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“I’d be more a hindrance than help. Your seven-and eight-year-olds probably have more experience on a river than I do,” she admitted. “I’ve never even been in a kayak.”
“All the more reason for you to say yes. Experience something new. You’ll have fun.”
Maybe... Living in Columbia, she couldn’t drive around the city without passing over a bridge with a view of people enjoying the waterways in various ways. They always caught her eye with their colorful floats and kayaks.
“You don’t even know if I can swim,” she pointed out.
Her mother hadn’t been able to swim, but Riley had learned during the hours she’d spent playing at the community center, after her mother had dropped her off for the day while she worked.
“Guess if you can’t you’d better not fall out of your kayak...”
“Justin!”
He laughed. “I’m teasing. Do you think I’d risk you or my Wilderness Group getting hurt? It’s a fun outing—a trip to get the kids outdoors, get some sunshine and see nature—not some kind of survival of the fittest training. I’ve taken them out before. Several times, actually. They’re experienced on the water, they respect it, and like I said they’ll be wearing life jackets at all times. I just need another adult present to keep my ratio of adult to kids correct.”
She couldn’t disappoint nine kids. Plus, being outdoors, getting some sunshine and seeing nature sounded heavenly. Still, she was only a mediocre swimmer, and she really had never been in a kayak or a canoe. She wouldn’t be much help, surely?
“You’re sure I wouldn’t be in the way?”
“If you say no I may have to cancel. You won’t be in the way. You’d be doing us a huge favor.”
Indecision tugged at her. A day on the river with nine kids. A day on the river with Justin.
“There’s no one else you can call?”
“At this last minute? You’re my last hope.”
Justin’s last hope or ruin nine kids’ day? When she didn’t have anything better planned than catching up on her laundry and doing some yard work.
“Fine,” she agreed, feeling a weight lift from her when she did so. Because of the kids. Not because she’d agreed to go out with Justin. At least that’s what she assured herself. “I can’t have a bunch of kids disappointed because I was too chicken to float down a river.”
“That’s the spirit,” he encouraged, merriment evident in his voice. “And that’s the way to keep from disappointing a grown man who wants to float down a river with you today, too.”
“You say that now...” Climbing out of bed, she looked at the lazily stretching dog. “A couple of quick questions: what do I wear and wha
t do I need to bring with me?”
“Wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet. A bathing suit with T-shirt and shorts over it is ideal. Swimmer’s shoes. Bring a water bottle. Bring dry clothes to change into afterward. I’ll take care of everything else.”
“Can I bring Daisy?”
“The boys would like that. Let me see if I can rustle up a life jacket for her.”
“Seriously?”
She’d been mostly kidding when she’d asked, so his offer surprised her. Who knew they made life jackets for dogs? Or that Justin would not only humor her but be concerned for Daisy’s safety?
“Would it make you happy to bring her?”
Riley glanced down at the dog, looking up at her with her big dark eyes set in her cute, fuzzy white face. “Yes, as long as it’s safe for her, it would.”
“Then, yes, I’m serious. I want you happy, Riley.”
It was a fitting statement for him to make, given her and Cassie’s conversation on Thursday. Justin wanted her happy.
And if the smile on her face now was anything to go by, she’d say he’d got his wish. Which seemed to answer a lot of the other questions she’d been struggling with since waking up in his bed. Before that, even.
She’d been stressing over what to do about Justin from the moment her gaze had connected with his and he’d smiled, stealing her breath, making her hormones surge and upsetting the balance of her well-orchestrated life.
