Page 5 of Dare to Fall
But staying in bed today was not an option.
Last night, Erin made it very clear that she was on this trip with the book boyfriends in her Kindle and didnotwant to be disturbed. She was also very insistent that the rest of usnotgetting out and exploring the town so she could live vicariously through our stories would be taken as a personal offense.
“I’m notthatlate, right?” I ask, stuffing a chunk of donut into my mouth. I damn near moan at how delicious it is. Why did Iever think it was a good idea to give up sugar? These donuts from the local bakery are to die for. I make a mental note to visit this place everyone keeps talking about so I can stock up.
“Winnie made sure they knew you were coming,” Fred reassures me.
There’s that twinkle again, but I don’t call it out. He’d probably be embarrassed if I told him I caught him flirting with Winnie at the front desk this morning. It’s so fucking sweet I can hardly stand it.
I hope when I’m their age that I find someone who’ll look at me the way Fred looks at Winnie.
Hell, I hope for that atanyage.
My heart squeezes painfully in my chest at the memory of the one boy whodidlook at me that way. But young, stupid Gabby realized it too late. Saidboyjoined the Army and became a man.
Or so I assume, because Tucker Black has never been on social media where I could stalk him properly.
“It’s too bad it’s cloudy today,” Fred says, nodding toward the view in front of us.
“I don’t mind,” I admit.
White, cotton-like wisps paint the mountain landscape. They look as puffy and comfortable as my bed. The oranges, yellows, and reds pop a little brighter against the bright white contrast. It’s breathtaking.
“Cinnamon Creek is a beautiful place,” he continues.
“It is,” I agree, eyes glued to my window now. After months of feeling restless in Nebraska post a bad breakup, I finally feel as though my life is starting to fall back into place. I was never meant to stay in one place long. I’ve never reallybelongedanywhere. I was meant to roam and explore.
Once upon a time, my best friend Tucker was going to roam with me.
Until he enlisted in the military without any warning and left me behind without so much as backward glance.
“You said you’ve gone rafting before?” Fred asks as he winds through the mountains, slowing for each drastic curve. Part of me wants to bump him out of the driver’s seat so I can step on the gas. Another part of me never wants this beautiful drive to end.
“I’ve gone a lot, actually,” I admit.
“Oh?”
“It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been on a river like this,” I continue. “Not many rapids in Nebraska.” I leave out the part about the shitty ex not liking me doing the rafting tours, so I stopped for a while. That detail is no longer important, considering I’ve erased him from my mind, and therefore, erased his existence.
“I suppose not.”
“I’m actually headed to California after this,” I tell Fred, because I’ve been dying to tellsomeonesince I found out I got the job.
The announcement I planned to share with the group on the beaches of Cancun while we toasted margaritas never happened. It seemed wrong to proclaim my good news when Erin’s life just turned upside down. Wrong to tell her that I’ll be abandoning her during the aftermath sure to follow her calling off her wedding. But if I want the position, I have to be there next week.
“What’s in California?” Fred asks.
“A job. I’m going to be a rafting guide on the Kern River.”
“You can raft year-round there?”
“It’s one of the few places in the country you can.” I know because I researched this extensively when I made the decision that I was not going to spend a second winter in Omaha. My bones are chilly just thinking about that brutal Midwest wind.
“Is that what you want to do?” Fred asks. “Be a rafting guide?”
“Yeah, I think it is. At least for a while. It’s a great opportunity to travel. I applied to be a guide for a company that runs tours in the Grand Canyon. But that wouldn’t start until next spring, so I don’t know if I’m in yet. But California seems as good a place as any for now.”
“If Montana manages to steal your heart this weekend, which I think it will, just know they’re always in need of more rafting guides right here in Cinnamon Creek.”
