“I’m definitely feeling less than spectacular,” she admitted. “The Old Man tried to take us down, didn’t he?”

Easton brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes. “The Old Man has nothing on you. River, did they talk to you about your toe?”

A flash of pain crossed her features. “I was kind of hoping that part would magically go away. Maybe we can talk about something else?”

“At least it isn’t your nipples.”

Her snicker was a balm to his soul. Since they’d come this far and she had her fingers wrapped around his heart and his wrist, Easton allowed himself a question he’d wanted the answer to since they’d left the mountain.

“River? What’s your real name?”

Her words were soft, almost inaudible. “What makes you think River Lane isn’t my real name?”

Easton’s voice softened too. “Only a hunch. Or maybe I remember you saying you didn’t want to die on the top of a mountain, thousands of miles from home with a man who didn’t even know your name.”

Those perfect blue eyes wouldn’t look at him. At least they wouldn’t look until he rested his chin on the edge of the guard rail, face inches from her own.

“Jamie Danielle. My last name really is Lane. My daddy calls me JD, like a boy. He always wanted a son, but he ended up with four daughters instead.”

“Poor guy was overrun.”

“Tell me about it,” River agreed. “I haven’t seen him or my mother in two years. I used to be so busy, I just couldn’t find the time. Now I have the time…”

“And you’re afraid to tell him why,” Easton finished for her.

River sighed. “They always supported me. Never complained, always said they were proud to have a daughter who worked as hard as I did to make something of myself. I didn’t know how to tell them I failed. Kind of like this documentary.”

“You think you failed?”

“I couldn’t film Moose Springs so I made a documentary about why someone shouldn’t climb Mount Veil. I pretty much sucked at this entire project, start to finish.”

Pressing his lips to the inside of her wrist this time, Easton couldn’t help but disagree. “You showed the truth of what being here and being on the Old Man is like. It’s up to whoever watches to decide if they’re willing to take the risk.” When she didn’t look convinced, Easton added quietly, “What happened up there was real, River. You can plan all you want, but when the mountain decides it’s going to win, there’s nothing you can do but fight to survive. You fought for both of us. You saved my life, and I’m grateful for it.”

A slight smile curved her lips. “I owed you.”