“I babysat him for a while, didn’t let him go anywhere without me. It wasn’t until I started to see a shift in his demeanor that I started to believe that he was going to be okay. I wasn’t going to lose my father and my brother. Thankfully, I had the ability to be by his side at all times.”

“I can’t imagine what that must have been like. I’m glad you were there for him.”

“That’s how Dad raised us. He said no matter what happens in life, we’re supposed to have each other. Because there would be a day when he and Mom were no longer around, and we had to take care of each other. Well, that time came sooner than we expected. I would never let anything happen to Mika at this point. He’s my number one in this world.”

“You’re such a good man, Wilder.”

“I try to be,” I answer. “I really try.”

“Pedal,” I say to Scottie.

“I am. I think there’s something wrong with this bike.”

“No, babe, I think there’s something wrong with you.” I stop the bike and set my legs on the ground, straddling the bike. I look over my shoulder, where Scottie is looking all kinds of disgruntled.

“It is not me. It’s the bike.”

Chuckling, I step off the bike. “Look, there’s a path that leads to the lake. Let’s take a break for a moment, gather ourselves, and then we can get back on.”

“Or we can walk it back, because that is the devil’s form of transportation, and I’d rather not take part in his form of torture again.”

“Whatever you want.”

We move the bike off the road and up against a tree before unsnapping our helmets. We hang them on the bike handles, and then I take her hand and help her down the narrow, rocky trail to a clearing that overlooks the lake.

I clear a spot on the ground, and then I take a seat and pull her down in front of me, allowing her to lean her back against my chest.

“Is it kind of weird that we only have a few days left here?” she asks as I loop my hand around her stomach.

“Yeah. Feels like we were just checking in the other day and marking up a golf ball with a Sharpie about our nonexistent relationship. And then opening our prize to be shocked by dildos and cock rings. Kind of wish I didn’t go on a tirade and toss those to all your coworkers now.”

“As if you would have used them,” she scoffs.

“Uh, Pips, you’re damn right I would have used them. If I had known that we’d be hooking up in the sex cabin, I would have kept every single thing, even the nipple picture.”