Page 52 of Keep On Loving You
It was a lie, and they both knew it. Kat had loved every minute of having Andy help her with the list. After the bungee jumping night, they’d sat and examined everything that was required of her, making a reasonable and totally doable plan for her to accomplish everything. Including knocking some of the tougher things off the list first. Like the hike to Pulpit Peak. At the time, it seemed like a goodstrategy. But she was very quickly starting to question that decision.
Every single one of her muscles protested when she let Andy pull her up from the log. “Vamos, Andy.”
His lips quirked up into a smile. “Muy bien, Gatita.” Andy wiggled his eyebrows at the use of her nickname in Spanish.
“I told you I was practicing.” Together, they started to walk along the trail again. “I think I’m going to have to ask Steven what qualifies aslearning another language.Because at this rate, it’ll take me years to be able to speak a complete sentence.”
“Well, I don’t think he expects you to have a full-on conversation with a native Spanish speaker. Besides, we’ve only been using the app for a few days.”
“Are you using it, too?”
After seeing that Kat needed to learn how to speak another language, Andy immediately jumped into action and found an app that she could install on her phone that promised to help teach her another language inonly a few short minutes a day.True, they didn’t specify how many days it would take, but at least it was a start.
“Of course I am,” Andy said. “I told you I was going to help you with your list, and I meant it. Whatever it takes, Kat. You don’t have to do it alone.”
Her heart did that thing where it squeezed a little bit and made her think of things that could never be, so she quickly shook her head and reminded herself that whatever it was that was going on with Andy, it was temporary.
“And anyway,” he was saying. “It’s going to take longer than just a few days of practicing another language. You have to give it time.” Andy chuckled. “Not that you were ever very patient, though. Were you?”
She spun to face him and pushed a finger against his chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He caught her finger in his hand and held it. “Kitty Kat, from the moment I met you, you’ve been chomping at the bit for whatever’s coming next. You are not a patient person. Not even close.”
“That’s not true.”
He tilted his head but said nothing else. He didn’t need to. The smirk on his face said it all.
“It’s not.” She pulled her hand away and started to walk again.
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Kat dropped her hands and groaned, “Seriously, how much longer is this hike?”
The moment the words were out of her mouth, she realized what she’d just said, but Andy was already laughing.
“Case in point, my little impatient kitten.”
He had her there. Still, she shot him a glare and then picked up her pace. The only way to get through this was to get to the top.
“Just a little bit more. You got this, Kat. We’re almost there.”
Andy hoped like hell he wasn’t lying because, truthfully,it was starting to feel as if they might never reach the top of the mountain.
There was a reason this was a bucket list hike.
He’d lost track of time since they’d left the packed trail behind and started the scramble through the loose rocks and scree to the very top of the peak. The climbing was rough, and it was a lot more challenging, to be sure, but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle. Andy was confident of that.
Next to him, Kat was using climbing poles to steadily climb. Her wrist was still in a brace, and Andy knew it still gave her trouble, so he stayed close in case she needed assistance. Kat’s lips were pressed together in a line, her face set in a mask of pure determination as she worked her way to the top.
A wave of pride and emotion washed through him.
Andy held back a little as they approached the peak. It was a big moment, and he wanted her to have it for herself.
A few more steps, and she was there.
Kat raised her arms in the air, pointing her hiking poles straight up as she threw her head back as she yelled out a whoop of excitement. “I did it! I did it! Dad, this one’s for you.”
He stood and watched her from where he’d stopped, a few feet below her, and let her have a minute to process what had happened.
As soon as she lowered her arms and her head dropped down to her chest, and Andy realized her cries of excitement had turned into tears of emotion, he resumed climbing and joined her at the top.
