Cherry Picked by May Archer

Author:May Archer [Archer, May]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Gay / Lesbian / LGBT
Amazon: B09X6Q24KJ
Goodreads: 60769151
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Published: 2022-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

I lasted twenty hours before I caved.

In that time, I talked to Drew, who literally laughed out loud when I suggested he should drag Hawk off the mountain and muttered something about how “Janis Joplin saved the day again, rest her soul.”

I talked to Webb and Knox, who exchanged a look so long it seemed like they were having an entire conversation. Knox raised an eyebrow at Webb, Webb glared at him worriedly, Knox folded his arms over his chest and tilted his chin toward me, and Webb finally looked away with his jaw clenched. “We think Hawk’ll be fine,” Knox told me coolly. “He knows exactly when and where to seek shelter, and he knows the evacuation routes. But we appreciate your concern.”

I even broke down and explained the whole situation to my mother, who scowled at me, sighed dramatically, and told the dog, “Apparently, certain adults need to learn the consequences of their actions the hard way, don’t they, Peony?” which I thought was pretty unfeeling since she loved Hawk nearly as much as she loved me.

That morning, I’d been so desperate I’d actually considered approaching Helena Fortnum to beg for her help—the woman was quite spry for an octogenarian; surely a little hike wouldn’t hurt her—when Tom had casually mentioned something about how the National Weather Service no longer recommended using the Lightning Crouch, whatever the hell that was.

“Guess if lightning strikes,” Tom had continued, “you’re just supposed to grin and bear it. At least Hawk isn’t in a metal tent, right?”

Visions assaulted my brain of metal tent poles and trekking poles, metal cooking equipment and insulated water bottles gleefully conducting electricity all around Hawk’s tent. Even the 1858 Flying Eagle penny his dad had given him that he wore on a chain around his neck for luck now seemed like a harbinger of doom.

And that was when I realized that I needed to bite the bullet and fetch the man off the mountain myself.

“Treat me like an adult, he says,” I muttered at my boots as I trudged up the trail. “While childishly ignoring dangerous weather warnings. What kind of adult risks himself in a situation like this? A stupid one, that’s what kind.”

But concern for his well-being didn’t explain my sweaty palms and jittery heart. Not when the only signs of the storm were a few intermittent raindrops. Not when there was plenty of time to convince him, pack him up, and get him safely home before the real storm arrived.

It took half the long-ass trail for me to realize that what was driving me, what was spinning me wildly to the edge of my comfort and sanity, was fear of seeing Hawk. Because I knew if I saw him… I wouldn’t be able to hold myself back.

My feelings for him were so strong they felt like steel bands crushing my solar plexus. Even though I’d told him I couldn’t be what he wanted, what he needed, I couldn’t stop imagining being with him in exactly that way.

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