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“Hell yeah, and then dune buggies tonight, take some food with us?” Tavis asked.
“Yeah, I like the sound of that,” Winter replied.
“I’ll call the office, get everything arranged and meet you in the river,” Tavis stated.
“Perfect,” Winter replied, his brother scanning several doors before finding his, at the far end of the hall.
Tripp wondered what color he’d gotten, glad to see Winter smiling after everything he’d revealed the night before. Winter hadn’t wanted Tripp getting involved, proclaiming the whole mess one of his own doings and that he’d work with management to put out whatever kind of statement they composed to put their own spin on things. Tavis hadn’t been pleased when Winter tried declaring that he didn’t want to pursue any action against the reporter who’d written the story and taken those pictures, despite the false pretenses he’d used to get close to Winter. In the end, Tavis had convinced Tripp’s stubborn brother to let management do what they paid them to do and handle it however they saw fit.
It hadn’t taken him much effort, either, which left Tripp wondering what it would take to get Winter to listen tohimthat way.
“I rushed into that. I bared my soul to a stranger when I had people I could trust to go to. Was my mistake. He just took advantage of the opportunity I gave him.”
While it went against every complaint Tripp had about Winter not taking responsibility for the messes he got into, Tripp hadn’t been pleased with Winter’s original decision not to go after the guy either. What pissed him off the most was that he’d stood there snapping shots while Winter hurt himself, knowing his brother was in the wrong frame of mind and had added alcohol to an already unstable headspace. That he couldn’t be bothered to put the camera down and help, left Tripp wanting to wring his neck. He would too, if their management company could find the little prick.
“Hey, you look a million miles away.”
Blinking, it took Tripp a moment to realize that everyone else had found their rooms, leaving him and Zakk in the hallway, sounds of activity drifting out into the hall from half-closed doors.
“Sorry, I…there’s a lot of stuff going on with Winter right now that’s got me worried. He opened up some last night, enough for me to learn that some of his behaviors have gotten risky.”
Tripp found himself spun around to stand face to face with Zakk. “Remember what we talked about?”
“I’m not criticizing him.”
“Not that part.”
Nodding, Tripp recalled the bits about focusing on his own health and wellbeing and allowing Winter to do the same, especially when the man had an added support system in the form of Tavis and Dez. Putting one foot in front of the other, he propelled himself a few doors down, finally locating his own room.
“Since the only thing you gave me to work with was not green, I hope this is okay,” Zakk said, skimming fingertips up his back.
“Better than okay,” Tripp said of the sky-blue room he stepped into. The darker cobalt of the curtains and trim brought the whole look together. Sighing contentedly, he flopped face-first across the bed, only to be bounced seconds later when Zakk joined him.
“Please tell me you have no interest in the lazy river,” Zakk murmured.
“Not a one.”
“Good,” Zakk replied, seeming to get comfortable right there. It dawned on Tripp then that the man hadn’t even looked at his own room. “As much as I love being in the water, I’d rather find something we can do together, without interruption.”
Rolling on his side so he could look at Zakk, Tripp was suddenly struck with an idea he hoped Zakk would be as enthusiastic about as he was. “Ever since you mentioned rock and fossil hunting, I’ve been dying to grab a pail and see what I can find.”
“Never would have taken you for a rockhound.”
“That’s ‘cause I haven’t had you out to my place yet,” Tripp reminded him.
“Don’t remind me.”
“I swear, we’ll remedy that when our time here is over.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“You’d better.”
Watching Zakk laugh, just lying there in bed staring him in the eyes and listening to how happy he was in the moment chased the last of the lingering worries from Tripp’s mind. “I make it a point to keep an eye out for interesting rocks wherever we go. I am not ashamed to admit that there is a small collection of books on a shelf at home devoted to identifying them, and the ones I can are labeled. I prefer finding them myself, but I’m not above buying them if I come across an interesting specimen. I have them displayed all around the house. The truly special pieces are in my bedroom though, I like to keep them close.”
“And I suppose an offer to show me all your pretty, shiny stones will be your not so subtle way of getting me in there with you.”
“Do I really have to have a reason to get you in my bedroom?”
