Page 10 of Finding Happily Ever After
“No.” Nat got up and crossed the store. There were a few other customers shopping and because she wasn’t really sure who anybody in town was, she didn’t want to say anything that could be overheard or taken the wrong way. “Not Doug,” she said when she got closer. “He was in an—”
“Oh my goodness.” Katie’s hand flew to her mouth. “You’re right. Doug was in that terrible accident in the back country. I can’t believe I forgot. Really, I’m not usually so scattered.”
Natalie didn’t think Katie seemed scattered at all, just maybeenthusiastic,but she didn’t bother saying so.
“What a terrible thing,” Katie continued. “So that makes sense then that he’s not teaching it. Who took over?”
Natalie worked to keep her voice neutral and not give away the fact that every time she thought about the man she’d only met the one time, her stomach did a crazy summersault thing that scared her more than a little. “I think his name is Aiden Adams.”
“You think?” Katie raised an eyebrow.
There was no way Katie could tell that she was interested in Aiden Adams.
Was she? Interested?
No.
Yes.
Maybe.
She didn’t know. But either way, was Katie picking up on something?
“I mean, I…”
“You should probably know the guy’s name if you plan on going on a hike with him, right? I mean…”
“Oh yes.” Natalie blew out a breath. “I agree.” She nodded, as if she’d just figured it out. “It’s Aiden. Aiden Adams.”
“The new Outdoor Ed teacher?”
Both women turned. The man who spoke was ridiculously tall and gorgeous, with dark hair and a smile aimed straight at Katie. Damon Banks. Katie’s husband.
“Natalie, right?” He extended a hand to her, which she took with a smile and a nod.
Was everyone in this town so friendly?
Yes. From her limited experience, almost everyone she’d encountered, with the exception of a very few from the callouts she’d responded to, were all very friendly.
“Sorry,” Damon continued. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, but are you talking about the new Outdoor Ed teacher?”
“We are,” Katie answered for them. “Natalie is teaching a first-aid class for them and she’s going on a hike with them next week.”
Damon’s broad grin split his face. “It’s a winter hike.” It wasn’t a question. “Nothing too major, just an out and back on Rainbow Ridge, where the snow shouldn’t be too deep.”
Katie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “How do you know?”
“Because he was just helping me figure out where I should take the class on a hike in the middle of February.”
Natalie’s stomach flipped at the sound of his voice. Her entire body warmed and she knew without having to look in a mirror that she likely had an instant and ridiculous smile on her face.
Aiden.
Aiden hadn’t been imagining it. Itwasher. When he’d looked across the store and seen the tall blonde who occupied almost all of his waking thoughts for the last few days to see that she was shopping forhiking boots,that could only mean one thing.
Well, it could mean a lot of things, but Aiden hoped like hell it meant she was going to go on the hike with him and his class.
The hike he was spending his Saturday trying to organize. A Saturday he should have spent grading papers and organizing his schedule for the next few weeks. But none of those things seemed nearly as important as going on a hike with Natalie—and his class. Obviously, his class. That was the most important thing. Not impressing Natalie.
