Page 31 of In this Moment

“It’s fine.” Declan stroked his fingers down her cheek with such tenderness that she almost cried from the touch. “They’ll understand. I’m just worried about you. Are you going to beokay?”

“Yes.” Evie nodded. “But do you know what I really want todo?”

Declan would have done anything at all for Evie to take her mind off Jonah. But he’d thought she was kidding when she told him that what she really wanted to do was go backcountry camping.

She wasn’t.

Which was how Declan found himself with a pack strapped on his back, hiking next to her up into the mountains only a few hours later.

“I really didn’t think you were serious,” he said with a shake of his head. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve done this. Or if I’ve ever done this,” he added a moment later.

Traveling with his foundation to various parts of the world, Declan had plenty of experience sleeping in out-of-the-way places. Hostels, couches, tents, the backs of cars: he was no stranger to roughing it. But he couldn’t remember ever putting everything on his back and walking into the woods for a night.

“Of course I was serious,” Evie said. “I used to do a lot of backpacking when I was younger.” Judging by the way she handled the huge pack, it would seem to Declan she still did it on a regular basis. “It’s harder now,” she continued. “Jonah can’t carry as much so the few times we’ve gone, I have to carry more of the supplies. It’s handy to have you along.” She gave him a nudge with her elbow that almost set him off-balance.

He must have been carrying what felt like fifty pounds on hisback.

At least.

After agreeing to her plan, calling Mitch and begging off dinner, they’d gone out to her shed, where Evie had loaded supplies into two bags. She said she was evenly distributing the load, but either she was way stronger than he was, or she’d been lying. Judging by the smile on her face, it was the latter.

Not that he minded.

The way Evie’s face had lit up when she’d suggested backpacking was completely worth it. Anything to keep her mind off Jonah spending the night with Tony. It was the right thing for her to do; they both knew it. But it didn’t make it any easier forher.

If the forest was her happy place, he was happy to make it happen forher.

More than happy.

“It’s funny,” he said. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a backpackingtype.”

“Because I’m a delicate girly girl?” she teased.

He opened his mouth, but closed it again, because that exact thought may have crossed his mind. Not that he thought she was fragile. Not at all. With every day that passed, Declan was learning just how strong Evie Rose reallywas.

“That’s it, isn’t it? You think I’m too girly to camp out in the woods.”

“Guilty,” he conceded. Evie picked her way across a log over a stream, and Declan followed, working hard to keep his balance. “But it’s not really that,” he continued when he was across. “Okay, it’s kind of that. But one thing I know for certain is that you’re full of surprises.”

“That I am.” She flashed him such a brilliant smile that his stomach flipped a little. Knowing that he’d played a role, even a small one, in putting that smile there, made him happier than he could ever begin to explain. “How are you doing? The pack isn’t too heavy, is it? I probably packed too much for one night.”

“Probably.” He laughed.

“But I really wanted that bottle ofwine.”

“Wine? In mypack?”

“Well, it’s not in mine.” She laughed and it was the best sound. With everything Evie had been dealing with for the last little while, she deserved to laugh. A lot. “But don’t worry, we’re almost there.”

They’d only been hiking about an hour, but despite their heavy packs, they were making good time. “Where are we going anyway?”

“It’s one of my favorite spots,” shesaid.

“But not thefavorite?”

“No.” She shook her head. “That one doesn’t have cell service.”

That made sense. Declan would be more than happy to go completely off the grid with Evie, but of course she wanted to be reachable in case anything went wrong. Not that it would, but it put her mind at ease to know she was only a phone call away from Jonah.

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