“Easton’s nuts for not needing a jacket,” River told Ben when she saw him. “You are too.”

Ben headed over to make the rounds past Bree’s and Jessie’s tents. “I don’t know,” he called over his shoulder. “Feels good to me.”

True, the sun was heating up the mountainside, but River had spent too many years in the mild temperatures of Los Angeles. It was more than cold enough for her.

As they crawled out of their own tents, River noticed her crew were dragging their feet.

“Why are you all so tired?” River asked them, joining her friends. “I slept like a baby.”

Jessie rolled his eyes at her.

“At least someone got some rest.” Bree rubbed tired-looking eyes with the back of her hand.

“It’s your fault,” Jessie told River as they headed to the dining tent.

“What did I do?”

“You and Sasquatch over there kept wanting to talk,” he grumped. “It was so annoying.”

Easton was heating up coffee for their breakfast inside the tent, where the heater’s fumes could air outside and not make anyone sick. At Jessie’s comment, he merely raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, I don’t care how many scary eyebrows you waggle at me. You two need to figure out whatever this is.” Jessie made a circle in the air, indicating both River and Easton. “I need my sleep, man.”

Ignoring Jessie and his snarking, Easton walked over and handed River a thermos of coffee. “Are you feeling up to another climb?”

Before she could answer, Easton took her elbow, silently asking her to step away from everyone for a private conversation. Since he’d brought her coffee, River was more than happy to sneak away with Easton, even if the sneaking away was a few boot scoots to the left outside the tent’s entrance.

“If you aren’t, there’s no shame in that,” Easton added. “It’s better to know now than to get in trouble later. We have a solid day ahead of us, and all this powder isn’t going to make the traveling any easier.”

As she looked around her, River could see what he was talking about. The snow had piled on, leaving their camp mostly buried. She could only imagine what the unfamiliar ground in front of them would be like.

“I’ll be fine,” River promised, enjoying a sip of the hot liquid.

“Drink up.” His voice was gentler than usual. “And if you start to feel off at all or start to get another headache, tell me. We can take breaks if we need to or redistribute the gear.”

“Are you saying I can’t pull my own weight?”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Easton took a sip of his own coffee, nodding in greeting to Ben as the other guide went past and into the tent. Then Easton dropped his voice even quieter. “Listen. Yesterday, before the call came in. And earlier, at my place.”