done. All he wanted was to go on an overnight horse ride/hike. What was wrong with that? His worrywart brother had made a much bigger deal out of it than it was, and it had taken all of George’s patience to calm his twin down. To assure him he’d be perfectly safe in a large group of people, headed by very experienced members of the Clean Slate staff. He also promised to stay far away from the edge of the bluff in the morning—the bluff their neighbor Slater had fallen over saving a kid’s life.
He had not mentioned that one of the staff overseeing the trip was his own age. Hugo was young but seemed perfectly capable.
Once his muscles were properly loosened, he glanced at his fellow campers. Levi, Miles and Reyes were chatting together, while Hugo made conversation with the two married couples. The Harrisons were keeping to themselves, which suited George just fine. He had no desire to relive his experience with Mrs. Harrison and embarrass himself again.
Rey approached with a cell phone in his hand. “Hey, Faith really wants a picture of the three of us by the creek. Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” George accepted the phone and took several shots of the adorable family in different poses by the rushing water. “These are great. You having fun, Faith?”
“The best time ever,” she replied. “Are you?”
“Lots of fun.” Even if his butt was sore. He handed Rey his phone back. “Your family is precious. I envy you.”
Rey offered him a kind smile. “If kids and a partner are what you want one day, you can have that. For a long time, I didn’t dare reach for my dreams. I existed one day at a time. One hour at a time. Until I met Samuel. He taught me how to dream again. You meet someone like that, you hold on tight, okay?”
George glanced briefly across the creek at Levi. “That’s good advice, thank you.”
“Anytime. I learned the hard way that family doesn’t always have to be blood. Just the people you choose to love who also love you back.”
The beautiful sentiment made his eyes sting as he thought about his brother and friends back in the city. “I’ve started learning that recently. Thanks.”
Rey winked and returned to his husband and daughter.
George wandered down the creek and stopped at a shallow spot to dip his fingers into the icy water. Something shiny caught his attention, and he fished it out of the gravel and mud. Flat and round, like some sort of old coin, but time and the water had smoothed the markings down, making it difficult to know how old it was. It was about the size of a penny, though. He smiled at the unique find he’d randomly plucked out of the creek.
A shadow appeared nearby, so George didn’t jump when Levi asked, “Going fishing?”
“Yup.” He stood and held out the coin. “Found this.”
“Huh.” Levi squinted and held it up to the light. “I wonder how old it is.”
“I don’t know but as a trip souvenir, it’s pretty unique.”
“Very true.” He handed it back, and their fingertips brushed.
George wanted to hold his hands again like last night, but they were surrounded by people, and he wasn’t ready to out himself to the group. He hadn’t even come out to his twin yet. But everything about Levi made George want to do things he’d never imagined doing—like pushing him against the nearest tree so they could make out, audience be damned.
He could behave himself until they were in a tent.
Maybe.
Chapter Thirteen
They reached the campsite at dusk, just as they were losing sunlight. Levi had never been on one of the overnights before, and he marveled at the beauty of the area. They were on flat land near the base of a rocky crag that crept up into a much larger mountain that cast long shadows from the setting sun. Stones had been laid out in a large circle in a sandy area free of grass, which was their fire pit. Another creek—or maybe the same one as before—babbled nearby, giving the horses a place to hydrate before they were tied off at a long rail made out of thick, rough-hewn logs.
He couldn’t wait for the sun to fully set and the stars to come out.
Once the horses were untacked, brushed, and tied up with bags of oats for their dinner, Reyes divided the group in two for campsite chores. Everyone pitched in. Levi joined the group