Sinful Ever After - Vivian Wood Page 0,39

wild with Rachel, his ex. I haven’t actually laid eyes on her yet, but I’m sure things haven’t gotten less weird between them in the five years since they were last together. It’s probably angst city over there right now.

Unless they’ve started sleeping together again. That is a whole different ball of wax, I guess. At any rate, I wouldn’t wish their situation on anybody. I wouldn’t trade places with Rachel or Grayson, that’s for sure.

So I said that I would come, despite the fact that Aiden hasn’t said a word to me since the other night. I shift in my seat, sneaking a glance at him. He’s driving, staring at the road ahead with a slight scowl on his face.

And yet, even with the blatantly unfriendly expression, he still looks ridiculously handsome. Dark hair, dark eyebrows, dark eyes. And all of that put on top of a big guy?

Come on. He was created to seduce.

It just so happens that he doesn’t think I’m worth seducing.

That thought echoes through my head, making me look away from him. I’m half pouting now but there is nothing I can do but just… wait until we reach our destination, I guess.

We still have to drive to Whiskey Bend, which is the spot deep in the woods where the National Park Service has their base camp for the Olympic Park area in western Washington.

In his car on the way over, things are tense and awkward.

“How far is it to Whiskey Bend?” I ask.

He looks at me and sighs. “About twenty five more minutes.”

Then Aiden turns up some late 90s alternative rock on the car’s stereo to dissipate the atmosphere a little. So now I’m listening to some guy sing mournfully about bittersweet symphonies while strings play behind him. I close my eyes, feeling the rush of air as it rushes against my face.

Otherwise I would actually have to interact with Aiden. And after the last time we talked, I don’t have the willpower. I just feel like I’m going to crumble into dust and blow away every time I think about arguing with him again.

For his part, Aiden is brooding and silent, both hands on the steering wheel. He stares at the road ahead like it did something to personally offend him. I’m not even sure why he invited me to come to Whiskey Bend. Actually, he probably wouldn’t have if it wouldn’t have made Grayson ask a lot of questions.

Sitting here in the car, the silence between us weighing heavily on me, I feel like I’m invisible again. He’s ignoring me like nothing ever happened between us. Like we never kissed, at least. It is almost the most miserable feeling I’ve ever had in my whole life.

Not quite, but close.

We drive deeper and deeper into the woods, on smaller and smaller roads, until we come around a sharp turn. Then we pull into a gravel parking area.

There is the camp, laid out before us. It’s basically a collection of rustic-looking cabins, the largest of them the mess hall. Behind that, there are some facilities cabins, and then a spread of tiny staff cabins sprinkled here and there toward the back. In the distance, almost hidden amongst the trees, is a ropes course.

Aiden is already out of the Jeep, slamming the door and walking away. I move a little slower, getting out and stretching. I see Aiden heading for the mess hall, probably straight to my brother.

Wandering in that direction, I think about Rachel. A park ranger crosses my path, dressed in a pair of cargo shorts and a loose gray tank top. Her arms are full of firewood; I don’t think she sees me.

“Sorry to interrupt,” I say shyly.

She looks up, surprised. “Hey! Are you from the tour group? Did you get lost?”

“No. I’m Grayson’s sister, Olivia.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh! Now that you say it, I sort of see the resemblance. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jade.”

I give her my most awkward smile. “Same. Listen, do you know where Rachel Black is? She’s the girl my brother has been squiring around? Short, slim, sort of blonde?”

“Oh! Yeah, I saw her heading toward her cabin. Cabin fourteen, maybe? It’s back that way.”

“Thanks. See you around.”

Jade flashes me a half-smile and then continues on her way.

After hunting for the right number for a few minutes, I knock on the door of cabin fourteen.

“Yes?” a young woman’s voice answers.

“Rachel?” I ask.

There is a pause. A moment later, Rachel pulls the door open. She looks exactly