Page 105 of Empty Net

“Stop having such a nice butt!” I yell back.

If anyone else were out here, I’m sure they’d think we’re crazy, and I’m okay with that.

I catch up to her when she stops foranotherbreak, only this time, I don’t tease her as I have before. Instead, I pull the water from the backpack I’ve been carrying and hand it over, gulping embarrassingly loudly when she closes her lips around the same spot I’ve had mine. It’s ridiculous, given everything we’ve done with each other, yet I still find it insanely hot.

She runs the back of her hand over her mouth, then hands the water back to me, the bottle nearly empty.

“You drank it all.”

She tips her chin up. “Did not. There’s still plenty left.”

“Plenty for who? A mouse?”

She rolls her eyes. “You packed more. We both know you did.”

She’s right. I did pack more. We argued for five minutes over whether we’d need it. She insisted we’d be fine with the one bottle she wasnotcarrying, but I remained steadfast that one wouldn’t even last us the trip up, never mind back down.

I was right.

She pushes off the tree she is resting against and resumes our hike, her pace slow and steady. This time, I don’t let her get ahead. I stay beside her, wanting to savor this last little bit of the hike. We’re nearly to our destination, and I want to see her reaction when she sees it.

“Are you ready for our party next week?” she asks.

“Areyouready for our party next week?”

“As I’ll ever be.” She tucks a stray hair behind her ear. “I’m honestly more nervous to meet your parents than anything else.”

“Don’t be. They’re going to love you. I’m sure of it.”

“I hope so,” she says, not sharing my enthusiasm.

In a surprising move, Selene actually considered my family when planning, and we were able to settle on a date that worked for everyone. Sure, it’s a Friday evening instead of the Saturday extravaganza she had originally wanted, but at least my parents will be there. The twins can’t make it, but they swear they’ll be there for the wedding. I didn’t have the heart to tell them there won’t be a wedding.

As promised, my mother has kept her word and hasn’t told anyone about Lilah’s and my…arrangement, not even my father, who was shocked by the news but excited to have a new daughter-in-law. It was torture talking to him about it because he was so genuine. I don’t think I’ve seen him that happy since Russ came home and told us all he was going to be a dad.

I’d be a fucking liar if I said I was looking forward to the party. I’m not, but not because I have to endure another evening with Lilah’s horrid family or wear a suit and fake an engagement. It’s because it’s been slowly tearing me up to continue to lie to everyone I love. My father, my siblings, my teammates who are like siblings—everyone. It’s one thing to do it for a few minutes at a party here or a conversation there, but to deceive them all on such a large scale? It makes my stomach churn.

“Are you okay?”

“Hmm?” I ask, turning to find Lilah staring at me with pinched brows. “What?”

“You look like you’re about to vomit. Do we need to slow down?”

She asks that last question a little too eagerly.

I shake my head. “Nah, I’m good. Just hungry.”

But it’s a lie, and that makes me feel bad too. She’s the one person I don’t want to lie to, but I feel like I have to. She can’t know the truth, or I’ll lose everything, and I’m not ready for that just yet.

“Holy shit!”

“Ooof!” Lilah’s arm smacks me right in the stomach, and I double over at the sudden pain.

Then I realizewhyshe’s freaking out. We’ve reached the end of the trail, and the view is?—

“It’s breathtaking,” she whispers, her eyes wide as she takes in the waterfall across from us.

I step up next to her. “Worth it, right?”

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