Hmm. That was a lot better idea than anything Easton had been considering. A hand pressed against his chest, stopping him from leaning down and kissing her.

“Easton, we need to talk.” Her voice was quiet and too serious. “They’re releasing me tomorrow. The doctor came in before the press briefing. I guess I’m keeping my toe after all.”

The toe was great news, but Easton’s heart squeezed down so tight, he wondered if it was possible to feel it ripping in half. He knew what she was going to say, and he didn’t want to hear any of this.

“Our original plane flight was scheduled for tonight. Bree and Jessie are going to leave on it, but I rescheduled mine for tomorrow.”

And just like that, what was left of his hope crumbled like dust. Sitting back in his seat, Easton tried not to look as devastated as he felt. “You’re leaving tomorrow.”

River had never sounded so sad. “Would you rather me stay and drag this out?” she whispered. “String you along until we both hate each other? Ruin the last couple of weeks?”

Yes. But…no. Hell, he didn’t know. Everything was moving so fast. Ripping a bandage off a wound might hurt less, but his heart was telling him to slap that sucker back on. In the end, Easton didn’t reply. There was nothing he could say.

“The way I see it, we can leave things where they’re at. What happened on the mountain can stay on the mountain.” River offered him a sad look. “Easton, I love it here, because you’re here. But my life—my career—it’s not in Moose Springs.”

“Do I get another option?” he asked quietly.

“The other option is what happened on the mountain doesn’t stay on the mountain. But that’s going to be short, messy, and complicated. I won’t ruin us, Easton. Tomorrow, I’m getting on that plane, no matter how much I wish I weren’t.”

“River, every single minute I’ve spent with you has been messy and complicated. I wouldn’t trade any of it. Not for anything. Whatever this is, let’s see it to the end. Even if that’s only twenty-four hours from now.”

“Summit or bust?” she asked, slender fingers tugging at his hair, drawing him back to her.

“Summit or bust,” he breathed against her lips.

Chapter 20

Since they were releasing her tomorrow, River had one more night in the hospital room. It seriously sucked.

At least she was wearing her normal clothes again.

River’s back was to the door, and the constant footsteps in the hall caused her to stop paying attention to unexpected noises. Which might have been why River was completely unprepared to turn her head and find a border collie in a three-piece suit in her room, a thornless long stem rose held carefully in between his teeth.