“Me? I’m in real estate.”
“Like a real estate agent?” Peter asked, feeling superior.
“Hmm. No. Not really,” Viktor answered vaguely, just to irk Peter.
“You own real estate?” one of the twins asked.
“Yes,” he answered her between bites.
“What kind of real estate?” Evelyn then asked.
“Umm.” Viktor leaned back pretending to struggle with how to answer. “Apartments, shopping malls, hotels,” he answered casually.
“So you manage them,” Peter said. “You don’t actually own them.”
“Hmm. No. I own them,” Viktor answered with a smirk.
“You’d be a millionaire if you owned all that,” Peter snidely replied. “Why would your girlfriend work in IT if you were loaded?”
Viktor looked at Amanda and smiled. “Would you like to take that?”
Amanda shot Viktor a look like she wasn’t pleased with the conversation. “He’s offered,” she answered nonetheless, “multiple times. But I refuse because I’m not interested in him for his money.”
Peter laughed. “Yeah, right. Now you guys are yanking my chain.”
Viktor chuckled but didn’t respond. He returned to eating his meal while Peter’s smile slowly faded.
“You are yanking my chain, aren’t you?” Peter said.
Viktor shook his head. “No, Peter. A simple google search will tell you all you need to know.”
A few awkward moments of silence passed before Evelyn spoke up. “I think you two make a lovely couple.”
“Thank you,” Viktor and Amanda said at the same time.
Since they wanted to wake early and watch the sunrise, Amanda and Viktor were the first to turn in. Amanda kicked off her shoes while Viktor zipped up the tent. When he turned around he came face to face with her.
“Next time you want to get into a pissing match with some rich snob, leave me out of it,” she said with a look like she meant it.
“I didn’t bring you into it,” Viktor pointed out. “He did.”
“I don’t want to be used to prove a point to someone who isn’t worth your time.”
“Amanda, he was driving everyone nuts. I just wanted to shut him up.”
“I understand that.” She placed her hands on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her back. “But he’s not worth your breath.”
“You’re worth my breath.” He leaned forward to kiss her but she pulled her head away from him.
“Are you hearing me?” she asked.
“I hear you.”
“Our personal life and decisions were none of his business.”
He gently stroked her hair. “Can I just say, that it felt great when you told him that you weren’t interested in me for my money.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “You liked that, huh?”
“I loved that.” He leaned in and she let him kiss her this time.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you more,” he replied as they continued to kiss.
“I doubt that,” she teased.
“How would you know?” he teased back.
She laughed and pushed him away. “It’s time for bed.”
They both climbed onto their cots and into their sleeping bags.
“Goodnight, Viktor.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart. Don’t forget to wake me if you need to get up in the middle of the night.”
“I really hope that doesn’t happen,” she replied.
He chuckled. “Me too.”
Chapter 30
Almost as if he predicted it, Amanda woke in the dark with a pressing need to use the bathroom. She looked at the time on her phone. It was 3:47 A.M. She closed her eyes and tried to fall back asleep. When it became clear that wouldn’t happen she looked at her phone again. 12 minutes had passed. She groaned, feeling betrayed by her body.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes before retrieving her headlamp and trying to wake Viktor. She gently shook his shoulder and called his name. He moaned and then sat up.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Okay.” He picked up his headlamp and they headed out.
“This really isn’t necessary,” Amanda complained.
“I want to make sure you’re safe.”
“How is watching me pee in the woods keeping me safe?”
He laughed. “I’m not going to watch you.”
“That’s a relief,” she said with a sarcastic tone.
“Don’t get sassy.”
“Okay, this is as far as you go,” she declared.
“Alright. Don’t go far.”
Viktor turned the other way and heard her walk about 10 more steps before stopping. As he stood waiting for her he realized he needed to go too. He took advantage of the space to relieve himself.
“Viktor!” Amanda suddenly called out to him with a touch of fear in her voice.
He quickly zipped up his pants and went to her. “What is it?”
“Eyes,” she whispered while pointing towards something.
He looked in the direction she was pointing and saw 2 green eyes floating in the sky.
“It looks big,” she said.
“It does,” he agreed as they watched the eyes raise up while staring right at them.
Suddenly more eyes appeared.
“There’s more!” she added fearfully.
“Don’t panic.” He tugged her arm and moved her behind him. “Let’s just work our way back to the tent.”
She clutched his arm. “Viktor, I’m so scared.”
He wouldn’t have admitted it but he was just as terrified. “It’s fine, sweetheart.” Just then one of the eyes turned away and he caught a glimpse of a tan butt and white tail. He breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s just deer.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. It’s deer.”
“I’m shaking. I thought it was coyotes or wolves.”
“Aren’t you glad I came with you?” he asked, feeling vindicated.
“I’ll never doubt you again.”
“I wish that were true,” he laughed. “Let’s get back to camp.”
“You know I’m never going back to sleep.”
“Me neither. Let’s sit by the river and wait for sunrise.”
“Okay, that sounds good. Can we start a fire first?”
“Yes,” he agreed.
It was still dark and when they settled in a spot along the river’s edge to watch the sunrise. The sound of fire crackled behind them. Viktor held Amanda in his arms as they watched as the sky changed from one vivid color to another and the sun eventually emerged from below the horizon.
“I don’t think I could ever get tired of this,” Amanda remarked.
He kissed her cheek. “I know I won’t.”
“Do you resent that I’m still working?” she
