Page 82 of Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions

“Yes.”

“Almost like you’re doing right now,” he pointed out.

I elbowed him.

Hard.

Alex chuckled, the sound rolling over me. He leaned into my side, and I felt the tickle of his dark hair against my ear as he spoke. “I don’t mind that you’re not outdoorsy, Georgie. For the record, I like that about you.”

I didn’t know what to say so I just said, “Fuck off.”

This wasn’t fair.

I wasn’t supposed to find Alex charming—or to enjoy talking to him.

And what the hell had happened to my irritation? That was more rational than the riot of butterflies in my stomach.

Alex booped my nose playfully.

Which was violating.

And also…begrudginglyadorable.

My heart was wobbly, which was not at all comfortable.

Maybe I really was going to have a heart attack out here in the woods.

“Thanks for the no-no bug juice,” I joked, surprising myself. “And the water.”

“Anytime, Georgie Porgie. Was my pleasure.” Alex really looked like he meant that, too.

“Why don’t you go find someone else to terrorize?” I grimaced.

“Worn out my welcome?”

“When were you ever welcome?” I snarked. Alex laughed, tossing his head back, his throat bobbing. Not to compare, but it was an even sunnier laugh than the one he’d graced Roderick with earlier.

“Touché,” he replied.

And then he was gone, rising from the boulder and loping away just as quickly as he’d arrived. Even though I’d been the one to banish him, I kinda missed his grin as I rose to my already sore feet. Joe was at the front, gesturing Alex and Roderick forward. Apparently, our break was over and it was time to torture ourselves some more.

Except…the hike didn’t feel nearly as horrible now that I knew Alex and I were okay. He hadn’t seemed weirded out or uncomfortable. He was his usual, insufferably endearing self. Ew. Endearing? When had I started to think that?

I still needed to apologize for this morning.

But that could wait until we didn’t have an audience.

I picked up the pace, no longer dragging my feet as we made our way to the creek. Maybe this hiking thing wasn’t so bad?

Famous last words.

The babbling creek we needed to cross was as beautiful as it was intimidating. Lined with foliage, the shore dotted with sandy pebbles, I should’ve been stunned by its beauty. But instead, all I could think about was how embarrassing it would be if I fell in front of all of these people.

Or god forbid—a water snake leapt at me as I crossed.

There was so much that could go wrong. The rocks that had been used to create the stepping stones that spanned the width of the creek were fairly close together—and large enough it should be easy to step on them—but that didn’t mean that I was going tosuccessfullydo it.

Especially not with an audience.

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