Shattered Girl (Emmy)

Chapter 60

I was so excited, that I jumped out of my seat the moment Mike slowed to turn into a parking space.

"Careful, honey. Let me

e get the truck turned off before you start jumping around, Mike admonished. Blushing, I sat down. When Mike had turned off the truck, he turned to me, smiling. Now you can get out. If I had brought you back hurt because you jumped out of a moving vehicle, we would both be in a lot of trouble," he joked.

I nodded in understanding. 'I'm sorry, I know that wasn't safe; I will be more careful, I promise," I told Mike before letting myself out of the truck. I met Mike at the back of the truck, He pulled out my pack first, handing it to me so I could get it adjusted properly.

A few minutes later, we were heading toward the trailhead, and Mike began telling me about the area, pointing out and telling me the names of trees and flowers as we passed. "It's beautiful out here; 1 love it; look at all the flowers I laughed. I love flowers, they were so bright and beautiful, and always lifted my mood. Living with my father, though, I never had any money to buy any, and if I had tried to plant any seeds, my father would have surely killed them or pulled them out when he was mad at me,

forever home, He would get me any flowers I wanted to plant. I grinned excitedly, "Do you think we can

enough for you, honey." Mike reached for my hand, pulled me toward him, and gave me a deep. I smiled up at Mike as we continued

more excited to see you in whatever swimsuit you packed for this trip. Mike grinned wickedly, wiggling his eyebrows at me. I laughed at his

going to wear. I'm just glad I remembered to pack one, otherwise I would be out on the boat later with nothing on." I

Mike led me around a bend in the trail, and there, as the trail branched off in a different

up behind me, resting his hands on my hips and the side of my neck. "I thought you would like it." He murmured. Taking my hand, we set off to a smaller trail that led closer to the falls. As we got closer, I began to feel misty drops of water brushing my face, and as if by magic, the waterfall appeared. There was a small clearing at the base of a cliff,

scene. "Can we come

come back and swim here?" I asked

lake." Curious now, I walked toward the edge of the pool, knelt down, and ran my hand through the water. Shit,

He yelped, trying to wiggle away from my freezing fingers. Once he escaped my icy attack, he took my cold hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm while he led me further along the edge of the