Page 119 of Fated to the Hunters
He wasn’t that same person anymore, not in her eyes, at least. They’d come so far and unable to face his past mistakes, he turned the page and saw Vince. He gave Vince time to intake his portrait, then turned the page to find Mateo smiling back at them. He was the only one of the three who’d had her comfort in mind from day one. He’d always looked after her needs, and Ezra couldn’t help but feel grateful for all of Mateo’s efforts.
The rest of the book was filled with their home and the weeping willow by the lake before they ended up back at the fountain where they were currently sitting.
“Thank you for sharing that with us,” Mateo said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “We enjoyed seeing that part of you very much.”
“You’re welcome.”
With the day getting away from them, they ventured off for lunch, then returned to the cabin to turn in for the evening.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Mateo
Mateo woke up early and snuck out of bed, careful not to wake Scarlett. She would have a long and strenuous day ahead of her, and she needed her rest. He started to prepare their picnic with sandwiches and fruit, before he cooked them a large breakfast. It didn’t take long for Vince to join him. He’d spent the night away from them in his own bunk bed. He’d only shared the bed with Scarlett when she’d sought him out during their first night at the cabin. They hadn’t even shared a bed in the hotels.
“You okay?”
Vince nodded and poured a mug full of coffee.
“I’m here to listen if you need someone. You haven’t spent much time with her, so I just wanted to check in.”
Vince sighed and gulped down his coffee before he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “Three is too much for her.”
“Ah, so you’re doing the gentleman’s work and taking one for the team.” He knew trying to keep the conversation light would help Vince come out of his shell and talk more.
“I’m giving her time to adjust without overwhelming her.”
“And doing the same for yourself.”
Vince gave him a short nod, but Mateo knew him far too well and waited for him to continue rather than ambush him with questions. “We’ll have the rest of our lives with her and some of us have been waiting for her the entirety of their lives. I never wanted a woman, you and Ezra on the other hand have spent your lives searching for that.”
“And you still need to warm up to the idea that you want that too. That’s fair.”
He didn’t push Vince further and occupied him by having him check the weather and ensure that they hadn’t forgotten to pack anything the day before.
Once Scarlett was out of bed and fed, she changed into her hiking gear. Ezra insisted on tying her boots, kneeling before her on the hardwood floors with her foot on his knee.
“Remember to tell us when it hurts,” Mateo reminded her. “They are new, so they still need to be worn in. We packed your sneakers just in case.”
“Okay. But I still feel bad for you three carrying everything.”
“Remember who you are,” Ezra said and smirked up at her.
Scarlett ran her fingers through Ezra’s hair, sighing in defeat. “Fine.”
They took the truck out of the village and drove to the parking lot that marked the beginning of the trail. Eager, Scarlett laced her fingers with Vince’s, following their directions into her first hike. Even though they took it slow, hardly an hour passed before Scarlett needed a break. She hadn’t said anything, but they all could see the strain it caused her. It was a mild path, steadily going upwards without it being too steep, but Scarlett was still a beginner.
They found a spot with a fallen log and sat down. Mateo handed a bottle to everyone, so Scarlett didn’t feel as if it wasjust her. They were surrounded by trees and even though there wasn’t anything special about the trail yet, Scarlett took it all in with wide eyes.
“I thought it would be hotter,” she observed.
“Give it a few hours. The trees help keep us cool, but soon it’ll be hot in their shade too.”
The guys waited until Scarlett got to her feet before they started moving again. They weren’t going to rush her in any way and they found her pace rather relaxing. They’d never taken a hike for pleasure before. Once the trail took them to the cliffs, she was even more in awe, overlooking the valley and mountains surrounding them. She hesitated to move closer to the edge until Vince led her off the trail.
“Don’t be afraid.”
“I never thought I would be scared of heights, but this is so different from the penthouse.”
