Page 52 of Montana Memory

But I wasn’t about to argue. For once, it wasn’t complicated. For once, it was just…good.

I met his eyes, my lips curving. “Fine. Let’s do it.”

It didn’t take us long to get everything—including the kittens—packed up.

Hunter drove with one hand on the wheel, his other arm resting against the window as the town of Garnet Bend came into view. Nestled against the Rockies, it looked like something out of a postcard—quaint storefronts, hanging flower baskets swaying from lampposts, a few locals strolling down the sidewalk with their dogs or stopping to chat.

I’d only been here a handful of times, but I liked it. More than I wanted to admit.

I glanced down at the picnic basket in my lap, where three tiny heads peeked out. Sir Pounce, Biscuits, and Moose were wide-eyed and curious, twitching their noses at the air as if they knew an adventure was coming.

Hunter smirked. “Think they know they’re about to be spoiled?”

I reached in, scratching under Moose’s chin. “They’re kittens. They assume everything revolves around them.”

He pulled into the small grocery store parking lot, and we climbed out, closed picnic basket in hand. Inside, the store smelled of fresh bread and roasted chicken. Hunter led the way to the deli, grabbing a container of fried chicken while I browsed the cold drinks. By the time I turned back, he’d already tossed a few more items into our cart—bottled water, fruit, a bar of dark chocolate, wine.

“You do know it’s just lunch, right?” I teased.

He shrugged. “Never hurts to be prepared.”

Of course. Hunter was always ready for anything. He probably carried an entire survival kit in the truck, just in case.

We checked out and made our way down the street to Deja Brew, the little coffee shop I remembered from my first trip into town. The scent of coffee and cinnamon drifted through the air as we stepped inside.

Lena, the owner, stood behind the counter, wiping her hands on a towel. She was in her thirties, with the coolest streaks of purple in her hair. “Hunter. Jada.” Her tone was polite, but there was a distance to it.

That was how all the women in town and Resting Warrior were with me—not rude, not cold, but not welcoming either. I wasn’t an outsider exactly, but I wasn’t one of them. And maybe that was on me, too. I hadn’t exactly put in the effort to change that.

Lena pointed to the display case. “Cinnamon rolls just came out of the oven. And I have a batch of blueberry scones that won’t last long.”

Hunter looked at me. “Your call.”

I considered it for all of two seconds. “Both.”

Hunter grinned and Lena nodded, already grabbing a bag. A few minutes later, we were back in the truck, kittens settled in the basket, grocery bags in the floorboard, and the bag of pastries between us. He drove us out of town, obviously already having a place in mind.

He was right about the mild day. There were some clouds, but it wasn’t cold—my hoodie was enough, I didn’t even need my coat. He parked us on the side of the road, near an unmarked path I would’ve never found on my own. He transferred the items from town into the cooler he’d found in the cabin, while I reached into the truck cab and grabbed the basket with the kittens. Then we were out of the truck and walking.

The sound of rushing water grew louder as we made our way up the narrow dirt path, sunlight filtering through the trees in golden streaks. The weight of the picnic basket was light in my hands, the kittens shifting and peeking out with curious eyes, their tiny ears twitching at every new sound.

Hunter carried the cooler like it weighed nothing, his movements steady, unhurried. “It’s not much farther,” he said, glancing over his shoulder.

I wasn’t sure what I’d expected—a small creek, maybe. Some rocks and a shallow pool. But when we stepped through the final break in the trees, my breath caught.

“Wow.”

The waterfall wasn’t massive, but it was stunning. A ribbon of white water tumbled over a moss-covered cliff, cascading into a clear, shimmering pool below. The sun hit the spray at just the right angle, creating a faint rainbow above the surface. Near the top, it was frozen, but at the bottom, it poured into a gentle stream.

“This is one of my favorite places when I visit Lucas.”

I tore my gaze away to look at him. “I can see why.”

He set down the cooler, and we spread out the blanket on the cold grass, the sound of water filling the comfortable silence. The kittens wasted no time exploring, their tiny paws sinking into the fabric as they sniffed the air.

Sir Pounce attempted an escape, but I scooped him back up before he got too bold. “Not today, troublemaker.”

Hunter grinned, opening the bottle of wine, then filled a plastic cup and handed it to me. “He’s just trying to impress you.”

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