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“More waterfalls.”
“Damn it. You have me there.”
“I know,” he replied. “Are you ready to finish this up?”
“How much am I going to want to kill you by the end of this?”
“Maybe a five, but I promise to make this worth your while in the end.”
“With foot rubs?”
“And other things,” he said, leaning in.
“We’ll see about that. Lead the way.”
He smiled and went ahead. I got payback by smacking his ass as hard as he did mine.
The hike was long and difficult, but we had fun the whole time. We climbed hills and rocks. Though I was tired by the end, it was the most fun I’d had in a while.
And as usual, Alden brought out the best in me.
It was all the more reason to keep him around.