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“Too bad. I’m here to be your voice of reason, apparently. Stop going caveman on me. Where the hell are we even going this morning, anyway?”

Aiden sounds amiable but I know I’ve pissed him off with my attitude. I glance over and smile, the tension taking a back seat.

“I have no clue. I needed to get out of the house before I strangled her.”

He reaches behind him for the pack he stashed. “Sounds like a personal problem to me.”

Within seconds he’s got music blaring from his phone and the classic rock we’ve always enjoyed does wonders for my mood.

I lift my foot from the gas and the vehicle slows. “I’ll figure something out. Hell, it wouldn’t hurt to do some hiking and spend a couple of hours at that waterfall.”

“You mean the one where you got a blow job from Carley Marshall in eleventh grade?” Aiden teases.

“Ah, good memories.” My smile feels like it’s reaching my eyes.

Memories like those are one of the benefits of a small town and something I’ve missed living in the city. In Holly Brook, we all know each other. Even if I only spent summers here, the female populace was always more than happy to see me. And Aiden.

Happier still to show their appreciation for us.

“Carley Marshall used more teeth than anyone shouldeveruse, but at the time I remember it being fantastic,” I reply. “If memory serves, Amanda Burkiss gave you her virginity when we were camping, right before we left for freshman year of college.”

“Amanda.” Aiden repeats her name with a low moan.

“Actually, we shouldn’t take off today. I saw a tree fall across the driveway this morning. You were talking about going to town?”

Aiden shrugs. “We can make it past.”

“Butshemight not be able to.” And the sooner she disappears, the better.

“You’re going soft and you don’t want me to know about it,” he says, whistling under his breath.

“Not soft. Responsible.” My brow furrows. “What if another vehicle needs to get to the cabin?”

Aiden twists to face me and our knees knock. “Expecting more guests? Hopefully the female variety.”

“Not today.” But maybe an emergency vehicle if I do end up strangling Gilli.

“Well, if you don’t mind, I’m going to take my truck and head to the falls alone, then. Four wheel drive can take me farther than I’m able to walk.”

Just like that, his plans to go to the store are traded for better ones.

“Sure, go ahead. I’ll take care of the tree myself and thenjoin you. We’ve got all the equipment. I’ll drop you off. Just don’t get into any trouble.”

“Me?” he asks innocently. “Not anymore.”

I twist the wheel. “You know, weirdly, I got a DM from one of the girls we hung with that summer, a couple of weeks ago. Natalie Shepard? I ignored it.”

“Did she send tit pics?” Aiden stretches his arms overhead.

I reach for my cell in my front pocket, patting the area and feeling nothing. “Nah, no tits.”

“Then what did she want?”

“Certainly wasn’t interested in selling her apartment, if you catch my drift. Seems she’s going through a rough divorce…” I trail off and pat both back pockets but come up equally short. “Fuck.”

Aiden snickers. “Forgot something?”

“I must have left my phone.”