Page 57 of Return to Me Always

While we ate, Tyler and Ben talked about the path quite a bit because apparently we had gone off-piste again to avoid a larger town and a popular trail to some famous waterfall.

Ben munched on some almonds, nodding his head in my direction. "Maybe another time Kat can visit the Falls of Glomach."

"Another time," Tyler repeated, a strange look on his face as our eyes met.

"Another time," I whispered as an image flashed in my mind.

Another time. A waterfall. Tyler and I swimming together in the cool water. Alone. Secluded. Laughing. Kissing.

My breath caught at the memory of the dream. How real it was. So perfect. And beautiful.

I felt Tyler's eyes still on me. "You all right over there?"

His voice pulled me back into the present. "Hmm? What?"

"Kat's busy thinking about raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens," Ben joked, thank goodness.

I busted out laughing. "You know, for someone making fun of The Sound of Music, you sure seem to know a lot of the songs."

Ben lifted both shoulders in a shrug. "I might have seen it once or twice. But don't worry. You'll be rid of me soon enough."

What? "You're going back?" I gasped in shock.

"Not today. But tomorrow."

I looked back and forth between Tyler and Ben. "Does that mean we're getting close to the end?"

"It's our last night on the trail," Tyler answered, the look in his eyes unreadable.

I didn't know how to feel. Mixed emotions swirled through me—excitement, relief, anxiety, sadness. For sure, I would miss Ben, but I was also happy to be alone with Tyler again.

"And you get to spend the last night in a bothy with a toilet," Ben said. "A real toilet that flushes and everything."

My mouth fell open oh-so elegantly. "Are you freaking serious?"

They both nodded, Ben's eyes all lit up.

"It's really sad how exciting that is to me," I admitted, laughing.

"That is kind of sad, Kit Kat." Ben shot me a mock frown.

I gave him my best smirk, then asked the obvious question that popped into my head. "So where will we be tomorrow night?"

Silence—of course—but that was okay. I had accepted it. Finally. Tyler must have his reasons.

"Just thought I'd give it a try and ask," I joked. "Come on, you lazy arses. Let's get to that bothy."

Chapter Sixteen

For hours, I thought about the dreams, the waterfall, Tyler, Malcolm. I felt like my steps were leading me back to another time, another life.

What could it all mean? Where were we going?

And the biggest question of all now, what would happen when we got there? Whatever this mysterious place was, how could it help us?

Ididtrust Tyler, but it was still a lot to place in his hands.

Right as the wind started to pick up, we arrived at the desolate white bothy. And just as before, Ben checked it out first. Fortunately, no one else was there, for now anyway.

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