Trip shook his head, looking completely panicked and helpless as the bear continued to stare him down.
“I do,” Camila said, taking a step forward.
My hand gripped her arm so fast that her eyes shot to me in surprise.
“Give it to me.”
She searched my eyes until she realized she couldn’t fight me on this. “Here,” Camila said quietly, handing me her can.
I took a slow step forward, feeling her hand squeeze around my wrist.
“Be careful.”
I scanned her before nodding in thanks and ducking into the tall grass to make my way toward the field.
Just then, more of our group started to come into view as they climbed the hill. I held my hand out, catching Josie’s eye, in a gesture that made her stop immediately and direct the others behind her to do the same. I turned my attention back to Trip just as the black bear took several quick steps forward then stopped.
“Jesus,” Trip cursed, making me cringe.
“Stay calm,” I warned him. “Don’t move. That was just a bluff charge. He’s not going to attack. He’s just letting you know you’re too close.”
Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I tried to remember everything Jason had taught me. “Hey, bear,” I called, causing Trip to stare at me with wide eyes. I ignored him and waved my hands in the air. “Hey, bear. Hey. Go on.”
I darted a glance at Trip, who had started to take a quick step back to the trail, causing the bear to grunt.
“Slowly, Trip. Any sudden movement, and he’ll make you his dinner.”
Trip paused and turned back around to view the bear, who was grunting as if questioning what his next move should be. I took another slow step forward.
By the time I reached Trip’s side, the bear had already stopped his ascent, but I released a spray from the can for good measure. I didn’t even know if the stuff worked, since I’d never used it before, but after a final grunt from the beast, he started his retreat.
Several minutes later, the bear was completely out of sight, and we made our way back to the trail just as the rest of the group met up with us.
Camila still stood on her rock, while Raven threw her arms around her brother and gazed up at me. “Thank you, Ridge. You saved my brother’s life.” Her eyes were wide and tear-filled.
I waved it off. “Nah, but that brings me to my first important lesson of this hike. If you see a black bear, do not run away. Stay calm. And please, whatever you do, do not make direct eye contact. If a bear does charge you like that one did with Trip, stand your ground. The odds of them retreating are far better than you outrunning them.”
The tension seemed to roll off of some of their backs, while the others nodded to tell me they were listening.
I shrugged and grinned. “What’s a hike in the wilderness without a bear encounter?”
Nervous laughter flitted through the group.
“Shake it off, hikers. Take a breath, grab some water, pee on a tree, or whatever. Take a buddy if you’re heading into the woods, but don’t go far. We’ve got another two miles to go until we make camp, and I’d like to do it well before sunset.” I checked my watch. “We’ll take off in fifteen minutes.”
Camila stepped down from the rock and locked arms with Josie. Together, they started off into a section of woods, making my instinct kick in. I wanted to go after them and watch them, to ensure they would be okay. If anything happened to Camila on the trip, I would never forgive myself. Selfishly, I was glad Trip was the one who’d come face-to-face with the bear instead of her.
Without another glance in Camila’s direction, I took off toward the small stream, hoping for a reset. We’d been on the hike less than a day, and all I could think about was finding a way to get her alone. And those were dangerous thoughts to entertain.
21
Camila
Ridge kept in front of the pack for the rest of the hike, and it had everything to do with Trip’s bear encounter. In return, Trip didn’t fight him on the lead. Instead, he hung back with his sister at the tail of our group. I managed to stay near Ridge, but he never allowed me to get too close, making it obvious in his quick steps whenever I did manage to bridge our gap.
I wanted to hike with him and talk more, but I wasn’t about to fight whatever demons had taken root in his mind. That was how it always seemed to be with him. He always cared about the “what-ifs,” and I was willing to take any risk imaginable, if it meant being close to him. In a way, I was tired of the bullshit excuses, the fears, and the never-ending retreat to stay far, far away from me. If that was how he wanted it to be, then fine. I wouldn’t push him anymore.
The trail began to widen and diverge into multiple directions, so I made sure to follow Ridge’s lead. A large body of water started to come into view, and while I’d heard of the place and seen photos online, nothing could compare to seeing it in person. My heart began to beat fast as I looked out at the turquoise water that sat nestled in the glacial basin, glittering beneath the sun.
I stopped walking, wanting to take in the entire view, which was currently unoccupied with campers and hikers. Ridge stood off to my side, taking in the same exact view. He must have hiked that trail dozens of times, but nothing in his expression told me that he was any less amazed than his first time.
Emotion caught in my throat, and I didn’t know why. I’d climbed mountains, biked down steep hills, and thrown caution to the wind more times than I could count, but being here felt different somehow. I felt liberated and like anything I ever wanted to do beyond today was within reach. All I had to do was climb the damn mountain.
“Holy shit.” Trip stepped past me and jogged toward the water. Raven followed, then came the rest of the group, and one by one, they entered our campsite for the night.
“Get a load of this,” Josie said as she took up a spot beside me. “We’re skinny dipping in that.”
She said it with so much confidence that I had to laugh. “Are we, now? We might freeze to death, but sure.”
Josie threw me a wink. “Actually, I was talking to Ryker on the hike. He says he knows where there’s a hot spring near one of the upper lakes.”
“A real hot spring?”
I’d swum in hot springs before but never one that I’d found in nature. The ones I’d been to had pool walls around them and a cost of admission.
“Yup.” She grinned and twisted her shoulders a little.
I narrowed my eyes at her then followed her gaze to Ryker before letting out a laugh. “So, you’re really into Ryker now, huh? You just broke up with Emilio.”
She made a face. “That was months ago. Besides, Emilio refused to go past second base. Totally over him.”
My jaw dropped at her confession. “Josie Parker.”
She blushed. Josie had always been boy crazy, hopping from one boyfriend to the next without a break in between until she and Emilio became a thing. But Josie was the type of girl who knew what she wanted. If she said she was over her ex-boyfriend, then I believed her.
“What? It’s not like Emilio and I were going to get married or anything. We dated for over a year, and I just wasn’t feeling it anymore.”
I laughed. “But you told me Emilio was the most handsome boy you’d ever seen.” I fluttered my lashes to mock her.