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The escarpment had natural rocky steps, but the climb was vertical, and everyone had a backpack with their standard emergency water and supplies. Not heavy like an army kit but not light by any means. When I got to the top of the ridge, I helped pull each of them up the last step. The women were sweaty and puffing a little, and admittedly so was I. Derek seemed to be doing it easy, his biceps bulging as he pulled himself up. I held my hand out for the final step. He looked at my hand, then to my face, before he took my hand, somewhat begrudgingly.
His grip was strong and familiar, yet new all over again.
He dropped my hand first and brushed past me to join the others near the far edge, taking in the magnificent view. It was green national park for as far as the eye could see—to the horizon in all directions.
“Oh wow,” Derek said.
Marit and Kari were grinning, taking photos, and Norah was already taking in landmarks for hiking and marking out where she wanted to go.
I set the blanket out and unpacked the picnic from my backpack. We sat around, eating the fruit and cheese, sipping juice, and watching the sky morph into vibrant pinks and oranges, then purples that had to be seen to be believed. It was almost other-worldly, and quite often the tourists who came here were first amazed but would often fall silent as the palette of soft colours washed over them.
I’d seen every single sunset and sunrise for four years, and they never got old.
They never would.
“I’d like to bring my telescope up here,” Derek said. “Maybe tomorrow night.” We were packing up and heading back down before it got too dark.
“We can come back later tonight,” I suggested. If he’d wanted to come alone, well, that was out of the question. No one hiked alone out here. No exceptions. “But it’s been a busy day. If you’d like to wait until tomorrow, that’s fine.”
“Oh.” He baulked. “Uh, I just thought I could come back—”
“No one hikes solo,” I said, offering my hand to Kari, who was going down the escarpment first. She smiled as she took the first step down, then Marit, and then Norah. They each took my offered hand and when it was Derek’s turn, I held out my hand with a smirk.
He rolled his eyes and ignored me, taking the first step unassisted.
I would have been offended if I hadn’t caught the hint of a smile.
“Tomorrow might be better,” I said. It had been a long day, after all. “You can set up your telescope at camp tonight. Might be a good introduction,” I said as we got to the bottom of the climb. “Then tomorrow night we can come back up here.”
Derek gave a nod, not too pleased, but he didn’t push, thankfully.
I went to the front of the line. I never let any guest dictate our schedule, so there’d be no arguing. And if I was being honest, as nice as some alone time with him on top of the ridge under the stars sounded, I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. “I’ll cook us some dinner first.”
The plan was dinner and clean up, then we’d sit in the camping site in front of our tents, under the stars, looking out across the darkened valley below. I always lit a small campfire, not for the warmth but more for the experience. I boiled a billy of tea, like the Australian bushrangers used to do, and the clients loved it.
It was the perfect way to relax after a long day.
Kari and Marit were first to call it a night. They thanked me for a wonderful first day and disappeared into their tent. Their lights went out shortly after.
Yet Norah stayed.
She was nice, I couldn’t deny it. The strong personality type with opinions, but she was also smart and well-travelled, and normally I’d have enjoyed her stories. But my gaze kept drifting to Derek, who was basically ignoring us and looking up at the night sky.
I really just wanted some alone time with him, and the longer Norah talked, the longer the night dragged on, and the more I could feel my time running out. Like a clock was ticking down in my head, knowing my time with Derek was so limited...
“Oh, Derek,” I said, as if I’d just remembered. “You might want to set up your telescope away from the campsite, away from the lights. Not too far though.” I got up, effectively ending my conversation with Norah. “I’ll grab the lantern.”
Derek checked his watch. “It’s a bit early,” he said. “But I can already see so much out here.”
“Wait until you get away from light pollution,” I said, bringing the lantern out to him. “You wouldn’t think a campsite would make much difference, but it does.”
He smiled at me and my pulse quickened. The kind of carefree smile he used to have all those years ago. The one I saw in my memories, in my dreams...
“I’ll just grab my backpack,” Norah said.
Oh, great.
She was coming with us.
