Page 32 of Return to Me Always

"And do you have a friend there too that's never home?" I teased.

"Nah. He'll probably be home."

Excitement shot through me at the idea of being in a house with a shower, bed, and laundry. But then, my heart sunk just as quickly as I remembered my most recent experience in a home. How strange that I almost felt safer out in the open.

"What's wrong, Ryder?"

How did he know? "Well, it's just... I'm nervous. After the last time, you know?"

"You mean when Malcolm barged in and you socked him over the head with a wall sconce?" he said without breaking his stride.

Something about his tone made me giggle. "Yeah. That."

"We won't stay long. Only enough time to refuel."

"Okay," I said, feeling a bit better that we'd be in and out somewhat quickly.

"And long enough for you to take a shower," Tyler continued, "which you kind of need."

I stopped mid-step. Did I hear that correctly? "Excuse me?" I looked up at him, hands on my hips. "What did you say?"

He chuckled. "Just having a laugh."

"Very funny."

But I ended up laughing with him, and it felt so amazing to have a moment of lightness together, a feeling I savored as we trekked on.

Seconds later, as if mocking us, the sky opened up, spitting down rain.

"Ah, well, looks like we'll probably have another night on the trail. At least we'll be there tomorrow sometime," Tyler said, sighing as he rummaged through the packs to get out some rain gear.

As we prepped for the weather, I remembered a question I had been meaning to ask him. Well, one of them anyway. "So how do you even know this part of the trail? Didn't you guide people on the main part?"

"I did. This part I did for fun on my days off."

"Oh, for fun, huh?" I quipped.

"Aye, for fun." He grinned beside me. "So I take it you're not enjoying it?"

"I enjoy hiking," I tried to explain, "but just as a nice relaxing thing and not when a crazy psycho is after me."

"You meanus, lass. The crazy psycho is after both of us, I believe."

I sighed, feeling bad once again that I had dragged Tyler into this mess. "Yeah. Sorry about that."

"Sorry about what?" he asked.

"You know, getting you involved in this whole thing. If you hadn't pulled over to pick me up—"

Tyler stopped walking and took a hold of my shoulders, staring straight into my eyes. "Listen to me carefully. First of all, you didn't force me into anything. I was involved already. And second, wewillsort this mess. Just trust me."

The way he spoke with such conviction, I wanted desperately to believe him. But he had given me no reasons. No explanations. "But you're still not ready to tell mewhy, are you?"

He stood back and adjusted his pack. "Not yet. No."

And with that, he took off down the trail, the rain pouring down between us. What exactly had he meant when he'd said he was involved already? And when would he start trustingmeenough to give me some answers?

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