In front of them, miles to the north, a pinnacle of rock and snow jutted into the sky. The numerous other mountains in the Chugach range had obscured the bulk of this peak from view, but from where they stood, on a rocky outcropping, they had an almost unfettered view of the mountain.

It rose so high above them, River had to crane her head back to take it all in. “That’s Mount Veil?”

“That’s Mount Veil.”

“Why do they call it that?”

“You’ll see when we get up there.” Easton glanced at her, watching River up at their destination. “You ready? It’s not too late to change mountains.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of going?”

“If I can talk you out of going, you shouldn’t be going in the first place.”

River looked over at him. There was a looseness in Easton’s shoulders, a calmness in his face as he gazed up at the mountain. She’d seen a man in love before. A hundred dollars down, she’d be willing to bet the love of Easton Lockett’s life was the majestic peak rising in front of them.

“I’ve climbed a lot, but Veil…there’s something about it. When you get up there, it’s like the rest of the world disappears. No one’s looking at you, expecting anything. It’s you and the mountain range. No one and nothing else matters. There’s not a lot of oxygen at that elevation, but when I’m up there, I can finally breathe. I can be who I really am. I’m not…”

“Trapped.”

Their eyes met, and River couldn’t help the shiver that rolled through her. Her horse shifted beneath her in response to the tightening of her limbs.

“Are we doing this?” Easton asked quietly.

Four words that shouldn’t have felt so loaded lay between them. Then she reached out her hand, trusting without even looking that he’d take it in his own. Lifting her eyes to Mount Veil, River squeezed Easton’s fingers. If there was freedom at the peak, there was no stopping her. She’d been trapped her whole life too.

“When do we leave?”

• • •

Easton was a man of routine. And when it came to saying goodbye to his friends and family before an expedition, he always did so the same way: a game of pool at Rick’s place with Graham after the Tourist Trap closed. Dropping by the house afterward to see Ash.

That was it. Anything else would be making too big of a deal about it all.

These days, where Graham went, Zoey was dragged along. So Easton appreciated it when Graham came alone, the time-honored tradition of a beer and a game standing strong. And if Graham gave him a hug and an admonishment to be careful before hustling out the door to be with Zoey, that was fine too.