Page 82 of Take a Hike


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“I made eye contact with him. I can’t just run.”

“Do you want to stay and talk then?” Gwen asked.

“Maybe a quick hello,” Raven said, her eyes still glued to Silas, who was quickly closing the distance between them.

He was probably in the city for an archery convention, or perhaps he was picking up inventory that couldn’t be delivered to Cedar Lake directly. Before she could come up with another plausible explanation, Silas was standing in front of them.

“It’s good to see you again,” he said, slightly out of breath.

God, he was still handsome, his voice still captivating.

“Yeah, it is,” she managed after swallowing hard. “This is my friend Gwen.”

“Hi, nice to meet you,” Gwen said to which Silas similarly responded, but he only offered her a cursory glance before his eyes were back on Raven.

“I think I just spotted the vendor we were trying to find earlier,” Gwen said after some silence, and Raven knew her friend was giving her a way to exit the conversation.

However, she didn’t immediately jump at the opportunity, so Gwen added, “I’ll let you guys chat while I quickly check it out.”

The moment Gwen walked away, Raven regretted not going with her.

“How is everyone?” she asked over the beating of her heart. She could—must—get through this interaction. “I saw Tess and Bodie got a puppy. Also heard you guys are looking for new tour guides. Very exciting… I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“It was a last-minute trip. I’m making some big life changes,” he said, his eyes softening.

“Oh? Like what?” she asked before she could stop herself. Knowing more about this man would only make it harder than it already was to heal.

“Well, yesterday I sold Mountaintop to Halo for a dollar, and today I’m—”

“Wait, what do you mean yousoldMountaintop?” Raven asked.

He cracked a small smile. “I sold Mountaintop to pursue competitive archery coaching. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time but avoided because it was a risk I thought I’d regret.”

“Whoa, that's intense and incredible,” she said, her brain still spinning from the news. “So you’ll get to train other Olympians.”

“That’s the dream,” he said with another smile.

“I’m so happy for you,” she said, wanting nothing more than to touch him. But how could she knowing he was planning a life she wasn’t a part of? “Well, I-I should go. I—”

“Raven,” Silas said, interrupting her. “It’s not a coincidence that I bumped into you today. It’s been twenty-eight days since you left Cedar, and for every single one of them, I have thought about you.”

She was confused but trying to focus on the trajectory of his words.

“I wonder what you’re doing,” he continued. “If you’re okay. What polish you’re wearing on your nails. It’s a constant running meter in the back of my head.” He took a step forward, his gaze on her unwavering. “Raven, I love you.”

The weight of his declaration nearly bowled her over. During the past few weeks, as she dealt with heartache, she couldn't have imagined this moment was the light waiting for her at the end of the tunnel.

“I fell for you in Cedar,” she said, her heart beating wildly. “And I’ve been trying really, really hard to get over you.”

He stilled. “Tell me you’ve been unsuccessful.”

With a slow smile, she said, “Yeah, very.”

Silas sharply exhaled and eliminated the space between them. He cupped her face like she was made of blown glass and pressed his lips to hers. It was a dazzling kiss, crisp and assuring as the first days of spring. Silas Reynolds was in love with her.

When they pulled apart, he placed his forehead against hers and said, “I’m sorry it took me so long to get to you.”

“You’re here now. That’s all that matters,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “So what’s your plan—our plan?”