I’ve only been in Crescent Ridge for a day, but it seems like the type of small town where a family-owned business would thrive.
“Starting the day off a little spicy, aren’t we?” A man with his dark brown hair twisted into a bun asks. I recognize him as one of the twins who checked me in for the beginner tour.
“I’m sorry—”
“I’m going to stop you right there,” the man with the bloody nose interrupts me. “Accidents happen. I’m alright and it’s best that this happened to me instead of one of the others.”
I glance at my group. I’m the only solo kayaker and there are several small children with their families. My face pales at the thought that I could’ve hit one of them instead.
“You’re right,” I whisper.
“Don’t worry, Paddles. I’ll keep you out of trouble,” he says with a wink.
He drops into a green kayak still grinning.
“Shouldn’t he go see a doctor?” I ask the twin.
“Nah. Dean’ll be all right. We played rougher when we were kids,” he replies. “Wouldn’t be his first broken nose.”
I nod. Maybe this is a commonplace experience for people who grow up with siblings. As an only child, I wouldn’t know.
“I’m Dylan by the way. Duke’s my twin and Dean’s our little brother.”
“Paisley Shaw,” I reply automatically. “Nice to meet you.”
“You can meet the rest of our family when you get back,” he adds with a bright grin that highlights his dimples.
I nod again. The website where I registered compared this to a summer camp experience. I’m sure there’s going to be souvenir photos and possibly a cheesy campfire song before we all head our separate ways. I assume that’s where I’ll meet the rest of the Johnson family.
The rest of my group are scrambling into kayaks and I rush to join them. The pink kayak wobbles when I climb inside, listing wildly to one side and then the other.
“Easy, Paddles.”
I blame the sun for the ridiculous way my face warms at the sound of his voice. Dean grabs my flailing paddle with one hand and with the other he steadies my kayak.
“Thanks,” I mutter.
“Dylan,” he calls out to his brother. “You’re on point today.”
Dylan raises an eyebrow, but Dean ignores him. The grin Dylan sends his brother could only be described as obnoxious.
"Sure thing Bro-bear," he says.
The other kayakers begin paddling toward the center of the river. I try to follow them and immediately spin sideways.
"Oh no."
My paddle smacks the surface of the water with all the grace of a falling tree and the kayak spins faster.
"Well, fuck,” I mutter to myself.
A few of the children giggle. Wonderful. I've become their entertainment. Bet their parents love that.
The river looked calm from the shore. Sitting in a tiny plastic boat on top of it is a completely different experience. Water laps against the sides of my kayak and every little movement sends me wobbling.
"Relax, Paddles."
I look up. He's somehow maneuvered his kayak next to mine without making a single splash.
