"Let me see." I reach down and pick it up. "It's a black shoelace."
She laughs. "It looked just like a snake."
"I thought so too until I got a closer look."
She takes a step back, her cheeks blushing. "Sorry about that."
"About what?"
"About, you know..." She laughs a little. "Attacking you like that."
"I didn't mind." It comes out sounding flirtatious, which is not what I intended.
She smiles and looks down. "I just didn't want you to, um, take it the wrong way."
"And what way is that?"
Her eyes slowly rise to mine. "You have a girlfriend."
I nod. "I do. And you have Tanner."
"I—" She stops, then nods.
What was she going to say? I want to ask but I don't think she'll tell me. I think we're both holding back how we feel until we're no longer with other people. But there's definitely something between us. Like just now, holding her like that? It felt right. I'm not even dating her and yet holding her in my arms felt natural, like I've been doing it for years.
"Ready to keep going?" I ask.
"Yeah, but maybe you should go first, to scare away the snakes."
"It was a shoelace." I go past her down the trail.
"I'm sure there are real snakes out here."
"There's a lot more than snakes."
"I'm not worried about other animals. Just snakes."
I glance back at her. "How'd you grow up in the country and end up afraid of snakes?"
"I got bit by one as a kid. It wasn't poisonous but I had to go to the hospital. Ever since then, I've done everything possible to avoid snakes."
"So no desert vacations," I joke.
"No. Never."
Our conversation continues with more stories from her childhood. It's the kind of childhood I would've liked, with lots of camping and fishing and biking around town with your friends. Living in a big city with parents who didn't like the outdoors, I didn't do any of those things. The only time I even came close to doing that stuff was when I went to Maine in the summer, but we never went camping and I didn't have a bike.
Sophie talks almost the whole way back while I just listen, enjoying the sound of her voice. She has a soft sweet voice that rises when she says something that excites her.
"Wait." I put my arms up, stopping her. We're near the end of the trail and the inn is just up ahead.
"What is it? Why are we stopping?"
"Look." I point to a few feet in front of us. A coyote is crossing the trail, taking his time as if he doesn't even notice us.
Sophie steps behind me, gripping the back of my shirt. "What do we do?"
"Just wait."
We watch as it stops a moment and looks up, like it heard something. Then it runs off into the trees.
"Okay, we're good." I start walking again.
"What if there's more?"
"Then we'll stop and let them pass."
She comes up beside me. "I'm surprised."
"By what?"
"You. I thought a city guy would be afraid of wildlife."
"I live in the city. That doesn't mean it's who I am."
"So who are you?" She stops in front of me. "Who is the real Aiden Mills?"
"Still trying to figure that out."
She stares at me a moment. "I totally get that."
"Meaning what? You haven't figured out who Sophie Chambers is?"
"I think I know but sometimes I doubt myself."
"Nothing wrong with that. We're all a work in progress."
"So true." She turns and continues beside me along the path.
"I need to clean up," I say as we go in the inn. "You want to meet for a drink before dinner?"
She smiles. "I'd love that. Meet in an hour?"
"Sounds good."
In an hour it'll be six and our dinner reservation isn't until seven. I was thinking we'd meet a few minutes before seven. I didn't think she'd want a whole hour for drinks but I'm happy she suggested it. I want more time with her. The afternoon went by too quickly. Soon it'll be tomorrow and we'll be heading back. And then what? When will I see her again?
At six, we meet at the bar. Charlie is there, serving up drinks with a smile. He's one of those guys who doesn't seem to have a care in the world. I'm sure he knows about the situation at the inn but he doesn't seem bothered by it.
The past few months Tom and his wife have been overwhelmed with medical bills and more will be coming in the months ahead. They've been forced to borrow