Chapter 141: Chapter Three

Alec

“Not funny.” Jaymeson folded his arms across his chest. “You guys are joking, right? Like it's a practical joke and we aren't really doing this as part of your bachelor party?”

“Not joking.” I slapped him on the back. “Come on, where's your sense of adventure?”

“Do you even know your history?” Jaymeson argued. “England equals civilized sorts, America equals savages.

“Such a brave, brave soul,” Demetri commented. “Now shut up and grab a stick.”

“Why?” Jaymeson kicked the dirt.

“To scare off the bears.”

“You're shitting me.” Jaymeson swore then picked up a stick. “What the hell am I supposed to do with it?”

I was amazed that Demetri could keep a straight face; he showed Jaymeson in a few movements the way to thrust a stick into the air to ward off bears. Right.

Jaymeson followed his movements. “You're sure this works?”

“Course.” Demetri snorted. “I medaled in bear strategies in Boy Scouts.”

Wasn't in Boy Scouts and bear strategies wasn't anything a person could medal in, nor did that category exist, but I was having too much fun to say anything.

Since we couldn't technically camp overnight, we had decided to go hiking. Pretty sure Jaymeson was about five minutes away from stomping back to the car and going on strike.

Seriously, we needed our own reality show.

Except we already did that.

And failed.

I sighed and followed Jaymeson's crazy stick movements closer to the trailhead.

The first thing I thought when we got to the Saddle Mountain Trail was that it looked a lot easier on the Internet.

“This is…” Demetri nodded. “Totally doable.”

As if God was punishing us or quite possibly laughing in our faces, it began to rain.

“Aw, crap.” Jaymeson threw the stick down. “Well, looks like we have to cancel the hike. Never fear, I'll just search up a nice little bar we can go to.”

“Put your phone away,” Demetri snapped.

“But—”

“Now!” He threw his own stick to the ground and stomped on it. “We're men, damn it! Are we going to let a little rain send us running back to the women?”

“No sir.” I smirked.

“Are we going to be pansy asses and run back to our car with our tails between our legs because the trail looks hard?”

“No sir!” this time I yelled.

Jaymeson's eyes narrowed into slits.

“What say you, Brit?”

“Bloody hell.” Jaymeson grumbled. “That's what I say.” And then he stomped up the trail.

“I wish I could say that without sounding like an ass.” Demetri sighed. “They have all the cool swear words.”

“True.” I felt my eyebrows knit with concern when Jaymeson's foot slipped and he crashed to his knees.

“Ouch!” Demetri called after him. “You okay?”

Jaymeson's answer was more cursing.

“He'll be fine.” I shook my head. “He's just not used to nature.”

“You can take the actor out of Hollywood—”

“—But you just can't take the Hollywood out of the actor.” I sighed. “Alright, let's conquer this beast.”

When it rained in Seaside, it didn't just sprinkle or mist. No, it was like a monsoon hit us.

Demetri swore in front of me as he slipped and almost smacked his face onto the ground. I laughed and got the bird, while Jaymeson continued to yell behind us to slow down.

The rain let up once we neared the top of the trail. Mist surrounded us on all sides and then, like magic, it disappeared, revealing the ocean to the west.

“Whoa.” Demetri huffed next to me. “That's freaking intense!”

“I almost died,” Jaymeson called behind us. “Not that either one of you care. By the way, I called for you, both of you. I told you I was slipping. Nothing. Not one bloody word.”

“Wow, totally worth it for the view, right?” I nudged Demetri.

“Insane.”

“Hello!” Jaymeson stumbled behind us. “Did you hear nothing I just said? I almost slipped off a freaking cliff! And—” He paused. “Damn. That's a sick view.”

“Right?” I said, putting my arms around both guys. “Thanks… you know, for everything this last summer. For putting up with my shit and—”

“Hell,” Jaymeson muttered. “He's going to make us cry.”

“No.” I laughed. “I just appreciate you guys. I wouldn't be here without you.”

“Cheers.” Jaymeson laughed. “And I wouldn't be in Hell without you guys, so I guess we're all even now, yeah?”

“Sure.” Demetri chuckled. “You know it's going to be a crazy year… we've got our tour, you're getting married, having a kid… Jaymeson's finally going to fall for a chick—”

“When pigs fly.” Jaymeson snorted.

“Look!” Demetri pointed at the sky. “A cloud shaped like a pig. And I rest my case.”

“That's a cow.” Jaymeson pointed. “It has spots.”

“Pig,” Demetri said.

“Cow!”

“Pig.”

“Guys!” I released them both from my hold and laughed. “Let's tweet some pics and get back down the mountain. We have a rehearsal dinner to get ready for.”

“At my place, right?” Jaymeson yawned and then scratched his head and looked down at his feet.

“Right.” My eyes narrowed. “We'll get ready at your beach rental while the girls do their thing at my house—”

Jaymeson started whistling.

“What's going on?”

“What?” Jaymeson sputtered. “Nothing, not one bloody, bloody…” He gulped. “Thing.”

“Lies.” Demetri called him out. “Why are you so pale?”

“I'm English, we see the sun like twice a year.”

“Lame.” Demetri's eyes narrowed. “You've lived in LA for the past ten years. You have a beach house in Malibu. Try again.”

“Dehydration.” Jaymeson coughed. “And, uh, I think I swallowed a few bugs when I was falling down the cliff.”

The rain started up again. “Fine. Let's get back — and Jaymeson, walk in the middle so you don't fall to your death.”

“Oh, so now you're concerned.”

Demetri ran down the trail in front of us, then stopped and hunched over huffing and puffing. “It looks easier on TV.”

“What does?” I asked.

“Exercise.”

“One of these days you're going to have to work at your body.” Jaymeson nudged Demetri. “No way is that six-pack going to last with the couch permanently attached to your ass.”

“Hey!” Demetri said in a hoarse voice. “At least I don't name the objects in my life after women.”

“He has you there.” I chuckled.

“Nothing wrong with a man loving his car.”

“What was the name of the last girl you were with?” Demetri asked.

Jaymeson seemed to think about it, then said, “Sara-bel-la?”

“Are you asking or telling?” Demetri said.

“Telling. It was definitely Sarabella.”

“Cool. Did she live on the prairie and cook you biscuits?” He grinned. “And nice try, but that was the name of your character's love interest in the last movie you did.”

“Damn,” Jaymeson swore.

The rain pounded harder, making me push the guys toward the covering of the trees. “Come on, we're going to be late!”

“Believe me,” Demetri called in front of me. “Nat's not going anywhere.”