The trail stretched out in front of Terese and disappeared into the thick leafy foliage of the trees. With a sigh, she slowed her pace and took a few deep breaths. She couldn’t remember the last time that she had been out hiking without stressing about when she needed to get back for something urgent.
As she was working her way up the next hill, jumping from rock to rock and laughing like she was 5 again, a biker came into view ahead of her, pedaling toward her. After moving to the side she waved as he passed. His pale green eyes landed on her for a mere second, connecting with hers. Their color was amazing, in the way a freshwater stream at the end of a long hot hike was refreshing.
Trying to shake off her reaction, she continued her casual rock jumping hike, and didn’t hear the steps coming up behind her until whoever was making them was almost right behind her. Whirling in surprise at the sudden noise, she was even more shocked to see that it was the biker she had passed only moments before.
“Where’s your bike?” She kept walking as she looked over at him. It seemed safer to keep moving.
For some reason he looked irritated until she asked her question, then he looked just as surprised as she was feeling. The anger in his face faded as he pointed back down the trail. “I left it down there a ways.”
“Are you hurt? Did you crash? You don’t seem injured to me.” She ran her gaze up and down him, assessing whether he had come after her because he needed help or if he was a creep who needed a good shut down to leave her alone.
“Oh no. My bike is fine. I was worried about you hiking up here all alone. It isn’t safe for beautiful women like yourself to be so unaware.”
“Unaware?” I folded my arms. “Get away from me. I don’t even know you.”
“Did you hear me coming?”
“In time to look back at you to determine whether you were a threat? Yes.”
He loomed closer for a second before retreating. She kept her pace even and didn’t slow down as she subtly pulled out her small lipstick-shaped taser.
However, he slowed quickly, dropping back a ways behind her. She discovered that she didn’t like not being able to keep an eye on him, and it wasn’t like he was hard to look at either.
She glanced back a few times and noticed that she was quickly losing him and her heart eased. Good riddance.
After a few more minutes of hiking she heard him call up to her. “I’m sorry if I bothered you. It’s just that I lost my sister when she was out hiking alone. I couldn’t pass and not say something.” After a pause he added, “Please be safe. I hope you have a wonderful hike.”
Peeking back again she saw he had turned around and was heading back the way he had come. He was almost out of sight when she called out, “What were you going to do? Follow me for as long as I decide to hike?”
He stopped, turning back to face her but not moving toward her. “I was going to ask if I could join you for a bit. I haven’t been hiking in a long time.”
“What about your bike?”
“I chained it to a tree.” He shrugged.
Neither of them moved closer but they didn’t leave either.
“Why should I trust you?” I called out, keeping my distance.
She could barely see the red tinge that lit his face.
“You probably shouldn’t, now that I think about it. I am a total stranger that practically accosted you on the trail and insulted your capability.”
Smiling, she took an exaggerated step back. “True.”
He laughed.
“Do you live nearby?”
He looked confused. “In the woods? No. I live down at the base of the mountain.”
“Reassuring.” Terese nodded. “I didn’t think you lived here in the woods. I was asking if you were a tourist or a local.”
“Oh. Local.”
“Job?”
“Cop.”
Terese started laughing. “Serious?” Looking around she flung her arms out and motioned around her. “What a place to meet a cop.”
Again his brows furrowed in confusion. “Are cops not supposed to do normal things outside of work too?”
“Oh sorry. It’s not that. My mom has just been bothering me for months to sign up for this meet-a-cop dating app because she is convinced that if I would just meet someone strong and reliable, her words not mine, then I would fall immediately in love, get married and finally give her grandbabies.”
He shook his head. “Haven’t heard of it. But I’m not surprised.”
“Why?”
“Because my brother accuses me of becoming a cop to get all the girls. Says I’m too pretty for real police work.”
Terese tilted her head to the side. “What do your looks have to do with police work?”
“You’d have to ask him.” His grin was captivating, even from the distance she was standing at. “Any chance we can continue this conversation a little closer? I feel like I’m yelling.”
Laughing, she shook her head. “Nope. You are still a stranger. I don’t even know your name, address, life history, credit score or most embarrassing moment from high school.”
“How about I get to take a step closer with every question I answer?”
“As long as my personal space is respected. I have 3 brothers who would take that for a challenge.” She pointed at him. “And let that be a warning too. My brothers will trounce you, cop or not, if you do anything.”
His warm laugh bounced off the nearby rock wall, filling her chest with tingles. “Normal size steps it is. Do you need my full name or would my social security number work?”
“Full name. Social security numbers are worthless on a hike.”
“So is my address.” He shot back.
Terese folded her arms, smiling, and waited.
He gave a little mock bow. “My name is Glenn Raule. I live on Puget Rd. And my most embarrassing moment of high school would probably be when I asked my crush to prom and she laughed at me in front of everyone. I don’t know my credit score and if you want a comprehensive version of my life history that would require a date and maybe some food and a table between us.” Glenn could have taken ground-eating strides with those long legs of his but instead he took normal, almost small steps; smiling as he did. “Any other questions that will make you comfortable enough to let me finish your hike with you?”
“I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
