Chapter 2: Meet Me in Silver Ridge

Originally, Annalise and I planned to go home for summer break, but with that check, I bought two plane tickets to Silver Ridge—the mountain town my family always talked about but I’d never actually visited. At the foot of the mountain, I looked around and could only say... Men. Nothing but men everywhere. It was like a bachelor parade.

The air was thick with pine and sweat. Guys in hiking boots, guys with guitars, guys in flannel shirts—Silver Ridge was basically a live-action dating app. I elbowed Annalise, and we both started giggling like we’d stumbled into a rom-com montage.

Annalise and I were all grins—until we reached the main trailhead, where our smiles died. I felt my stomach drop. This was not the chill hike I’d imagined.

The trailhead was a zoo. The blue sign for the ticket office shimmered in the heat, almost like a mirage. My calves ached just looking at the climb ahead. I thought, Is this where my summer vacation ends?

“The ticket office?” Annalise panted, staring at the blue sign, then back at the winding mountain road, her face going pale. I could tell she was already regretting this adventure.

She wiped her forehead, sweat already trickling down. “I thought we were taking the gondola!” She shot me a look, like I’d betrayed her.

“Should we keep going?” she asked, her voice hopeful but already defeated.

She gave me a pleading look, but I just shrugged. “Adventure, right?” Inside, I was thinking, Please say no.

I said, “We’re already here.” The words came out more like a dare than motivation.

I tried to sound motivational, but my voice cracked. We both knew we were in for it. I thought, Well, at least we’ll have a story to tell.

Six hours up and down the mountain, and I fell for over a hundred handsome guys along the way. Okay, maybe not fell, but definitely stared.

Every time we passed a group, Annalise nudged me, whispering, “Ten out of ten,” or “That one’s your type.” It was like speed dating with extra altitude. I couldn’t stop laughing.

Suddenly, Annalise straightened up and asked, “Babe, is that your godbrother?” My heart skipped. I wasn’t ready for this.

She pointed with her water bottle, eyes wide. I pulled her aside, heart pounding like a drumline. I peeked around the tree, barely breathing.

My heart did a weird flip. There he was—Aidan, the CEO, in all his overdressed glory, and next to him, a girl in a dress straight out of a bridal catalog. I felt like I’d walked onto the set of The Bachelor.

Far away, the CEO was in a black suit, walking with a girl in a white dress, both standing out awkwardly from the crowd. His usual cold impatience was replaced with indulgence and affection, a casual smile at his lips as if to say, “I just can’t say no to you.” I couldn’t believe I ever thought he was mysterious.

It was like watching a Hallmark movie in the middle of REI. I rolled my eyes so hard I almost gave myself a headache. Seriously, could this get any more cliché?

I just stared, at a loss for words. For a second, I wondered if I was dreaming.

I muttered, “In this heat, isn’t he afraid of passing out?” I couldn’t help but snicker. Only Aidan would wear a suit to a mountain trail.

Lost in thought, I didn’t watch my step. Annalise shouted, “Careful!” and the next thing I knew, a strong, fair arm caught me around the waist. My heart leapt into my throat.

The world tilted. I smelled sunscreen and Tide detergent. I blinked up, dizzy, and saw freckles and a worried frown. For a second, I thought, Did I just fall into a commercial?

The CEO frowned at the sound and looked over. I immediately ducked into my rescuer’s arms, hoping he wouldn’t make a scene.

I buried my face in his shoulder, cheeks burning. My rescuer didn’t let go, just steadied me like it was the most normal thing in the world. I felt strangely safe.

All I saw was a sun-reddened, muscular arm. The scent of Tide laundry detergent drifted up. I looked up and met his gaze, my breath catching.

His eyes were bright, lashes so long they cast shadows. His skin was fair but sun-kissed, and he looked at me like I was a puzzle he wanted to solve. I thought, How does anyone look this good after a hike?

For some reason, I thought of Hakimi the cat—my neighbor’s tabby who always looked at me like he knew all my secrets. It made me smile, even in the chaos.

The way his eyes narrowed, curious and gentle, made me want to purr. I shook off the thought, but couldn’t wipe the grin off my face.

“Are you okay?” His voice was cool. I nodded. “I’m fine, just a headache.” I could hear the worry in his tone.

He shifted his grip, making sure I was steady. “Maybe it’s heatstroke.” His words were soft, like he actually cared.

I said, “Feels like I’m catching a case of lovesickness.” I tried to play it off, but my cheeks were on fire.

I tried to sound casual, but it came out a little breathless. He blinked, caught off guard, and I felt my heart skip.

His eyes widened, his pale cheeks flushed, and he stared at me in silence. I bashfully asked, “Is it too forward if I say I want to hold your hand?”

His lips parted, but no words came out. I felt a weird flutter in my stomach, like I’d just jumped off a cliff.

Annalise grabbed me by the back of the neck and apologized to the two guys. “Sorry, sorry, she just hiked down, her brain’s still fried.” She gave them her best winning smile, dragging me back to reality.

“No worries,” the friend said, his face frozen in a goofy grin. I could tell he wasn’t sure what to make of us.

He scratched his head, looking like he’d just walked into a sitcom. I stifled a laugh.

“You guys doing the commando-style tour too?” he asked, bouncing on his toes like a golden retriever. “We’re trying to see everything before sunset. You two look like you could use a guide.”

Annalise nodded. He laughed, glanced at me and my rescuer, then coughed. “Want to team up? Don’t worry, we’re good people. We can show you our IDs and college acceptance letters. I’m Sam Whitaker, he’s Tyler Grant.”

He fished out his wallet, flashing his student ID like it was a badge. Tyler nodded, still a little shy, and I couldn’t help but think how cute he looked.

Annalise shook his hand. “Annalise Keaton, Quinn Foster.” She said it with a little flourish, like we were about to join a secret club.

She tugged my collar. I smiled sweetly. “Hi.” My nerves were buzzing, but I played it cool.

I gave them my best pageant wave. Tyler’s eyes crinkled at the corners. For a second, everything felt easy.

The mood shifted so fast that Sam gave me a huge thumbs-up. I almost burst out laughing at how quickly he switched gears.

He mouthed, “Nice save,” and I almost lost it. I could tell this trip was going to be wild.