“Yeah. But we’re more into boating and skiing. Dad has a pontoon. And a couple of jet skis.”
Not only would she have to deal with Brian’s unwanted company, apparently, she was gonna be stuck with steering since Kelly wouldn’t be much help. Kate sighed. It was sure gonna be a long day.
❋
The final half-mile of the trip would be in calm water. They’d stopped at a lovely rest area that was located right alongside the river. Supposedly, it was one of several drop spots for canoes. Rates for canoe rentals at the Riverbend Lodge were adjusted for the length of the trip. Employees from the lodge would truck to the drops throughout the day to pick up their customers along with their canoes.
Murphy bit down into his third hot dog. All this extra outdoor activity had him feeling like he was starving to death. Thank God there was little residual left of his hangover.
Looking over at the opposite end of the picnic area, Murphy studied Kate with intense satisfaction. Brian appeared to be making Kate miserable. In fact, she looked damned annoyed with the guy.
“Murph?
His gaze snapped back to Dan. “Hmm?
Resignedly, Dan shook his head. “I give up.”
Murphy widened his eyes. “Huh?”
“Kate.” Dan rolled his eyes. “You should really quit staring. Lancaster’s gonna find a million ways to make your life miserable once you begin working at the campgrounds again.”
“Probably.” Murphy sighed. “By the way – Kate and I really need to talk with you and Cal – probably as soon as we get back to town.”
“About?”
“The missing materials,” he muttered, this time glancing discreetly towards Brian. “We’d better not talk about it here, though.”
Although he definitely seemed curious, Dan nodded, shoving the rest of his hot dog into his mouth. Standing up, he brushed off a few pine needles from his shorts. “Well. I’m gonna do you a favor and take Lancaster off of Kate’s hands. Kelly, too. Kate’s gotta be exhausted. Every time he sticks his paddle into the water, she’s got her work cut out for her – she has to work twice as hard to steer, and he’s no lightweight. Kelly’s not much help, either. I thought, for sure, they’d all topple over when we ran through that last rough patch of current.”
Murphy laughed. “I never even noticed. I was too afraid that we’d go over.” Brushing potato chip crumbs from his T-shirt, he finally stood up. “I’m not so sure that I’m gonna be much better than Lancaster when it comes to paddling, though.”
“Yeah, you are. And at least you listen. Lancaster’s a frickin’ know-it-all. Kate was really gettin’ pissed when Lancaster kept ignoring her instructions.” Dan nodded at Kate. With thumbs tucked into the pockets of her cutoffs, she stood gazing out towards the river. The canoes had been dragged up over the shore, and were lining the riverbank only a few feet away. “Get moving – now’s your chance. Lancaster’s off to the outhouse.”
Murphy grinned. “Thanks, man.”
Dan snorted. “You definitely owe me one. Or maybe five – after what went on last night,” he added dryly. “Later, man.”
Murphy was already approaching the riverbank. “Kate,” he called out.
And then she turned and smiled.
Whoa.
Murphy stilled. That smile did something really strange to his insides. He was beginning to get worried – he was getting in way too deep with Kate. And where was all of this even leading?
“Uhh. Dan suggested you might want to switch partners?”
“Say no more.” Glancing at the restrooms, Kate pulled out two lifejackets from one of the canoes. Handing one over to Murphy, she shoved the canoe deeper into the water. “Hop in.”
As the canoe was caught up in the gentle pull of the current, Kate jumped in behind Murphy.
Strolling out from the restrooms, Brian was immediately thrown off guard. His scowl was intense as he scrambled down the path onto the riverbank. Raising his hand in the air, Brian yelled out, “Kate. Come back here.”
“Yeah. Like I’m really gonna go back to pick him up,” she muttered under her breath. She quickly attached the fastenings of her life jacket.
“He looks pretty pissed.” Murphy barked out a laugh, adding, “That’s telling him.”
Sheepishly, Kate grinned. “I do keep telling him. He just doesn’t listen.”
“Then you’d probably better quit being so nice about it.”
Kate sighed. “He’s been acting a million times worse now, than he did when we were actually dating.”
“He just doesn’t want to lose you.” And then his eyes met hers. “I can’t really say that I blame him.”
And, abruptly, Kate stilled, as he gazed into her eyes.
A sudden wrenching of the canoe spun them rapidly out of control as they were tugged into the stronger current.
Kate jerked to attention. “Well. We’d better get situated.”
Murphy picked up his paddle.
“Did Dan actually show you the right way to use the paddle?”
“Kind of.”
“Are you right-handed?”
“Yeah.”
Picking up her paddle, she rested her hands in place. “Clutch the top of the paddle with your right hand. And then cover the grip with your left.”
Watching Kate as he gripped his paddle, Murphy complied.
“There’s a trick to paddling – simultaneously push with your right hand while pulling with your left,” she said, demonstrating. “See? Combine your actions into one smooth motion.”
Only a moment later, Kate had the canoe steered back on course.
For the next few minutes, they remained silent, paddling in companionable silence. The sun continued to beat down brightly on the beautiful summer day. When they began to steer through a valley surrounded by towering formations of rock, the breeze suddenly became nearly nonexistent.
“Lucy likes to call this place her hideaway.”
“It’s nice here.” Murphy sighed. “It seems so isolated – as if we’re far away from everyone and everything.”
Kate pointed out a precipice high above. “Supposedly, there’re caves and walkways all along the cliffs where a local Indian tribe lived hundreds of years ago. This river flows all the way down from Canada. There was even a trading post along the Crystal Rock River back in the late eighteen-hundreds.”
“Cool.” Murphy stared up at the towering cliffs, staggered with vegetation. Tucked here and there beside the walkways, a few lonely pines sprouted from unlikely locations.
“It’s starting to get a little warm out here,” Kate said. She quickly slipped her tank top off from over her head.
And Murphy’s mouth went dry.
Oh, man. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to concentrate on the paddling now. Slim and fit, Kate had the perfect bikini figure. Her waist was so tiny – he realized his hands could easily span it. And that ass...
He started, rocking the canoe.
Damn – what in the hell was wrong with him?
Obviously noticing that the rhythm of his paddling had gone awry, Kate turned, curiously lifting her brow.
Crap. Now he was envisioning his hands on her breasts. They were barely covered by that skimpy blue twist of a bikini.
Suddenly distracted by laughter, Murphy was relieved to realize that Dan and the others appeared to be catching up with them.
“Shoot. If Brian sees us here, he might insist on switching partners again.”
Unfortunately, the water alongside the riverbank was shallow. Smooth river rock encrusted a natural landing that was clearly visible through the sparkling water. It’d be easy to pull the canoes into the shore.
Kate turned to him with a mischievous smile. “Unless...?”
Quickly forgetting his reluctance, Murphy grinned. “What’ve you got in mind?”
She nodded at an alcove that was barely visible behind a screen of overhanging birch. “The river branches off right there. Since the current’s a lot rougher, Lucy will
avoid taking the kids through.” Kate hesitated. “We’ll end up back with the group eventually. Are you game?”
He shrugged, and smiled. “Sure. Why, not?”
Chapter Eleven
When Murphy suddenly smiled, Kate’s heartbeat sped up a little bit faster.
Damn. What was wrong with her? Her heart had been kicking up and down the entire afternoon.
Turning to stare forward, she concentrated on maneuvering the canoe through the narrow channel. What a relief to have Murphy along now. She’d worked twice as hard trying to maintain a steady pace with their group earlier. It would’ve been much easier for her to steer the canoe if Brian wasn’t paddling at all. She frowned. She was sure getting sick of Brian’s constant come-ons. Why couldn’t he just accept the fact that they were through? She sighed. What’d she ever seen in him in the first place?
She and Murphy managed the first stretch of rapids without a hitch. Water sprayed from all directions and drenched them when they dropped down from the shorter length of falls. Hearing Murphy let out a long loud whoop of exuberance as the current pulled them treacherously through the drop, Kate grinned.
“That was fun.” Laughing, Murphy shook his head like an unruly spaniel and droplets of water shot out from his hair.
Kate chuckled. “Yeah. Our trip with Lucy was pretty tame. She was worried about the girls flipping over in the canoe. A little too worried, I’d say – the risks are what make canoeing fun!”
But then Murphy pulled off his wet T-shirt.
And Kate’s mouth went dry.
Fit and well-defined, this man had the greatest set of abs Kate had ever seen. Not to mention those strong and broad muscular shoulders. And now she was imagining him, just like she’d seen him in her bedroom...hot – sexy – and...aroused.
The silence between them was electric.
Stop it, she mentally swore, taking in a deep unsteady breath. Gazing into Murphy’s glittering green eyes, Kate quickly cleared her throat. “So. What are your plans once you graduate?”
The atmosphere became a little less charged as they became more deeply involved in intense conversation. And when Murphy began discussing the architectural firm he’d eventually be working for, his face lit up.
“Very impressive. That has to be so exciting, getting a job offer even before you graduate. How’d it happen?”
“Ryland and Associates sponsored a contest open to engineering students at my school. We had to design an energy efficient home using new materials which have recently become available.” He grinned. “And I actually won. My instructor was sure proud. Anyway, Mark Ryland guaranteed me a job once I graduate.”
“So why aren’t you working there this summer?”
“Supposedly, my designs are great, but I need to become more familiar with practical applications. My recommendations for finish materials evidently weren’t realistic. Mark Ryland was the one who suggested I do a construction internship this summer.”
Kate nodded. “I imagine that economical choices of materials can come into play more if you’re remodeling high-rises and apartments in Chicago – especially now, when there’s a huge focus on energy efficiency.”
“Definitely,” Murphy agreed. “But I’ll still have a few more years of school left once I graduate from Northwestern.”
Kate gave Murphy a rueful frown. “Really? Why?”
“Well, I’ll gradate with my degree in civil engineering from Northwestern. I’ll move on over to U of I in Chicago for my master’s in Architecture. Ryland’s will sponsor and pay my way.”
“A scholarship?”
Wryly, he smiled and nodded.
“Engineering, huh? Don’t you have to be pretty good in math and science?”
Murphy cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Yeah.”
Kate grinned. “So. You’re not actually a dumb football jock, then?”
Murphy snorted. “Let’s just say I’m probably not as dumb as I look,” he said dryly.
She laughed.
“So. What about you?”
Kate was startled by the question. “Me?”
“No plans for college? Business courses? Becoming more informed on energy efficient materials being utilized for construction?”
They continued paddling the canoe rhythmically. Definitely distracted now, Kate frowned, staring straight ahead at the water. Murphy made a good point. Why hadn’t she considered this before now? If she wasn’t the one to implement changes and modernization at Callahan Construction, who would? Maybe she should consider diversification? She frowned. “I hadn’t really thought about it until now.”
“I couldn’t help but notice your inventory system is somewhat inefficient,” Murphy pointed out.
She grinned. “That’s an awfully nice way of asking me – why isn’t our inventory computerized?”
“If you used computers, you might’ve noticed the missing materials sooner.”
Kate nodded in agreement. “That’s exactly what Dan said.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, you can’t always teach an old dog new tricks. Our warehouse manager’s been with us for almost twenty years. Frank should be ready to retire soon, but Dad’s afraid to make changes while he’s still working for us. Frank would be offended if he thought he was being replaced by a computer.”
Murphy shrugged. “He probably wouldn’t be offended if someone like you decided to implement the changes. After all, from what I’ve heard, everyone expects you to take over some day, anyway. Maybe you could come up with some tactful way of including him when you make the changes.”
“Well. When you put it like that...” Kate pursed her lips, considering the suggestion. “Maybe Dad and I should consider making some changes. Maybe I could hire an assistant for Frank. But it’d have to be the right assistant.” Glancing over her shoulder at Murphy, she smiled. “Frank can actually be very responsive to a female influence.”
❋
When Kate smiled suddenly, Murphy felt like he’d been punched in the gut.
And the fit of his shorts immediately became a whole lot tighter. Luckily, Kate’s thoughts appeared to be elsewhere as he squirmed uncomfortably on the hard metal surface of his seat.
They were taken unawares when the canoe was abruptly whipped into a stronger current. They maneuvered through a rough patch of water, speeding like a rollercoaster, twisting and dropping through the rapids and over a progression of shallow falls.
They were both drenched by the time they reached the calmer water on the final leg of their journey. Out of breath, Kate turned to Murphy with a grin while he laughed, enthusiastically. “Well. This has been fun. Hasn’t it? I haven’t been out here for a while. I’m really glad that Dan and Lucy suggested it.”
He gave her a rueful grin. “Yeah – it has been fun.” Although he wasn’t just referring to their trip down the river. “I was actually the one who suggested canoeing to Dan in the first place. But I wasn’t sure how well I’d hold up today after my stupidity last night.”
When they wound around the next bend of the river, there was a flatbed truck from the lodge awaiting them at the rest area. Murphy followed her example as Kate steered against the current, gradually maneuvering the canoe into shallower water. Hearing the bottom of the canoe scraping up against the rocky riverbed, Kate hopped from the canoe into the water as Murphy began gathering their few belongings. The employee from the lodge strolled over and met up with them at the edge of the riverbank.
“Hey ya, Nate.”
“Hey there, Kate. Long time, no see.” Immediately, Nate began to hooking a tow line onto the canoe. “I heard from Lucy just a couple of minutes ago. I’m supposed to pick them up at the Landdown stop, about a mile back. One of the passengers took a tumble.” The Twenty-something year old Nate snorted, shaking his head. “What kind of an idiot takes a trip in a canoe without being ready to get wet?”
Murphy’s eyes met Kate’s and they spoke simultaneously, “Brian!” Murphy snickered as Kate shook her head with annoyance.
&nbs
p; And then, worriedly, Kate returned her gaze to Nate. “Landdown?”
Nate, too, appeared to be troubled. “Yeah,” he quietly agreed. “Has she ever been back there, Kate?”
“No,” she said, turning to include Murphy. “Today was Lucy’s first lengthy trip down the river in the past three years. She finally decided it was time.”
Nate continued to remain silent as he slid the canoe into the towering tiered rack suspended above the bed of his truck.
As tense silence remained, Murphy watched Kate curiously.
Kate hesitated. “You’ve heard about Lucy’s kidnapping and assault? It happened about four years ago.”
Murphy nodded grimly. “Oh, yeah. I’m not really sure about how many of the details were released to the public. You know that they discovered my father’s first wife was killed by the same creep who assaulted Lucy?”
“Oh, Michael, I’m sorry. Of course I knew that. It’s just always been so hard for me to remember that Lucy wasn’t his only victim,” she said quietly.
“Yeah. Dad’s had the murder hanging over his head for years. He felt responsible.”
“Dad mentioned that your father went nearly fifteen years without visiting Crystal Rock?”
“Yeah. His wife was murdered the day after they left here – they’d spent their honeymoon here.”
For a moment, they were both silent.
“At least the Ivers family finally has some closure. It took over twenty years to discover that Merle Hagenmeyer was responsible for Anna’s death, too. It had to be a relief for your father to finally discover who killed his wife.”
“More so to find out the guy was dead. Going through a trial and dredging up the past would’ve been devastating for our family.
Kate nodded. “What happened to Lucy...well, it was awful having to watch Lucy after it happened. She was just so sad – and she was sinking deeper and deeper into depression. No one could do anything for her. She tried to tell us that this Hagenmeyer guy was stalking her. But no one really believed her. She was so traumatized, and she never left the house – or, so – we thought. Apparently, when she couldn’t sleep, she’d come out here to the river. And then, one day, she took a break at the Landdown rest area.”
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