Her mind whirled. He had a towel in his hand, and considering his aunt Ruth was friends with Libby, the instigator of canoe trips, there was a high probability he’d be going for a paddle.
Just to be safe, she headed for the woods behind the cabins. There was a tangle of low-lying shrubs leading to a copse. The alpine scent of pine greeted her. She’d already hidden in them several times, although, after almost falling out of one while speaking on the phone to her best friend, Frankie, she wasn’t sure it was a good idea.
Another flash of green shirt caught in her vision, and she swallowed back her reservations. Einstein said everything was relative, and the way she figured, tree climbing was less dangerous than coming face to face with Hudson.
She stared at the thick grainy bark of an oak tree. “Okay, I’m going to climb you for the very last time. But in return you have to make sure I don’t fall.”
Unsurprisingly, the tree didn’t answer.
Via put a hand on the first gnarled branch. Her legs were already scratched from when she’d hidden in a thicket of shrubs yesterday, and they stung as the rough bark brushed against her skin.
Climbing was definitely not her specialty subject.
Sweat beaded on her brow by the time she was safely hidden away in a low canopy of leaves. From where she was, she could see the lake. The pale blue water glittered like diamonds, and along the shore were a dozen canoes all painted the same muddy red. The blood of past victims.
Zac was laughing at something his most recent flirt, Diana, was saying, while her own parents were kissing. Again. There were a host of other happy-camper families gathered there. Most of whom came every year. Weirdos.
An ant crawled on her leg, and her phone beeped. It would be Frankie, but after last time she knew better than to answer. Safer to wait until she was on solid ground. She carefully relocated the ant and turned back to the lake. The canoes were now all in the water and heading away from the shore.
Excellent. She’d give it another five minutes and—
“Hey, Via. I know you’re up there,” a calm voice said from somewhere below the branch. Ice skittered through her veins.
Hudson.
Okay. The important thing was to stay calm. She’d been ghosting him for fourteen days now. It was business as usual. Of course the fact he seemed to know she was up the tree made it slightly more awkward. Then again, what kind of guy tried to speak to someone who was purposely avoiding them? Just proved how disagreeable he was.
She clenched her jaw but at the same time couldn’t help but peer down.
His hands were in his pockets, and his head was bowed, as if he was concentrating on his sneakers. Fine by her.
The silence was broken when he coughed. “This is a public service announcement. I thought you’d want to know I’m stuck here for another two weeks with my aunt.”
“What?” she said before she could stop herself. Her whole body tensed, and she slapped her hand over her mouth to stop any more words from coming out. But seriously. What?
He was going today.
At three in the afternoon. In five hours and forty-two minutes. That was all she had to survive, and then freedom. Well, not freedom, but at least he wouldn’t be around. She could enjoy her misery without having to hide as well.
“Yeah. We’re all winners here,” he said in a dry voice and finally looked up. “I figured you should know in case you need to find a few more hiding places.”
Annoyance flared through her.
So typical of him to think he knew everything.
It was probably what had led him to sabotage her project, because he was scared she was going to beat him. He couldn’t even deny it since she’d seen him fiddling with the wires. Next thing she’d known, two months of hard work was on fire. To make it worse, when he’d tried putting out the flames, he’d doused her T-shirt in water and exposed her bra to everyone.
Then she stiffened. Could he see up her nose?
“Don’t look at me,” she commanded, and was relieved when he went back to studying the dirt by his feet.
“I get you’re mad at me, and I deserve it.”
“I’m pleased we’re in agreement on the matter,” she returned, swallowing down the burning shame of having the entire school laugh at her. Hence why she’d been hiding from him. Because remembering the worst day of her life wasn’t something she liked to do on a regular basis. Or ever.
He sighed. “I’m well aware you don’t want to talk to me. But Via, you don’t need to hide. I’ll stay out of your way.”
“Sure. Because if you say you will, why shouldn’t I believe you?” she snapped, again forgetting her sworn vow to never say another word to him.
He held up his hands in defeat. “I’m going now.”
“Don’t let me stop you,” she retorted as the branch made an ominous cracking noise. She lurched forward. See, this was why she hated nature. She sucked in a breath and stretched her dangling legs, trying to find purchase on the branch below. Nothing. Okay. That couldn’t be good. She twisted around so she was facing the trunk. It was fine. Just relax and don’t panic. One more inch, and—
Crack.
The branch snapped beneath her as her fingers clawed into the bark of the trunk like it was a life ring. Her legs dangled helplessly, trying to find some purchase, but there was nothing. Her fingers ached as her shoe uselessly skidded along the bark.
It was no good. She was falling.
The palms of her hands stung with pain as they scraped against the thick tree trunk.
She landed with a thump and found herself pressed against Hudson’s body. His arms slid around her waist, and his shoulder stopped her from face-planting into the hard ground.
Via let out a soft groan.
And here
