah, blah, blah. Come on! Nature won’t wait for us.

It’s stagnant, I point out.

Still!

Before I can ask any follow-up questions, Remi links her arm through Wrenley’s and starts dragging her toward the trail.

I turn my attention to Brandt, who’s clipping his backpack around his waist. His eyes catch mine. Ready?

So, are you going to explain anything? I gesture at the SUV.

Brandt shrugs. Just what Remi said. We were going to the same place, and it made sense to carpool.

Since when do you and my sister carpool?

Since we discovered the environmental benefits of reducing our carbon footprints.

I stare at him, not liking the sarcasm in his tone. He holds my gaze for all of two seconds before rolling his eyes. She tested me. I was leaving. I picked her up.

That’s it?

That’s it. He adjusts the strap of his backpack. ‘Why are you so interested in who your sister drives places with?”

I’m not interested.

Could’ve fooled me.

You showed up together.

And you’re marrying her best friend. He gestures toward Wrenley further up the trail. I think it’s safe to assume people’s lives overlap sometimes.