Page 40 of For Better or Hearse

“Nature,” he grunts, “is what gets me moving.”

“Great. You love nature. Congrats.” Ash puffs a lock of hair out of her eyes. “I swear to god,” she grumbles, “of all the lies Augustus has ever told,this hike is easyis the boldest.”

Nathaniel hides a smirk. She’s breathing so hard she can barely get the words out.

At a pit stop, Ash bends at the waist, palms on her bare thighs. Her hat falls into the dust. “Oh for fuck’s sake.” With a growl, shesnags it from the ground and smashes it into her pack. “I thought I was entering my big hat era, but I was wrong.”

Nathaniel waits for her to catch her breath before proceeding. Even he can admit, the climb is not for the faint of heart. The terrain is made even more treacherous by the two-way traffic. Selfie sticks, joggers and slow walkers clog the narrow path.

Ash straightens up, only to be knocked off the pathway by an errant jogger. Over the top of her head, Nathaniel shoots daggers at him with his eyes. Fucking asshole. Thinks he owns the goddamn road.

Without thinking, he puts a hand on her hip, moving her out of the way of traffic.

“You ready?” he asks, watching her with a careful eye. “Or do you need an escort to the bottom?” The last thing he needs is for her to keel over.

“Ready.”

They begin again, side by side once more.

“Okay,” Ash says when they’re halfway up the summit. “Since Augustus isn’t here, you have to entertain me.”

Entertain her? Sure, he’ll bite. “What’d you have in mind?”

“Truth/lie. Augustus and I play it all the time.”

He blinks. “You do?”

“We do.”

“Fine.”

Her face brightens. “Okay. Truth or lie. Would you rather fight one hundred chickens or a bear?”

The question’s so out of left field that he bursts out laughing.

Ash blinks at the sound, seemingly stunned for a moment, and then smiles. Her red lips curl, catlike, at the corners.

“Isn’t this really Would You Rather?” he asks.

“Listen. It’s whatever I want it to be. It was invented in a closet on a very drunk Friday night. The rules are lawless. Can turn on a dime.” She throws him a half smile that makes his throat tighten. “Well?”

“A bear.” Nathaniel trades places, moving Ash onto the inside of the path. If one more person knocks into her, he’s going to lose it. “It’s one target.”

“What ambition.” She struts forward, keeping pace with him. “Your turn.”

He stares at her for a long minute. The bright sunlight brings out the shimmery blue undertones of her black hair. “Your real name.”

He swears at himself the second the question’s out of his mouth. Why does he even care? Why is he so curious about this girl? And why does he keep clocking her bare shoulders and the sunburn that’s barely begun?

The glare she gives him could scorch the sun.

“You don’t expect me to believe it’s just Ash. Plain old Ash.”

The tips of her ears turn pink.

Nathaniel grins at her uncomfortable expression. So, he is right.

That plump, lower lip juts out. Defiant. Stubborn. “What’s wrong with plain old Ash?”