Page 46 of Below the Far Horizon
He knew he shouldn’t do that. Communication is what kept relationships alive, right? He wasn’t sure he bought into that, but this was something that they should hash out, if they were going to have a relationship. But what was he going to do? Be friends with the woman he was in love with from now until forever? He didn’t want to talk just for that.
Thankfully, she didn’t argue with him but stayed quiet. He sank into deep thoughts, thoughts of how much of his life he’d wasted mooning over someone who couldn’t even admit that she had feelings for him in front of her mother and his dad. She’d been able to fake it,but when it came time to tell her real feelings, there wasn’t anything there for him.
It wasn’t until a particularly strong gust of wind hit the kayak and a wave almost flipped it over that he realized that the wind picked up and one of those quick summer storms was upon them.
“Head to the beach! Pull!” His words were clipped, his command immediate and without room for argument. It was because of the fear that rose up inside of him. She got caught on the water once back when he was younger, and he never wanted to have it happen again. His one thought was to get Grace to safety.
Of course, they both had a life vest on, but waves didn’t necessarily care, and one couldn’t float when a wave was descending on top of one’s head.
He looked around and saw that his dad had already guided his boat to the beach and he and Gita were out and on the shore. They had a bit of a walk to get to the truck, and it wouldn’t be easy to carry their kayak, but they were safe.
There was no time for Trevor and Grace to cut the whole way across the lake to where their vehicle was parked.
“We’re going to get out right here,” he said, indicating the nearest shore. She didn’t turn around to look, just pulled with all her might. He guided the kayak so they hit the closest outcropping, which was close to two miles around the bay from the truck, just as the first big drops of rain started to fall.
“Perfect timing,” she said.
He jumped up, hopped out of the kayak, and pulled it onto the beach a little more, so Grace could get off without getting her feet wet, although he didn’t know why he bothered. They were going to get soaked.
“We can use the kayak as a bit of shelter from the rain, put it upside down over our heads,” Grace said as she looked around. He had no idea of what she was looking for, but he had already figured they would use the kayak as shelter. Although, a strong gust of wind could take it off, and they’d be left to be lashed at by the wind and rain.
Big drops started to come down faster when Grace said, “There’stwo stumps about the right distance apart. We might be able to put it upside down over those.”
He looked where she was pointing, and if he were picking out perfect stumps, those wouldn’t be it. But they were better than anything else they had.
“All right.” She helped him drag the kayak to the stumps, which wasn’t far away, and indeed, they were almost the perfect distance apart. One end of the kayak stuck out about a foot over the side of one stump, but there was plenty of room for them to sit underneath. Their butts would get wet as the rain ran down over the ground, except Grace was pulling some kind of package out of a small kit that she had brought.
“This will keep the ground dry.”
“Hurry up. It’s not going to matter. We’ll be soaked.”
Indeed, the rain came down harder. He could hear it and see it on the lake, but the trees were sheltering them some right now.
She shook it out, and he managed to flip the kayak over. Then, she put the plastic sheet she got from her pack down, and they both ducked underneath the kayak, stepping on the plastic.
There was enough extra plastic left over that they could pick it up and hold it against the overturned side of the kayak, protecting them from the rain that came in on that side.
They were finally situated as the rain pounded around them, and he sat there for a moment before he looked at her. “That was a handy thing to bring.”
“You know how it is, in school there’s always these water safety courses, and for some reason when they mentioned this, it really wasn’t for safety, it was more for convenience, but I ended up buying one at some point.” She lifted a shoulder and smiled. “This is the first time I’ve ever used it. It probably won’t go back into the pack nearly as nice as it came out.”
He laughed. “They never do.”
They were close, closer than he’d been to her in a long time. With her face just inches from his as they both sat hunched over underneath the kayak, the rain battering the plastic and making him feel like they were in a world of their own.
“About earlier,” she started.
He shook his head and brought a finger up, putting it on her lips.
He shouldn’t touch her. He wanted to keep it there.
Something flickered in her eyes, and he wondered if she was feeling something of the same, and then he knew she couldn’t be. After all, she’d rejected him. Again. Rather brutally.
“Are you ever going to let me talk about it?” she asked, speaking around his finger.
Her hand came up, and she took his hand in hers, taking it away from her lips but holding it between them. Not letting go.
He had a good mind to pull his hand away. After all, he didn’t want to get wrapped up in her charms and her spell any more than he already was. Not that she ever deliberately set about trapping him. He was the one who had allowed himself to be ensnared. He had enjoyed every moment that he spent with her and wanted more.
