“I am a master of massage.” He tipped his neck from side to side, making it crack. “Prepare to be amazed.”
One hour later, Jay returned, wearing a pair of army fatigues and a khaki T-shirt that looked like it had been poured on his muscular body. Parvati’s mystery date had turned out to be Faroz. They’d taken over the couch to watch Spy Kids. Zara still couldn’t get her head around the pairing.
“All ready to go?” Instead of closing the door, Jay grabbed the top of the doorframe and did five easy pull-ups that made his biceps pop. “I’ve picked an easy seven-point-one-mile loop in Mount Tamalpais State Park. Anyone want to join us? The more the merrier.”
Faroz got up and sauntered over to Parvati’s bedroom door. “Nice day for a hike.” He grabbed Parvati’s doorframe and did ten pull-ups in quick succession then did a spin-turn jump to face Jay. “What do you say, Parv?”
With a sideways glance at Faroz, Jay grabbed the doorframe and repeated his set of five, this time with one arm. He dropped down with a grunt of satisfaction and the gleam of challenge in his eyes.
Parvati turned off the television and pushed to stand. “I say we’d better get out of here before all the testosterone in the air makes Zara and me want to do pull-ups on the kitchen cupboards and then we’ll have nowhere to store our treats.”
“Thank God,” Zara whispered as she followed Parvati to her room. “I was worried I was going to slow him down. He’d be wondering why he brought me, and I’d be wishing I were home in a nice warm bath or lying in a park somewhere catching some sun. We would have a terrible time and he’d never invite me on a hike again, which wouldn’t really be that bad, but also not good because he’s kind of growing on me and—”
“Take a breath.” Parvati pushed open her door. “It’ll be fine. He said it’s rated easy. How hard can it be?”
* * *
• • •
“Keep your eyes on the road.” Zara gave Jay’s leg a gentle slap when she caught him glaring at Parvati and Faroz, who had been making out in the back seat since the start of the trip. “Honestly, you’re worse than Parvati. Do you know how many accidents are caused by distracted driving?”
“We should be talking strategy, studying the flora and fauna and visualizing the trail,” he grumbled. “You don’t just walk into a hike blind. I don’t understand why no one wants to look at the topographical map or download the bird-identification app.”
“I looked at the map.” Zara patted the knee she’d just tapped. “And I downloaded the app. I didn’t know you were interested in birds.”
“When I was young, my mom used to take me to the park and we’d try to identify the birds. I took it up again to pass the time when I was deployed. Some days we were just sitting around waiting for orders.”
“I had pigeon pie when I was undercover in Morocco,” Faroz said from the back seat. “It was like chicken potpie but with more flavor. If we see some pigeons, I can catch them with a snare and cook ’em up for dinner.”
“He wants to identify them, not eat them,” Zara snapped.
“Is there a difference?”
Jay turned into the parking area on Panoramic Highway and they piled out of the vehicle. He’d brought along a massive pack that he slipped over his broad shoulders. “I’ve got everything we need right here,” he said proudly. “Tent, binoculars, grappling hooks, multi-tool, first-aid kit, altimeter watch, locator beacon, gaiters, flashlight, shovel, flint, ropes, solar blanket, flares, knife, SPF-rated lip balm, sunscreen, hand sanitizer . . . Pretty much everything you can think of. We’ll be safe from blizzards, storms, avalanches, wild-animal attacks . . .”
“What if we’re attacked by a murder of crows?” Parvati asked. “Like in that movie The Birds.”
“I’m carrying.” Faroz opened his jacket to reveal a weapon holstered across his chest. “We’ll have a lot of pies.”
Zara stared at him aghast. “Who brings a gun on a hike?”
“Someone hungry.”
For the first part of the hike Zara half ran, half jogged beside Jay as he pointed out verdant canyons and shrubby meadows with sweeping views of the ocean. His enthusiasm was infectious, and she was able to ignore the wheeze in her lungs and the burn in her legs to share in his delight. Their adventure took a downturn when they hit Steep Ravine Trail and the walk turned into a climb.
“What is this?” Zara panted. “You said it was easy. I came for waterfalls, babbling brooks, fields of flowers, and selfies of my glowing face as I pose on flat forest paths.”
“It was all right there on the topographical map.” Jay frowned. “I thought you looked at it.”
“I didn’t understand it. Geography was my worst mark in high school.” Her legs shook with each step. Unlike the stair climber at the gym, there was no off switch, no TV to distract her, no juice bar to replenish her energy, and no shower to cool her down.
“Do you need a rest?”
“Maybe just a breather.” Shirt soaked with sweat, she bent over and heaved in a breath while Jay ran up the trail to see what was ahead. Faroz followed after him, their hike turning into a testosterone-laced sprint as they raced for the top. Parvati sat on a log beside Zara and offered her some water.
“Did you mention to Jay that your workouts usually consist of watching reruns of Castle while you pedal the stationary bike on level one? Or running from the couch to the fridge and back before the end of a commercial?”
“I walk,” Zara said indignantly. “I’m not out of shape. Look how far I’ve come and I’m still standing.”
“We are half an hour into a four-hour hike and your shirt is so wet you’ll need to wring it out the next time we stop.”
“But he’s so happy,” she said. “I’ve never seen him so happy. He’s like a kid. Look at him bouncing around, running up and down the hill, doing pull-ups on the branches. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts climbing trees.”
“Just watch your energy,” Parvati warned. “He won’t be so excited if you crash and he has to carry you down the mountain.”
“He made me eat an energy bar and fill my bottle with Gatorade. I’ve also stuffed my pockets with gummy bears and trail mix. I’m good to go.”
After Faroz and Jay returned, they followed Webb Creek and stopped to check out waterfalls and cascades before ascending a canyon nestled in a flourishing redwood forest. When Jay finally called a break, Zara collapsed in a soft bed of pine needles and tried not to sob.
“You’re doing good.” Jay bit into an energy bar. “We’re almost halfway. There’s a fixed ladder to help on a particularly steep section.”