Page 27

Fifteen

B utterflies erupted in Julia’s stomach.

After they’d changed into dry clothes at the caves, they’d hopped into the minivan to check out their next Plan B destination—Maya ruins. As far as Carson knew, that was all that was on the agenda. Julia, however, planned to tack on a hike he’d never forget.

“Jules, I’m dying.” His stomach protested louder than a howler monkey. “How are you still in a good mood?”

“The parking lot’s right there.” She flicked on the blinker and eased into a parking spot adjacent to a rustic cabin. “Want a snack?”

“Nah, I’ll wait for lunch.”

“Suit yourself.” Julia grabbed a rucksack from the back. She’d eaten an extra big breakfast today to pregame this trip. She wanted to show him her personal secret entrance to paradise, and hangry sniping would kill the vibe.

“Can I carry that?” he offered.

“Sure.” As she handed the bag to him, their hands brushed. If his casual touch on her hand sent shivers running through her, she might faint when he touched more intimate places.

Outside the van, he asked. “Ready?”

“Almost. Bug spray.” She hosed herself down, then tossed the can to him. “Your ankles will thank me later.”

As he sprayed, Julia locked up the van and zipped the keys into her shorts. Once he finished, they marched toward the ticket booth.

“Hi,” Julia said. “There should be tickets waiting for us? I’m Julia Stone. My sister, Alex Stone, said she’d call ahead.”

“Nice to meet you!” The gray-haired woman beamed. “Alex is here often with so many tour groups. Xavier would be proud of you both.”

The enthusiasm for this hike that had expanded over the course of the morning fizzled. For once, she hadn’t been reminiscing about Dad and the universe still surprised her with him.

“I take it you knew him?” she asked.

“Yes, and he talked about you nonstop, so I already felt like I knew both of you. We miss him around here. Bright smile, and an even brighter soul.” The woman slipped wristbands across the counter. “Wear these while you’re on the grounds, and enjoy.”

“Will do. Thank you.”

With the bracelets clutched in her hand, she entered the park area. Bringing Carson here…where Dad brought her…

This was a mistake.

Julia gestured toward the ruins peeping above the tree line. “That’s it. Ready to go?”

“You’re nuts if you think I’m skipping the ruins.” He stuck out his wrist. “I’ll do yours if you do mine?”

Guess they were staying.

“Okay.” She fixed the adhesive ends together.

He ran his finger around the inside of the bracelet. “Ouch. You got some hair in there.”

“Sorry.” She thrust her wrist toward him. “Want to seek vengeance?”

“Nope.” He peeled the paper tabs from the ends, then carefully fitted the band around her wrist. His touch was gentle, intimate in a way she couldn’t explain, and lingered on her tattoos.

Julia cleared her throat, then eased from his grasp.

“Shall we?” she asked.

They marched along the trail, protected from the sun by the thick tree canopy. The day’s heat barely made its way through, but the humidity was thick on their skin.

“This is easier than the caves—so far,” Carson said. “Will we need to swim across a raging river? Walk a tightrope across a crevasse? Limbo under a two-ton boulder?”

“No.” She laughed. “Stop complaining. The caves weren’t that bad.”

“They were great, unless you’re an undiagnosed claustrophobic like I apparently am.” As the path opened up to the ruins’ bright green plaza, Carson whistled. “This is outstanding. Picturesque and easy to get to. Nice find.”

Normally, she deflected praise, but…she might have actually preened.

“It’s available at the perfect time, too. They only allow events after the park closes at five. They’ll still get sunset vows.”

He rotated on his heel. “Dad would love this. More than the beach, actually. He’d appreciate construction that lasted for a millennium as the backdrop. It’s a nice metaphor.”

“Great.” She clapped. “This is officially Plan B.”

His stomach rumbled again. “Agreed. Can we please eat now?”

“Yes. This way to the perfect picnic spot.” Julia veered left, away from the park’s tidy trail and onto the secret overgrown path. “My friends and I came here a lot. When you grow up in a small town, you find secret spots to get away from everyone’s eyes.”

“Best we could do in LA were the lookouts on Mulholland Drive.”

“I wouldn’t know,” she said.

“You could’ve.” He winked. “But, uh, considering that’s where I lost it on road debris, it’s better you didn’t come with. Ever bring the horny pirate here?”

“You are obsessed with Roberto,” she said. “Why?”

She suspected why, but she needed him to say it.

When she tackled him on the beach last night, he was more than happy to kiss her back.

The minute her lips touched his, she wanted more than a hookup.

If he admitted he wanted something more, too, she’d feel safe to confess that her thoughts had turned that corner.

Brave? Nope. But, given their history, she’d allow herself to be a little bit of a chickenshit.

“Easy. I’m jealous. He knows you in a way I don’t.”

Her stomach fluttered. He’d said it. “I’m sure you’ve slept with people.”

They crashed through bramble and were greeted by a dull roar of rushing water.

“Several, but that’s not what I meant.” Carson kicked a rock. “At least, not just that. I’m jealous he’s seen another side to you—he said you were wild. What does wild mean?”

“It means I was a kid and I did stupid things. Then I got older and my prefrontal cortex matured.” She huffed as the path steepened. “I understand consequences so I’m not—” she scratched air quotes “—wild.”

“You can still have fun, though.”

“I have fun! Reasonable, not-wild fun. Because headlines.”

“No one’s writing headlines about us, Julia. You can’t live your whole life based on nameless, faceless people’s opinions. Never take criticism from someone whose advice you wouldn’t take, either.”

Her shoulders stiffened. Philosophically, she agreed with that last part. But the hard pivot into toxic-Positively-Productive-affirmation mode bothered her. Especially considering the image he pushed. He cared just as much about his public persona as she did.

“Oh, like you don’t care what people think?” Her turn to kick a rock. “I’ve seen your socials. Showy parties, bottle service, mid-tier ex-child celebrities at Chateau Marmont. Very bold, very carefree, very LA.”

“And very curated. That’s my brand for my business, Julia.

At this stage potential clients want to feel like they know me before they agree to work together.

That’s all that is. The only people whose opinions truly matter to me are my dad’s, my friends, and yours.

And I promise you know who I actually am. ”

A brilliant red trio of macaws shrieked as they flew overhead.

Julia dragged her lower lip through her teeth.

She…she could buy that explanation. The photo galleries and Insta feeds for the places she’d interned were different from the day-to-day reality.

Same with Stone Adventures—pics of Alex carefully teaching people to kayak, but never the ones where she’d tumbled into the Mopan River.

Over these last few days, she’d rediscovered Carson. And this guy? The one who’d accompany her into the wilds of Belize, notice when she seemed down, and kiss her senseless under the stars? If this was who he was now, he might have been worth the wait.

“I do, actually. Feel like I know the real you, I mean,” she admitted. “Since the party, I’ve had a lot of big feelings. You’ve been really understanding. A little too ‘Rah-rah everything will be great!’ sometimes. But overall, I’m glad you’re here with me.”

Carson stopped in his tracks.

She turned. “What—did you see a scorpion?”

He beamed an extremely goofy, very Carson smile at her. “You are? That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“The thing about the scorpion?”

“No, the other thing. About being glad I’m here with you. It just jumped past, ‘Wow, you really get Byron.’”

Julia scratched at her neck. Well, shit. She’d thought nice things about him.

“Sorry,” she said.

“Don’t be.” He caught up to her. “Are there really scorpions out here?”

“Never say never , but they’re usually on the beach or in piles of wood. And they’re nocturnal, so I think we’re safe.”

The rushing water sound competed with the blood whooshing in her ears.

“Carson Miller, I present to you…” She stopped at the pink plumeria tree that marked their destination, then held the branches aside. “The world’s most perfect picnic spot.”

Please let him love this view as much as she did.

“We climbed a fucking mountain?” he asked. “How? We weren’t hiking for long.”

She joined him in the mountainside meadow. Spread out in the distance were sharp peaks with steep, tree-covered slopes that faded into the blue horizon.

“The parking area’s close to the top. Minimal effort, maximum view.”

Carson whistled. “Your sister should add this to her tour list.”

“Bite your tongue. We have a pact to keep this private. Can I have the backpack?”

He shrugged it off, then handed it to her.

“Here.” She tossed him the pocket blanket. “Spread this out?”

He shook out the blanket. “Did this thing grow?”

“I brought the bigger one. It is a picnic.”

Julia extracted containers from the backpack, then handed him a bottle of wine and a corkscrew. “Open this, please?”

“Sure.” He uncorked the pinot grigio faster than she tied her own shoes. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” She poured wine into plastic tumblers. “To climbing mountains.”

They clinked. The white wine was cool on her lips.

“Now lunch.” She peeled the lid from a container, then handed it to him with a fork.

“Bollos. They’re like tamales—cornmeal dough filled with seasoned chicken, then steamed in plantain leaf.

They’re tasty hot or cold. I’ve also got cheese dip with tortillas, and sea grapes.

Oh, and I packed hot sauce if you’re into that. ”