Page 74 of No Rules
Alex shrugged. “I don’t know where this came from either, but I’ve learned not to ask too many questions.”
Wander patted his shoulder. “That’s smart. Have fun.”
Alex and Ryan chatted on the way over, which was a simple drive north on the Northway. They parked at the entrance and grabbed a paper trail map from the ranger’s office. “Which trail do you wanna take?” Ryan asked.
“If you’re game, let’s head up to that overlook point. It should be pretty clear out, so we should have a nice view.”
“Sounds good.”
They both carried a small backpack with some emergency supplies, food, and, of course, water. With temps hovering in the forties, they wouldn’t sweat their asses off, but extra water was always a good idea, even in a park with natural water sources.
The narrow trail started at the parking lot and wound through a forest that smelled wet and green. The huge piles of rotting leaves covering the forest floor and the various half-overgrown toppled trees were a sure sign they used a hands-off approach and let nature do its thing.
“I wonder if there’s any wildlife here,” Ryan said as they took a breather and drank some water.
“Black bears, maybe? They have them in the Adirondacks Park, which is just north of here.”
“Bears? Aren’t they hibernating yet?”
“They’ll head to their holes around this time, so if there’s one lurking around, it’ll be fat and not very hungry.”
“A fat bear. Great. Just what I was hoping to encounter.”
Alex chuckled. “You don’t like bears?”
“Not my type,” Ryan said dryly. “I’m more into sexy things like you. So why don’t you take the lead so I can watch your ass?”
Alex grinned as he set off again, and when he looked over his shoulder, Ryan’s eyes were indeed glued to his ass.
After a few minutes, the trail widened enough to walk side by side. Every now and then, they caught a glimpse of the lake through the trees, the sun reflecting off the blue water. They’d picked a perfect day to go for a scenic hike.
“Does Wander have a next assignment lined up yet that you know?” Alex asked.
“Not sure. I think he may be headed back to Boston for a while.”
“Boston? Why?”
“Something’s up with his brother. He’s a DA there, and Wander mentioned he was in some kind of trouble. Wouldn’t surprise me if he pulled us all to protect his brother.”
Boston. That could be nice for a change. Alex had never been there. “I hear it’s a nice city.”
Ryan snorted. “Not in the winter, baby boy. We’ll be shoveling snow for months on end.”
“I don’t mind snow.”
“No? I’d think you’d hate it after spending so much time in Hawaii.”
“Nah, not really. As much as I loved Hawaii, there’s something to be said for having four distinct seasons.”
“I’m fine with three seasons. We can skip winter as far as I’m concerned.”
They had to step from rock to rock now, careful not to slip on the wet and mossy surface. The path had grown muddy, but Alex’s waterproof boots had no issue with the soggy ground. They passed a few hikers on the way up, all coming down with big smiles.
“We should be almost there.” Alex panted a little from the exertion. “Look how high up we are.”
“The view had better be good for the effort we put in.”
Oh my god, Ryan was so adorable when he was grumpy. He could moan and bitch with the best of them, but Alex knew underneath beat a tender heart, and he found it more amusing than anything else. It was cute, and it only made him love Ryan even more.