the Columbia Gorge waterfalls. Starting with Bridal Veil falls, her opened mouth stare continued from the bottom of the falls to the top and back down. She stepped as close as she could without stepping into the water and then closed her eyes, allowing the mist to settle over her face.
“Let’s move on to the next place before we run out of daylight.”
“There’s more?”
I nodded, holding out my hand. I shouldn’t have done it, but I did. Surprising me, she took it. Our hands collided in the best way, a loose embrace. Neither of us sure, but neither let go.
Wahkeena Falls, next in the lineup, was my least favorite falls but still beautiful. When we got back into the car, obviously our hands parted, but I didn’t want to lose the momentum, so I grabbed hers again, albeit playfully, once we got out.
“I don’t want you to fall in,” I joked.
“Truly, it’s best that we start faking it now. That way we are more believable to your friends.”
Her words didn’t settle well with me. They annoyed me, in fact. I wasn’t that out of the loop with reading girls. Hell, in college, I was the most sought-after guy at the frat. Yet, there I stood unable to figure out this fake relationship.
“Wait until you see the next one,” I said less enthusiastically.
“How many are there?”
“Two more.”
The next one—the most magnificent of them all—Multnomah Falls. Parking was a nightmare, but we found a spot and started the jaunt up the hill. About halfway up, her hand found mine until she gasped when she spotted the falls. Her hands clasped over her mouth.
“Oh my goodness, Austin. This world is so beautiful, and I wouldn’t have seen any of it if you hadn’t given me this.” Tears filled her eyes as we walked closer, maneuvering around the crowd. “I want to go up there,” she said, pointing to the bridge over the falls.
“It’s a small hike but let’s do it.” I navigated her to the trailhead and within a few minutes we were at the bridge over the falls and walking out. Once again, with her phone in hand, she backed up, this time next to me, to take the picture of us with the falls behind her.
“Want me to take a picture?” a lady with a stroller asked.
Phoebe looked at me. I shrugged but nodded.
“Ok. Thank you. Be careful, that’s a new phone.”
“I will.” The lady smiled.
Once again, Phoebe backed up next to my body, so I threw my arm over her shoulders and smiled. The lady took some pics with the phone horizontal and some with the phone vertical and then handed it back.
“You’re a beautiful couple.”
We awkwardly smiled, took the phone back and thanked her. Phoebe swiped through the pictures, standing against the rock railing of the bridge. Our proximity was close enough I could see the pictures too. The lady was right, we looked good together. Phoebe turned into me, not realizing I was inches from her. The long lashes fluttered, exposing a vulnerability in those emerald eyes.
“We do fake well,” she whispered, but the words felt like a jab. I wasn’t sure I was faking anymore, but it was obvious she was…or maybe she wasn’t. Hell, I didn’t know which way was up though one part of me did.
Everything around us, the hundreds of people, the roar of the crashing water, the cool breeze, it all disappeared. Lost in the moment. Lost in her eyes. Lost in the unmistakable feeling happening between us. There was nothing fake about it.
“I…” she started, and I didn’t give her the chance. Her mouth could lie, but her eyes couldn’t. I lowered my mouth to hers and thankfully, hers lips softly puckered in response. Three slow, gentle pecks. Two mouths saying hello in the most intimate of ways. When I started to pull back, her top teeth bit down on my bottom lip driving me mad.
“I work for you,” she said softly, doing that damn nose scrunch thing. “We can’t deal with blurred lines.”
Frustrated, I nodded. Except I didn’t agree with the nod. I blew out a long breath and began walking down the paved trail. Never in my life had I been rejected quite like this girl handed it to me. My steps became heavier, my arms swung, my jaw tight with frustration. I was waiting in the running car by the time she got there.
“I don’t know what to say,” she said.
“It’s all good, Phoebe.” Jesus. I needed to get