Whitewater Rendezvous

Megan looked up at her angrily. “What’s that supposed to mean?

We’re only here for another few days. Couldn’t be anything more, anyway.”

“Would you like it to be?”

Megan opened her mouth to answer, but the quick retort she had planned died on her lips. The answer to that question should certainly have been no. It had been no for so long…no strings, no commitments, no promises, no entanglements…that the sudden realization that she might indeed want more with Chaz caught her so off guard that she felt a little shell-shocked.

“I thought so.” Justine laid a hand on Megan’s shoulder.

“Girlfriend, I think you need to think seriously about this one. Maybe it isn’t possible, but…I’ve seen a change in you these last few days.

You seem a lot happier and more relaxed out here than I’ve seen you in…gosh, years, I guess.”

“Justine,” Megan said wearily. “We live hundreds of miles apart.”

“Funny but I thought it was you who once told me…never say never.” With that, Justine walked back to the group, leaving Megan to consider her words.

It’s just not possible, she repeated to herself, over and over. Youhave a nice comfortable life. Better stick with the plan and switch tentsand just try to forget about her and get through the next few days.

There was no way, however, she was going to take the obvious route. Although she was anxious to put some distance between them, she didn’t want to give Elise any prime opportunities with Chaz. So if she wanted to switch tents and still get a good night’s sleep, there was only one alternative.

She got her opportunity after breakfast when the group dispersed to pack up their gear to leave. Yancey was beside their kayaks, braiding her long blond hair into a pigtail, when Megan joined her. It was a routine she followed every time they set off, so she could keep her hair out of her eyes when they were paddling.

“Hey, there,” she greeted Megan. “You were awful quiet this morning. Everything copasetic?”

“That’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about,” Megan said.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Shoot.”

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KIM BALDWIN

“Would you mind bunking in with Chaz the rest of the trip?”

Yancey stopped what she was doing and studied Megan’s face.

“Sure. Fine with me.”

“Great.”

“You know that Elise volunteered to stay with Chaz?” Yancey reminded her.

“I’d rather that you did.”

Yancey’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Mind telling me why?”

Megan sighed heavily and looked away, out at the distant mountains. “Because Elise has the hots for her. And so do I. And she’s made it clear she’s not interested in either one of us.”

Yancey frowned in sympathy. “That’s rough. Well, if you’re certain that’s what you want, I don’t mind switching.”

“I appreciate it.” Megan forced a smile. “I’ll talk to Elise about it later. Would you mind telling Chaz?”

“Sure,” Yancey said. “I can do that.”

O

They had fi nished loading their gear into the raft and were putting on their PFDs, spray skirts, and helmets, when a thick cloud of mosquitoes descended on them from out of nowhere. They had no tents to escape into this time, so there was a mad scramble into their kits for head nets and repellent.

“Damn it!” Pat cursed, swatting at her neck as a half dozen of the tiny tormenters bit her simultaneously. “Get off of me!”

“Where did they come from?” Linda complained. “How can they all appear at once like this?”

“The wind died down,” Chaz explained, as she sprayed herself. “It tends to keep them at bay. That’s why we’ve been so lucky this whole trip—there’s been a nice breeze with us most all the time.”

“Can I borrow someone’s repellent?” Megan asked no one in particular, furiously swatting at her neck, hands, and face. “The bear ate mine.” She gagged as she inhaled several of the bugs. “Yuck!”

“Here, I have a spare net,” Chaz offered, stepping toward Megan with a head net in her outstretched hand.

Megan hesitated for a moment. Taking anything from Chaz was the last thing she wanted to do. But the high-pitched buzzing in her ears

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Дата добавления: 2015-11-14