* * *
I was ready to go at dawn with a pack of supplies on my back, Kyle in his harness and my backup camera around my neck.
The other was still resting in its little rice home. I wasn’t sure how long to leave it, but figured twenty-four hours sounded right.
Stepping out of the cabin into the cool morning air, I glanced over to see Aaron coming out of his cabin too. “Morning.”
His posture slumped. “You’re ready on time.”
“Duh, I wasn’t going to risk you leaving without me.”
His cheeks reddened.
That was exactly his plan and we both knew it.
I walked over to him, holding the straps of my pack off my shoulders.
“You’re bringing Kyle?” He put one of his feet up on the edge of the picnic table and tied the laces of his boot. I tilted my head to get a better look at how his ass was stretching his pants, then pulled my eyes away.
“You don’t follow my social media, do you?”
He shrugged.
“Kyle is an adventure cat. He’s famous.”
He stared at me. “What is an adventure cat?”
Damn mountain man lived under a rock.
“Adventure cats go everywhere with their owner like Kyle does with me. He hikes, he camps, he judges strangers from my shoulder. Adventure cat.”
Aaron made a rude noise. “Okay, but who the hell would follow a cat on social media?”
“About three point four million people, last I checked.” I said it nonchalantly, but it had taken a shit ton of effort to get that following and I was proud of myself.
Aaron stopped adjusting his pant leg and looked at me. “You have to be kidding.”
“He has half a dozen sponsors. I make more money from his account than from journalism.”
His face froze in the expression of a man who had lost all hope for humanity.
He stood to his full height, a sight that would be intimidating if I didn’t know him. “I don’t know what to say to that.”
“Let’s just go, then. Kyle knows the way.”
“Oh good, the cat is navigating,” he said sarcastically but he fell into step behind me.
His presence at my back was solid and steady as we made our way along the narrow path. It was still cool, especially in the shade, and the odd mosquito still buzzed around my ear.Stretching my legs felt good, I had lazed around at the lake yesterday and was itching to burn off some energy. Not to mention see the view from the top.
“You bring sunscreen with you this time?” he asked.
I looked over my shoulder. “Of course I did. Yesterday too, I just didn’t reapply.”
He grunted.
A few more minutes went by.
“Did you bring enough water?”