“You okay there, Dub?”
Not even a little bit. “Yeah, I’m good.”
The group began filtering out one by one, stretching as they stepped out of their tents and pausing to take in the view they hadn’t been able to see when they’d arrived.
“Oh, man, it’s gorgeous here.”
From over near the campfire, Leo’s voice filtered to Lily, and goose bumps broke out along every inch of her body.
He would see her. He would see her, and she would have to react, and Lily Wilder was a woman who worked her hardest at everything, including remaining at least an arm’s length from any emotional entanglement. Leo would be in her space for the next week, and she had no idea how to handle any of it.
So, she kept her head down, hiding beneath the brim of her cowboy hat as she carried steaming trays of potatoes, eggs, and bacon to the wooden picnic table in the center of camp. Nicole rang the dinner bell and footsteps scratched sleepily through dry dirt. When a husky laugh echoed behind her, Lily’s stomach absolutely fell to her feet. She knew how a rattlesnake sounded in the brittlebush on the ranch and the raspy croak of a passing raven. She knew the trickling of water in a spring and the impatient huff of Bonnie when she was done for the day. And Lily knew—even after all this time—the deep, vibrating sound of Leo Grady’s voice in the morning, the way it warmed up slowly, from rocks to gravel to a smooth, polished stone.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together before she turned to face the men lined up for breakfast. “Morning, everyone.”
Lily didn’t have to be looking straight at him to feel Leo’s wide gaze swing her way.
He sucked in a breath, eyes stunned, and it took every bit of her practiced indifference to appear oblivious. “Go ahead and fill up your plates. Once you’re settled, I’ll go over the game plan.” She smiled as naturally as she could manage, adjusting the skillet and straightening a stack of forks. “We’ve got a big few days ahead of us, and there’s more than enough food for everyone.”
Three men crowded around the table, exclaiming about the food and the view. Everyone but Leo. Lily wasn’t even sure he’d moved yet. After several seconds, he jerked to life, finding a spot at the far end of the picnic table and slowly lowering himself onto the bench. He didn’t bother to take food; he just sat there, pulling a baseball cap on and using it to shield his eyes as he stared down at the wood.
God, it was unbearable. Lily’s heartbeat was a jackhammer on concrete.
“You all met Nicole last night,” she said, slowly finding her footing in the words she’d said at least a hundred times before. Nic waved from where she was pouring herself a cup of coffee, and Lily was pleased to see everyone’s posture straighten in response.
“I’m Lily Wilder, ‘Dub’ to Nicole. Welcome to Wilder Adventures. I hope you’re all ready for some good food, great horses, one-of-a-kind adventure, and some of the most beautiful country you’ve ever seen.”
The guest Lily assumed Nicole had labeled “the loud one”—a fit, tanned white guy with prep-school hair and perfect teeth—slammed a hand on the table, cutlery clattering. “Bring it on!”
“You’re here for a guided tour of some of the most remote and beautiful canyon lands on earth. In the late 1800s, outlaws like Butch Cassidy famously used a long trail that stretched across the West to evade the law. On that trail were Hole-in-the-Wall, Brown’s Park, and Robbers Roost. You’ll be riding some of it just like they did,” she said. “Along the way we’ll have some fun games, some home-cooked meals, a little history and geography, and at the end you’ll get to use your newfound skills with the terrain to find hidden treasure.”
A tall, tattooed man let out a derisive laugh, and Lily glanced over at him as he passed a hand across a thin mustache and wispy beard. Must be the creep.
Ignoring him, she continued. “I’ve been in and out of these mountains all my life. I know every trail, every landmark and plant out here. As long as you do what we say, I promise you’ll be safe and have the best trip of your life. That said, I’m in charge on the trail, and when I’m not around, Nicole is. You may have noticed that we are women. If you have any problems following a woman’s lead, taking instructions from us, being respectful, or keeping your hands to yourself, you should say something now while we can still call someone to come get you.”
Nicole placed her comically large knife on the table and smiled at each of them far too long to appear completely sane. “Anyone got a problem with that?”