Page 46 of Our Little Moments

He smiles. “You really thought of every little detail, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.” I laugh. “I’m kinda known to obsess over the little details.”

We’re both grinning at each other as the seconds tick by.

He nods, and I throw the bottle at him, which he catches easily. But as I grab the backpack to lift it, he stops me with a hand on my shoulder.

“Let me carry it. You look tired.”

He can’t be serious. “No. This isyourday, I will carry the backpack. Don’t worry about me.”

A wicked smile makes its way across his face.

Why do I find it charming?

Ugh. How is it that everything this man does seems so charming?

You’re not in trouble. Zero. Perfectly fine.

“Well, if it is my day, then I should get to decide who carries the backpack, shouldn’t I?”

I’m not fine.

This man somehow manages to makehimdoingmea favor look like I’d break his heart if I denied him.

“You’re really going to use Isabella’s tactics on me?” I sigh with a smile.

He grins. “If it makes you let me carry the backpack, absolutely.”

“Family of emotional manipulators,” I mutter with a laugh as I drop the bag.

He chuckles as he swings it over his shoulder.

We hike the trail peacefully for the rest of the afternoon.

And the more time goes on, the more I understand why Adrian loves hiking. It brings a sense of peace and purpose, a sense of grounding and wilderness. You feel on top of the world, like you can achieve anything. Especially when you look down and see how far you’ve walked.

I halt to a stop at the sight of the sun setting from here. The sky is turning a magnificent shade of purple, with light blue fading away with the sun. Seeing the sunsets in Westwood Spring is a magic of its own. It feels like the world fades away, like time slows down. Like the weight and pressure of expectations is lifted off my shoulder, even if only for a few minutes.

“The view here has always been my favorite part,” Adrian admits, his tone as dazed as I feel.

“Yeah, it’s my favorite part too,” I reply as I sit down, my focus fully on the sunset, on everything inside me quieting down.

Adrian sits next to me, and we stay silent, both in a daze at the sight before us.

“I never thought something as simple as a sunset could be so beautiful.”

“Yeah.” Adrian sighs heavily. “I just wish that this burst of color didn’t mean the end of a day.”

I look at him, the sunlight making his green eyes sparkle like emeralds.

His beautiful eyes come back to meet mine, and having them on me reminds me that I need to be here. That the slow tingling back to life sensation I’ve been starting to feel is essential.

“Well, it shows that an ending doesn’t have to be tragic,” I start softly, shivering when the wind starts rising. “The sky explodes with colors as the sun goes away for a little while. It’s better than a gray sky.”

Adrian smiles at me. “Yeah. I . . . never thought of it like that.”

I laugh. “Me neither. Just thought of it.”

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