She laughed at him.
“Aren’t you sore?”
“Not at all.I have a competition rowing machine.I row nearly every day.This is right up my alley.”She chuckled when he grumbled about unfair advantages.“Whew.Made it.”She dumped her burdens beside the bus.She spent a moment talking to the driver as he loaded the bags, and then climbed inside, going right to the back where she knew Eric would prefer to sit.
Five minutes later, he slid in beside her with a grin.He leaned close and whispered, “Give me your hand, but don’t let anyone see.”
She looked at him curiously but did as asked.
He slipped something into her hand.She glanced down.A caramel bar!“Where did you get this?”
He grinned like the Cheshire Cat.“I made friends with the cook yesterday.I saw her eating one.I know how much you love sweets…”
“Aw, thank you.I appreciate it.”
Her heart swelled from the small gesture.She’d had men buy her fancy dinners, or take her out to the theater or opera, or bring her a dozen long-stemmed roses.None of those acts, designed to impress, affected her as deeply as a simple candy bar.
She smiled up at him and repeated, “Thank you, Eric.”Her smile spread inward, sliding into her heart, when little-boy happiness spread over his face.
Eric Varner had a lot of facets.Hard-nosed businessman, cut-throat game player, serious boater, and happy little boy.What other sides had she yet to see?
“Areyoureadyforthis?”Eric asked Wanda.
“I was born ready.The question is, are you ready?”
They were standing on a gravel bank beside the Athabasca River, below a bridge that crossed the backwoods oil company road their bus had brought them down.Canoe after canoe had launched and was merrily making its way down the river towards an unseen red banner that would mark tonight’s camping spot.
According to Brent, nightly stops were determined by road access, as the backup staff drove in and prepped dinner and campfires for the night.Each team would set up its own tent.
“I’m ready.”He paused as an odd idea occurred to him.“I’m actually excited.How did that happen?”
Wanda’s laugh rang out and bounced off the thick poplar forest surrounding the river.The campers who hadn’t yet launched turned to smile at them.He smiled at her joyful response.
“You guys are up next,” Brent declared.He stood in the water, next to their loaded canoe, holding it steady as they climbed in.After a moment of safety lectures and a reminder that the camping spot was on the left-hand side of the river and well-flagged, he gave them a shove, and they were off, floating down the river.
“Woohoo!”Eric shouted, resisting the urge to pump his arms in the air.He’d made that mistake before.Never again!Behind him, Wanda laughed.She really was a joyful person, and he found that being around her lightened his mood, even when he was worried about work.Sometimes she succeeded in getting him to forget about the office for short periods.
The scenery was beautiful.Birds and butterflies swooped over the water, which was making a joyous sound.“Hey,” he exclaimed after a few minutes of sitting and gawking, “I’m not having to paddle.This is easy.”
“Sure, it is, but see that corner up ahead?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“It’s about to get rough.There are big rocks in the water.Be prepared to help steer.I’ve been guiding us around the smaller rocks.The ones ahead are a two-person job.”
“Yes, boss,” he quipped with light sarcasm.His heartbeat accelerated along with their momentum.
“Isn’t that my line?”He heard the smile in her voice as they floated forward, suddenly gaining speed as the water grew faster and rougher near the enormous stones.
“Left!”she shouted.
He paddled harder.“Other left,” she demanded.
“Oops.”He lifted his padded, splashing icy water all over himself, and slammed it down on the left side of the boat with an enormous splash.
“Not so hard,” she shouted.“I don’t need a shower.”Her exhilarated laughter rang out as he paddled as quickly as he could.
Slowly, inch by painful inch, they shifted trajectories until they were no longer headed right for the rock.He eased up and began paddling more slowly.
