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“It’s not gonna hold.”
“It’s held more. Now, close your eyes, don’t let go, and don’t sway. Got it?”
If it was so safe, why was he giving me all those instructions?
“Got it.”
I tightened my grip and shut my eyes. He revved up the engine, accelerating. The footing underneath changed from soil to plank and air. My body shook with his as he rode over the bridge. The sound of loose planks clattered in my ears. The wind blew stronger through the valley, pushing on our right.
What if we fell? What if we lost our chance? What if I lost him?
We returned to steady ground, and the vibrations stopped, but my body was still trembling. Hunter let go of the steering with one hand and smoothed it over mine as I gripped at his chest. The lower the sun dipped, the faster Hunter rode, and by the time we arrived, the sun’s orange orb was just touching the mountain tips.
“We’re gonna miss the sunset,” I said.
“Not if we hurry. Come on.”
He set the scooter in its spot, looped the two bags over his arms, and took my hand, leading me through the foliage and up the rocky hill. Fairy lights flickered around the trunk of the tree, and I looked up to the canopy, where thousands more were looped through the branches.
“Hunter, this is beautiful.”
“It’s solar-powered, but should last until morning. Let’s go. It’s almost time.”
He helped me up the rope lift, and I ran to the bedroom’s ledge, cautiously climbing onto the net below.
“Hunter, hurry.”
“This isn’t the spot, Grace. We need to climb higher. Come on.”
I followed him to the netting up near the ceiling. He pushed open a latch and pulled down a ladder, then reached out for my hand. “You go first. I’ll guide you and spot you. Just don’t look down.”
“Okay.”
I climbed one rung at a time, looking up into the canopy. Fairy lights twinkled around us, and I caught the sun between the foliage.
“The view through the leaves is beautiful. I can’t wait to see it from above,” I said.
“Doesn’t look so bad from below, either.”
I stopped and looked down at Hunter’s smug smile—except when I did, I also realized how high we’d climbed. My knees softened and my belly swirled.
“Whoa.”
Hunter pushed up on my ass. “Don’t look down. Keep going, Grace.”
God, I didn’t even want to know how we’d make our way back down. I took the last five steps, passing through the canopy, and stepped onto a wooden platform. My knees wobbled and my heart pounded. I crouched, touching my hands to the floor.
“Don’t worry. It’s sturdy.” Hunter jumped up and down.
“Stop that! Please.”
He touched my shoulders and gently spun me around to face the view.
“Oh, my God.”
The sun touched the horizon, its glow catching the rainforest as far as I could see. Pink and orange tones drifted across the sky. I sat down, stretching my legs to the front, and closed my eyes, listening to the chirping birds and swaying trees. Hunter sat beside me, his shoulder touching mine.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
