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So where did that leave me?

I could give in to the temptation. One night, maybe two. Scratch the itch that had been building since I woke up in his arms. He’d probably be amazing in bed. He was amazing at everything physical. And then we could go back to normal, both of us satisfied, the tension finally released.

Except I knew myself. I knew how I worked. I didn’t do casual well. I caught feelings.

I needed to nip these thoughts in the bud immediately.

16

JEREMY

Sebastian had brought a fancy camera and was already framing shots of the cabin against the mountain backdrop. Bernadette stood a few feet away, hands on her hips, studying the tree line. I didn’t want to know what she saw or didn’t see. If there was a bear in there, it could stay.

“Over here,” Sebastian called to her. “Stand in front of the cabin.”

“I’m not a model, Sebastian.”

“Humor me. I need a sense of scale.”

She walked over and planted herself in front of the cabin door with her arms crossed. Sebastian snapped the shot, reviewed it, then immediately held the camera out to Lucy.

“Can you take a picture of us?”

Lucy smiled. “Sure.”

“Lean in,” I called out helpfully. “Hand on her waist.”

Sebastian flipped me off. “This is for our personal collection. I don’t want perfect.”

“But it would look better if you looked like you liked each other.”

I didn’t get to be on this side of the camera. And after what he’d put me through yesterday, I wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine.

“Stop.” Lucy laughed.

She took several pictures with them doing different poses. Sebastian stepped forward and took the camera.

“Now, you guys,” he said.

“It’s fine,” Lucy said. “I’m not a model.”

“Do I look like a model?” Bernadette asked. “It’s memories, not magazine spreads.”

I grabbed Lucy’s hand and took the spot where they had been. We posed for a few goofy pictures before we just naturally split into two groups. I’d seen them making out and didn’t want to end up witnessing my cousin doing things I’d never be able to unsee.

Instead, I turned my attention to Lucy. I couldn’t stop watching her.

Lucy had her phone out, snapping pictures of everything. The frozen lake. The cabin. She even stood under a tree, leaned back, and took a picture of the sun coming through the pine boughs. She’d pulled off her gloves to work the screen better, apparently forgetting she hated the cold.

“Gram is going to lose her mind,” she said, angling for another shot. “She’s always wanted to visit Alaska. Ever since she was a kid, she said. Something about wanting to see the Northern Lights.”

“Maybe she can come up here with Harold. Make it a romantic getaway.”

Lucy laughed, sounding at ease. “Can you imagine? My grandmother thinks LA in November is chilly.”

She turned the camera toward the mountains in the distance. “But seriously, she’s going to love these pictures. I wish I could send them now, but there’s no signal out here.”

“The price of wilderness.”