| |
Try as I might, I didn't seem to be able to stay on my side of the tent. Every time I woke up, I had my head on Chance's shoulder or his chest. "Fudge, not again," I said, moving back to my side of the tent.
"It's OK," Chance said, turning over to face me. "I know you find me irresistible. I do appreciate you trying to keep your feelings under control when you're awake. I understand that you can't help what happens when your subconscious takes over."
"Well, bless your heart," I said in my sweetest voice. Southerners have a way of making insults sounds like compliments.
"Don't be upset. I understand that you can't help it." He chuckled and turned over, so he was facing away from me.
The next time I woke up my head was on Chance's chest again, but this time he had his arm around me. I tried to shimmy out of his grasp, but it was no use. I couldn't move his arm. I could wake him up, but that would mean making him aware of the situation and giving him more ammunition to launch my way. I hoped he'd move his arm before he woke up, but for now, I might as well enjoy the spot I was in. I wrapped by arms around Chance's bicep, laid my head on his shoulder, and went back to sleep.
When I woke up again, I was alone. I could smell the fire. I dressed and packed up, before opening the tent flap and pushing my pack out in front of me.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked with that smirky grin of his.
"I did, thanks. What's for breakfast?" He handed me coffee and a foil packet. The label said it was eggs benedict. It tasted more like runny scrambled egg substitute. At least it was hot.
"We're going to get going as quick as we can this morning," Chance said. "It's good that we found the evidence yesterday, but it would be nice if we could get back on schedule today."
"Great. What am I learning today?"
"I just know this day will be your favorite. Today is the day we're supposed to get to know each other."
"Can't wait," I said, giving him an obviously fake smile as I slipped my arms through the straps of my pack that he was holding for me.
As we hiked through the forest, Chance would ask a question now and then, but my one-word answers didn't lead to conversation. Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, I tried to gain control of my emotions. I wasn't angry at Chance. Not really. I was angry at myself for reacting to him.
"You said we were supposed to get to know each other better today, so why are you a cryptid hunter? Why lead hunting trips instead of photography treks. What makes Chance Munroe tick?" I was hopeful that he'd enjoy talking about himself, and it would take the pressure off me to give up any personal information he didn't already know.
"That's a lot of questions at once. Let's do this with 20 questions. You ask me something, then after I answer, I get to ask you something. When we've both had our 20 questions answered we'll see how well we know each other."
I really did want to understand what made Chance Munroe tick. If I only have 20 questions, I need to use them wisely. I thought about starting with his childhood but quickly realized I wanted to concentrate on getting to know the Chance Munroe I was with today.
After walking in silence for a bit, Chance asked, "Why did you come to Idaho?"
I realized I needed to think before giving my answer. I wanted to give away as little as possible. As the silence between us stretched uncomfortably, I realized I suck at this game. I stopped worrying about how much I was giving away or getting back and just talked to Chance like we were on a first date. Fudge, I didn't want to think of Chance and dating in the same sentence, but there it was.
By the time we pitched our tent for the night, I knew that Chance had an MBA. He worked in Chicago for a couple of years after college and married his college sweetheart. When he tired of the rat race, he moved back to Wilkins’ Gap alone. His wife was a city girl. Based on his nickname for me, I guess I remind him of his ex. That explained a lot about why he wanted to keep me at a distance.
As the two of us talked about our lives, I realized that much like Chance saw me as a "city girl" with all the negative implications that label held for him, I had labeled Chance as a "crazy cryptid hunter." I had trouble seeing him as an MBA and business owner.
It was pretty clear that we were attracted to each other, and neither one of us was happy about it.