Dad’s thrown me out here multiple times and made me swim it so I know what I’m doing. The other three rafts will stay covered up and anchored to the shore for the next trip. When we get to the next section, we’ll leave the raft and go on foot, but after we’ve dropped these guys off, Desi, Dad, Meg, and I will come back down, get the raft and bring it back up the river. It’s a much harder trip and requires skills most people don’t have.
“Right, this is supposed to be fun, but we’re going to need to work as a team.”
The raft is full to the brim at the moment, the ten-man capacity over if I include myself. We could have split it between two rafts, but something didn’t feel right about that.
“Everyone remember the lesson?”
There are grumbles, but when I look at Cyn, his face is shining. For a second, all my thoughts disappear, and there is just the pure joy shining through him as he stares at the river.
Compelling and completely disarming. He looks at me, and the expression doesn’t change. My stomach flutters wildly.
He turns back to the water and lifts his oar at the ready.
At that moment, the current grabs us, ripping us into deeper, faster waters. I let out a whoop because there is no other activity that makes me feel alive the way white water rafting does.
I stab my oar into the water. Here we go. “Forward paddle.”
As one, the ten guys in the boat stick the oars into the water, and the boat takes off.
The current sends us swiftly towards the first of the rapids. It’s just a small run, barely anything, but it will give me a good idea of how this ride is going to go.
“Left,” I shout out.
Kota, Rory, Quincy, Justin, and Rojer all adjust their oars, back peddling while the others keep paddling forward.
“Stop!” All paddles lift out of the water.
We hit the white water, and the nose of the boat drops before rising, water spraying everywhere.
Vale and Cyn laugh.
I don’t look the rest of them over; I don’t have a chance.
“Forward paddle.”
The oars slide through the water, and we’re off again. We hit the second part of the run too quickly.
“Right!” I bark out loudly. “Stop, and hold on!”
They reach for the safety line in the middle of the boat and hold on. I watch carefully, and, yes, we’re exactly where we need to be. We hit, and with a couple of violent bounces, we’re through.
The water stills to a mirror smooth surface as canyon walls rise up on either side of us.
“Wow!”
I give Vale a small smile. There’s something about bringing people here. You give them part of yourself and take something from them. They and their stories become a part of you.
The experience is as close to something sacred or mystical as I’ve ever had, and I know a lot of people say the same.
“How did that feel?”
“Amazing!” Kendall laughs, surprising me. I thought the germophobe would hate the river rafting. He’s been bitterly complaining the whole time about literally everything else.
“Good god, how do I get off this ride?” Kevin growls, looking close to green.
Dakota doesn’t need to say a word; his eyes are shining with unholy glee. Rory glances back at me, and I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but his gaze travels down my body, over the ugly lifesaving vest, to my exposed calves and boots.
My body heats instantly. I force myself to look away, but that doesn’t help. I can still feel his gaze.
