“I’d give up my car for a hot shower.”
“You should have come swimming with us yesterday.The water was cold, but I feel so much cleaner now–almost human.Though I’d do something pretty sketchy for a long soak in the tub.My muscles are killing me.”She groaned and rotated her shoulders before turning her attention back to the work she’d paused.
He let her help him for another few moments, though he was certain he had the technique down pat.Somehow, he was loath to let the contact go.
“Got it?”she asked.
“I do.Thanks.”Twenty minutes later, he said, “Okay, it’s wide enough now, but it’s too short.Now what?”He had a forty-inch wide, ten-inch long, semi-braided strip with long tails hanging down all across.
“Carefully tie more grass to the ends of each hanging piece.Use two overhand knots, one on top of the other.Gently, though.”
“Got it.”
“How’s this look?”She stood up and slipped a poncho-like weaving of branches over her head.“Ow.It’s pokey.”She laughed.“I’m glad I only have to wear it long enough to display it.”
“It looks great, but you might want to get rid of that spider.”He jabbed a finger toward the lower edge of her makeshift top.
“What?”she squealed.“Where?”She batted at herself and hopped about.
“Hold still.”He leaned forward, plucked a small black spider off, and set it on the ground nearby.“It’s just a spider.”
She shuddered.“I don’t mind bugs.Except spiders and slugs.”She shivered again, removed her wooden top, and sat back down.“Here, I’ll help.I’ll start at this end.We should hurry; we don’t want to be late getting back.We might miss supper.”
Half an hour later, Eric stood and tied the makeshift skirt around his waist.It overlapped, and he was grateful for the long ties they’d added.
“What are you doing?”She grinned up at him.
“Test driving the fruits of my labor.Every new product needs a test phase.”He swiveled and twisted his hips in a terrible parody of a hula dance.She jumped up and joined him, spinning and turning until they were both breathless with laughter.
Finally, regaining control, they set their apparel in the bottom of the canoe, and cast off.“Tally-ho,” Eric called out, feeling much more cheerful since their stop.He’d even managed to resist checking in on the office.His father could handle anything that came up.Right?
Astheyfloatedalong,carefully avoiding rocks now that the river had widened once again, they reached a point where the river split into two smaller streams.This wasn’t the first time it split, but usually one side looked more passable than the other.
“Which one do we take?”she asked.
“I doubt it matters, or someone would have told us.Nobody said anything about it this morning.”
She wondered how he knew; he’d been off, behind the group, probably checking his phone.He needed to throw that thing away and relax.He’d pulled it out twice while they were stopped earlier, but he’d just looked at the dark screen and shoved it back into his pocket.Maybe its battery was dead.
“Which way do you think?”she asked, peering around him for a better view.The left side was in full sun, the right had more shade, though she supposed that really didn’t make much difference.They only had about an hour and a half, by her estimation, before they reached camp.
“I think the right looks deeper and smoother.I say we go right.”
She considered his answer and the fact that she had no memory of anyone talking about the split.She said, “Right it is.Paddle on the left to help push us that way.”
The banks were higher over here and growing higher still as they passed between two hills.The banks started as grassy with tempting clumps of pretty wildflowers.She’d love to collect some seeds; she had a good business of people wanting native plants and grasses for their yards.
The grassy slopes progressed to become more and more rocky.Luckily, they wouldn’t need to get out along this stretch.Those hills would be difficult to climb.
“Hey,” Eric called a few minutes later.“I’m freezing.Can you control the canoe alone while I put on a hoodie?”
“Yuppers.Happy to.And when you’re done, I’ll slip into mine.Go ahead.”She was freezing, despite the effort she was putting into paddling.When the river’s flow increased, they paddled less, saving their energy for the slow areas and spots with heavy rapids.
Muscles rippled across his back and shoulders as he located his zip-front sweater and pulled it on.It was only seconds until the delectable sight was gone, leaving her disappointed.
“Done.”He picked up his paddle and looked around, obviously ready to paddle if needed.“Go ahead and grab your sweater.”
She leaned forward and rummaged in her bag.The hoodie should have been on top, but it had somehow got buried.How had she managed that?“Gotcha!”she crowed and yanked it from beneath some other items.
