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“Just as long as Asher doesn’t mind,” came the strange reply. “He needs his head in the game, you know.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine with it.” Gesturing to the guests already beginning to sip the wine, she stepped forward and began to snap some shots. Jimmy would be waiting, and she didn’t want to keep him.
* * *
“Hey.”
Willow had to admit that Jimmy looked good. He was wearing a white, tight-fitting t-shirt that clung close to his chest and a pair of brightly colored board shorts. His feet were bare, and his brown hair was being brushed back gently by the wind.
“Ready to head out on the lake?” Grinning at her, he bent to pick up one of the paddles.
“Absolutely.” Touching one hand to her camera, she gave him a doubtful glance. “Although I’ve got to be absolutely sure that I don’t get my camera wet.”
Jimmy straightened from where he’d been bending over the canoe to grab the other paddle, setting both down inside it. Walking over to her, he put one hand on her shoulder, standing so close that she could see the light freckles that scattered across the bridge of his nose and in his cheeks. “With me, you’ve got nothing to worry about.” Willow’s breath caught in her chest, and she found herself smiling back.
“Okay.” Her voice was softer than she’d expected. Obviously, Jimmy was having an effect on her already. “Let’s go, then.”
Jimmy grinned and dropped his hand back to his side.
“Sounds good. Here, let me help you.”
Normally, Willow would have refused any help, but given it was Jimmy, and given that she had liked the feeling of his hand on her shoulder, she let him help her into the canoe.
“I take it you’ve canoed before?”
“Yeah, a ton of times, actually. I’ve been coming to the camp since I was a kid, so I’ve done everything they offer at least once.”
Pushing the canoe out onto the water, Jimmy threw her a quick glance.
“Including bungee jumping?”
The question came just as Jimmy tried to carefully climb into the canoe.
“Okay, so I’ve never tried bungee jumping, but I’ve zip lined.”
“That’s something, then.” Turning, Jimmy picked up a paddle and handed it to her. He was still grinning, and Willow felt her cheeks burn.
“What’s holding you back from bungee jumping? Do you need someone to go with?”
A shiver ran down Willow’s spine. “I just can’t stand heights…and the idea of throwing yourself off a ledge and falling that far terrifies me.”
“It says a lot about a person if they can overcome their fears.”
A flicker of a frown crossed Willow’s brow.What is he trying to say?
“If you have a fear and you conquer it, that gives you strength, and going forward, helps you with the rest of your life. You know that you can do anything because you’ve overcome your fear.”
“I guess so.” Pulling hard with her paddle, Willow let Jimmy’s words float around in her mind.Does he think I’m weak?“Haveyouever done that? Faced any of your fears, I mean?”
“Sure did.” Turning his head, Jimmy flung her smile. “I asked a beautiful girl if she would like to come out on the canoe with me and then take a yoga class together.”
In an instant, the worry wiped itself from her mind and her expression.
“And I guess it paid off.” Willow didn’t say anything more, and even Jimmy seemed happy to lapse into silence for a while.
The lake was mostly calm, with only a few waves brushing the edges of their canoe. The sunshine and the lapping of the water made Willow’s heart lift, and she sighed happily.
“Everything okay?”
