Whitewater Rendezvous

“I’ll get you for that,” Linda promised. “We’ll see how long before you get to experience that talent again.”

That prompted another round of laughter.

“Okay, this isn’t really a talent, but it’s unusual, anyway,” Linda said. She stood and bent over as if to touch her toes, but instead she pushed her foot into an unnatural angle, until it looked as though her shoes were facing in opposite directions.

“Eeewww!” Pat said. “I’m never sleeping with you again!”

“Oh, my God, how are you doing that?” Elise asked.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” Yancey added, craning her head for a better look.

“Nope. Double-jointed in that ankle.” Linda swiveled the ankle back to normal and sat back down, giving Pat a playful punch as she did. “Okay, so what are you going to do for us, Miss Smart Aleck?”

“We’ll see who laughs,” Pat promised. She got to her feet and walked around the circle of friends, collecting a small assortment of items—a metal mug, a water bottle, a large tube of sunscreen, and a fl ashlight. She returned to stand beside Linda before she set them in motion, juggling with practiced skill, dazzling them with constant switch ups in height and direction and speed.

“The lady is good with her hands, what can I say?” Linda conceded admiringly, as the others laughed.

“What about you, Sally?” Megan asked. “Any predilection for something other than practical jokes?”

“I can’t compete with the rest of you,” Sally said. “My only hidden talent is this.” She stuck out her tongue and touched the end of her nose with it.

“Your husband must love that!” Pat said, which touched off another round of laughter. “Who have we missed? Elise?”

“I was going to say I didn’t think I had a hidden talent,” Elise answered. “But Sally’s reminded me that I’ve won a bar bet or two with the ability to tie cherry stems into a knot with my tongue.”

“I bet that comes in handy,” Yancey said, to a chorus of laughter.

“Speaking of which,” Pat said, pausing to whisper something into Linda’s ear, “I think we’ll say good night at this point. We’re suddenly very…uh, sleepy. Aren’t we, honey?”

More laughs.

• 107 •

KIM BALDWIN

Pat got to her feet fi rst and offered a hand up to Linda. They strolled arm in arm toward their tent, talking in low whispers.

“Where the heck do they get their stamina?” Yancey complained.

“I can hardly move after all this paddling.”

“I know they do this kayaking stuff a lot,” Justine agreed. “But they are the oldest among us, too. It’s not fair. I’m ready to drop.” She stretched and yawned. “I think I’ll turn in, too, I guess. Any chance I can coerce a friendly masseuse to give me a nice back rub?”

“Well, I’m sore, too, you know,” Elise admitted. “How about we work out a trade. Ten minutes for ten minutes?”

“Deal,” Justine said.

They got up and took a step or two toward Justine’s tent.

“Hey, wait. Can I get in on some of that action?” Yancey called after them.

“Sure,” Elise said. “Anybody else?” she added, looking directly at Chaz in a way that made Megan want to punch her again.

Chaz and Megan shook their heads, while Sally responded with a wave and a “No, thanks.”

“Maybe tomorrow, then,” Elise said.

Or maybe not, Megan thought. The only person I want massagingChaz is me.

“‘Night, everybody,” Justine called back as the three of them headed toward the tents.

Megan glanced at Chaz, her heartbeat accelerating at the knowledge that they would soon be alone together. “Well, I guess I’ll head that way, too.”

She felt the same exhaustion as the rest of them, but was pretty sure that when Chaz lay down beside her, she’d get her second wind in a hurry.

Chaz met her eyes but made no move to get up. “Okay. I’ll be in there in a while. I’ll try not to wake you.”

The woman cannot get a clue that I’m trying to fl irt with her, Megan thought dejectedly as she made her way to their tent. Of courseit might have helped if I hadn’t treated her like a pariah the fi rst coupleof days of the trip.

• 108 •

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14