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I wouldverymuch like.
She was difficult to read. While things between us seemed to flow a little better now, it still wasn’t as easy with her as it was with some of the others. I wanted to change that.
“I’ll message the pack so they can get it set up by the time we’re back.”
I stood up again with her assistance and held my breath when our chests bumped together. She was definitely the tallest in the pack, having a good six inches on me, which fed the urge to tuck myself under her chin.
I didn’t.
My brief respite on the bench only made my body more aware of how much work I had put in on this walk. It felt like I was stepping on glass, and I hobbled a few steps before Hana sighed and passed me her pack again.
She dropped down in front of me. “Hop on.”
I obeyed, even as I whimpered. “It's not fair. I was going to make you proud of me on the last half of this.”
Hana laughed quietly as I climbed onto her back and clung to her like a koala.
“Youdidmake me proud. You don’t have to be effortless at something for me to be impressed with your determination to finish. You did good today, Nicky.” She adjusted her grip on me. “If you’re brave enough to go again with me, I’ll pick an easier route.”
I warmed at the simple praise and smiled all the way back to the car.
My feet throbbed as I sat in the passenger seat. I would’ve thought they would be used to having my weight on them all day considering how much of my library job involved standing and wandering around, but apparently none of that compared to the strenuousness of a hike.
We stopped for smoothies on the way back. I tried to pay, but one intense look from her cowed me, and I accepted the creamy peach concoction she purchased for me. Hana had gotten the same for herself. Her favourite, she’d said, watching my reaction when I took the first delicious sip. I drank it greedily on the remainder of the drive.
She carried me into the pack house which got instant attention from Gabe who was fixing himself a snack in the kitchen.
“What happened?”
“Overdid it a little,” I said. “I don’t really need to be carried, but my feet are grateful.”
Hana held still so he could untie my shoes to set them by the door. I slid down to the floor, hissing as I made contact, and was instantly princess scooped up by Gabe while Hana removed her own shoes.
“Let's get you rinsed off so you can enjoy the hot tub,” Gabe said.
I let him carry me away, looking at Hana from over his shoulder. Gabe's shower had a wide, luxurious bench in it. I made zero complaints as he stripped me out of my sweaty clothes and got me situated under the water stream. I didn’t bother with a full shower since I was going to be soaking in chlorine, but I wanted to get all of the sweat off first.
When I was relatively clean and dressed in a borrowed swimsuit, I was carried back down the stairs and out into the backyard where Hana was already waiting in the hot tub.
Billie and Tony were asleep, and Jasper wasn’t quite home from work yet, so it was just the three of us.
“Do you want me to join you?” Gabe asked.
I glanced at Hana, and she gestured back that the choice was mine. I wasn’t sure if she would be more likely to open up if he was there.
“If you want a dip, you're more than welcome,” I said.
He and Hana exchanged a long look. “Just for a bit. I’m about ready for bed.”
Hana and I were alone while Gabe went to fetch his swim trunks. We weren’t sitting very close, but we were near enough to put impure thoughts in my head. Not that that was difficult after our conversation on the hike.
“Pass me your feet,” she ordered. “If it gets to be too much, you can tell me to stop.”
I lifted them both and set them on her lap where she dug merciless knuckles into my foot that was somehow both ticklish and agonizing.
“Hold still,” she crooned. “It’ll feel better in a minute.”
I huffed and puffed, doing my absolute best to keep my squirming to a minimum as she coaxed a ridiculous opera of mewls from me.
