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I sat on the threadbare couch in the tiny office of the Trailhead Motel and tried to decide if he was worried abut me or just fucking the other woman and didn’t care.
I sighed.
Probably both.
I would need to call him, so I could get some phone numbers. I needed to check in with Karrie about work before I went on the hike. And Darren and I would need to deal with the dissolution of our business, we weren’t just married, we were business partners.
I felt sick thinking about Darren as I stared out the window. Who was it that texted him? Could it have been one of our clients?
A rusted, antique truck rolled into the parking lot, kicking up a plume of dust.
* * *
It was fun watching Liam, a big guy, gingerly balance the coffees with the bags of pastries on top, while he inexpertly kicked the truck door closed. He looked a little like a young Liam Neeson, a little like a Liam Hemsworth. Incredibly handsome, though rough around the edges. My husband always looked manicured and polished these days, rich enough to have quality hair products. This guy looked like he used bar soap in his hair.
If I was going to cast him though, how would it go...? Probably a father/son Liam Neeson and this Liam — a ‘save the damsel in distress’ flick. That would be pretty fun. She could be stuck in the middle of nowhere without a phone.
He used his face to balance our breakfast while jerking open the door with a finger. He grinned. “What’s funny?”
“Just thinking that this is a lame kind of rescue movie, I’m the damsel in distress, and you’re the hero with the iPhone 6.”
“I did ye better than a caveman iPhone, I brought coffee.”
“Thanks, though I am pretty conflicted on which is better, they were equally necessary.”
We sat quietly drinking our coffee and eating donuts and then I offered to pay him by Venmo which was out of the question, then of course he didn’t have Apple pay. “PayPal?” I asked.
We came to an agreement, and I sent him money.
I said, “Now, can you direct me to the nearest equipment supply, camping gear store?”
“What ye want campin’ equipment for?”
“For my hike, I figure I’ll leave in the morning.”
His eyes went wide. He gestured at me, head to toe. “Is this yer planned ‘hikin’ in the forest by yerself’ clothes?”
I looked down at my outfit. “What’s wrong with them?”
“It’s just... that is a lot of skin for the wilderness — but I hae nae business saying anything, what do I ken? I daena like tae hike.”
“You own the Trailhead motel! And a pub in a town known for its hiking!”
“Aye,” he looked around the place as if he were seeing it for the first time. “But just because I am here, daena mean I like it.”
“Well, I love hiking, I’ve always loved hiking, so yeah, I’ll leave first thing tomorrow.”
His eyes sparkled with humor. “All right, Woodshee, the equipment supply store is about fifteen miles west of here, down the highway.”
“Oh, um... Okay, I’ll Uber, let me download the app.”
He chuckled. “Fifteen miles is nae far, tis a short walk compared tae the hundreds of miles on the trail...”
“I’m not hiking the trail yet. I can easily do fifteen miles, but not today, today I’m conserving my energy, preparing for the hike. I’ll take an Uber.”
“Nae, I can take ye tae the surplus, I should go see Mike, anyway.”
