River on Fire (River's End #5) Read online

  “Yeah? Me too. It was a problem for a while, but we worked through it.”

  Lulled into conversation again, she found her tongue asking without her permission, “A problem? How?”

  “When I was about twenty, I couldn’t figure out how to act like a grown-up around here. Jack had always been my father—seriously, he was my dad—and then we were suddenly supposed to be just brothers. Nearly equals. I was close to inheriting my share of this place, and yet, he was still my main authority figure. I didn’t know how to ease into the transition. It caused some strife. It even made me leave for a while, but in the end, I think that was the only solution for me to get through it.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “The Army.”

  Something rippled through her whole body. Surprise? Respect? He just might have been a lot more than just the seriously handsome exterior he presented to her. “That’s a real commitment.”

  “Best thing I ever did; although I didn’t want to make a career out of it. You know? Just needed the boost so I could learn how to become my own man and clear up the confusion of who the hell I was. Not only regarding this place, but also in relation to my brothers, Jack and even my so-called nephews, who felt more my brothers as far as our ages were concerned.”

  “Have you figured all that out now?”

  “Yeah. For the most part. I have.”

  Darkness was quickly descending. “Well, Jacob will be scared and start to worry if I don’t get back soon. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Thank you…yes, I’m very glad you stopped to speak to me tonight.”

  Standing up, she did not fail to notice that he politely stood up too. She put her hand out to shake his and he responded in kind. “It was my pleasure. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Starr.”

  The words were balanced precariously on the tip of her tongue. She nearly automatically replied, Call me Hailey, but for some reason, she restrained the initial impulse. Maybe because she wanted to maintain the proper boundaries? The pretense? Well, he was in his twenties and she was definitely not. So not in her twenties.

  Tomorrow… She liked the feeling that word evoked. She was actually looking forward to tomorrow and seeing Joey—no, it was probably just the excitement of river rafting. She would be learning something new and unexpected and adventurous, which she so rarely encountered during the course of her “real” life.

  Chapter Three

  JOEY RYDELL WAS MUCH hotter than Hailey first realized.

  She lost all perspective the next afternoon when they sauntered up to the log house to find him and check in. And there he was, dressed in attractive swim shorts that skimmed his knees; they were dark in color with white stripes. His skin glistened and his tan glowed. Being shirtless, Hailey could observe his chest rippling as he moved all around. She was tongue-tied, intimidated, and almost embarrassed to dare to make eye contact with him. He was an untouchable, the most popular guy at the high school or a movie star, walking through a crowd of ordinary people, while she felt like the peon nerd or doting fan. It must have been somewhat embarrassing for him to see her, much less, be around her.

  Especially seeing how Brianna strutted and preened, so much his physical equal, despite her age, which tainted it with an ick! factor. Brianna wore a swimsuit that cut her butt cheeks practically in half, not quite as much as a thong, but definitely not full coverage either. Her bouncy boobs could still sit on her chest without any support of a bra and now they spilled over the cups of her strawberry-colored swimsuit. Teasing her hair and using makeup, she tried to appear closer to twenty than her true age of fifteen. Hailey didn’t approve at all of the outfit, but bit her tongue, knowing the battles she fought had to be picked carefully and with special consideration. Priorities. Clothes that revealed too much were low on her list at this point. That’s because the list was so damn long.

  Hailey wore her green and black tankini. It was as matronly as the name sounded. She also wore a baseball cap with her hair threaded through the back in a ponytail and sunglasses. Her eyes were far too sensitive to sunlight nowadays to risk going without them in this blaring hot sun. It nearly fried them at ninety-three degrees already. Not a cloud in sight, just a forever expanding cerulean sky. Hailey wore no makeup, but lots of sunscreen. She had earned a respectable tan that began at her chest and continued down her arms and legs, ending at her shorts and upper arms. So in a swimsuit, her tan was just weird. Some might have called it a farmer’s tan or a red-neck’s tan.

  Joey, however, had smooth skin and an even tan to match his toned, defined muscles and general body fitness. His blond hair snatched the sunlight in flashes of honey and gold. Covering his eyes were mirrored aviator glasses, and Hailey thought he should go out and start playing volleyball with Tom Cruise, like that scene from Top Gun. The comparison came so quickly and easily to Hailey that she sighed, eyeing her daughter, who most likely would have missed any reference to the early eighties film. Then again, Joey most likely wouldn’t have heard of it either. Nonetheless, for Hailey, it remained a favorite.

  Joey ambled out of the house when he apparently spotted the Starr family coming up. He pointed towards one of the outbuildings and they met him there. Filled with rafting equipment galore, there were also ice skates, sleds, and a plethora of other recreational gear and supplies. Even climbing gear was available.

  “Afternoon, Mrs. Starr,” he said smiling as he approached her while glancing over her body, but in a friendly, casual way. He was definitely not checking her out or being lecherous at all; although he clearly let her know that he was well aware of who she was. When he glanced over at Brianna and Jacob with the same expression, Hailey was relieved.

  “Hello, Joey. You remember Brianna, and this is my son, Jacob.”

  Jacob stepped forward and grinned. His swim trunks slid down his slender, skinny waist as he asked, “Can I row?”

  Joey smiled and easily ignored Jacob’s lack of manners as he stepped around him to enter the building. He began hauling out some equipment. “You can. But I’ll do the main steering, deal?”

  Jacob whooped with joy and grabbed a loose lifejacket, quickly covering his scrawny chest. He wasn’t a big kid for his age, and usually the shortest boy in every class he had. It was something that made him rather self-conscious. He was not only smart, but highly intelligent and it showed ceaselessly in his performance at school, but his quiet disposition and shyness hindered him socially, and he was not totally accepted by his peers. He wasn’t a dork or a whiner or someone who never knew how to fit in at all; he was just so quiet and overlooked that most of the other children didn’t seem to know what to make of him.

  With only two close friends, his social life was limited. He consequently spent most of his time at home. A total homebody. He was often buried in his room where he made elaborate models out of Kinectics or Legos. To see him now, getting so excited about something beyond the scope of his room, was more than enough to make Hailey fall to her knees in relief. He was excited. Everything about the Rydell Ranch was drawing Jacob out of his shell and state of near apathy. Yet it wasn’t quite apathy. Depression? Anxiety? Hailey knew Jacob suffered from both of those as a result of the divorce and living without his father. The children saw him every other weekend and every Wednesday night. It wasn’t enough, but going back and forth was even harder on Jacob. He always looked mildly confused and it literally tugged at Hailey’s heart. He seemed like he was physically grasping her heart in his hands and pulling it towards him. He was so lost. Always worrying about what would happen next? What new disaster would change his life? The sense of worry seemed to emanate from him, judging by his demeanor. So for Hailey to now see Jacob showing any interest in something new made their trip there worth it. Despite Brianna. Getting through to Brianna was beyond Hailey at this point. All she could do was to keep trying. That’s all she had left. She would never stop trying.

  The three of them were all rigged out in the necessary gear before Joey brought out an already inflated red river raft. Hail
ey met a worker named AJ, a big, muscular man, who was quiet and efficient. He helped Joey lift the raft into the back of the long bed truck, and tied it down. AJ jumped into the cab and started the truck while Joey waved at them to head over to an SUV and indicated they should all pile inside it. They did so, Hailey entering first of course, even though her edgy nerves made her wish she could hide in the back seat. Why was she having such a strange reaction to Joey?

  His gaze slid over her legs and landed on her face as though he were checking to see if she were ready to go. She couldn’t see his eyes through the mirrored glasses but his jaw locked when he flipped the gearshift into reverse and reached his arm towards her armrest before looking over his shoulder and executing a turn. A small smile brightened his face as he focused on the road ahead and followed AJ’s trail of dust.

  “How far do we have to go? I hope it’s forever! Hours and hours,” Jacob was saying. Hailey glanced over at him. When was the last time she’d heard him talking like that, without any inhibition? And his excitement emphasizing every word?

  Joey watched him in the rearview mirror. Hailey noticed how small the interior of the cab was and instantly became uncomfortable. She scooted towards her passenger door to get more breathing room. “We’ll launch from a spot that takes us about four hours before we get back to the beach here. Will that be enough river-rafting for you?”

  She gulped. Four hours? With him? No! Four hours, floating down a treacherous, bouncing river? The idea was gradually inducing her to change her mind due to its effect on her nerves. She wasn’t sure, since she hadn’t reacted to someone’s mere presence like that in a good fifteen years. She forgot how it felt. Her utter awareness of every single movement this man made was annoying her.

  “Four hours? Yes!” Jacob made a fist bump in the air. Brianna rolled her eyes at him before she tousled his hair with obvious affection and averted her gaze out the window. Something bumped in Hailey’s chest. That. That right there was the faint hope still alive inside her. Seeing Brianna’s small display of affection toward her little brother reminded Hailey of the familiar girl who resided somewhere inside Brianna. That girl, the loving, adoring, helpful girl was roaming around in there somewhere, temporarily lost in her rebellion and overwhelming, hurt feelings. Somehow, Hailey had to find that girl again. She felt something bubbling in her veins. Was it hope? Angst? Whatever. She almost fisted her hands, trying to think of a way to get through to Brianna again. Maybe being together here would work. Already, they spent the day in a different way than they usually did, and they were still together.

  She glanced at Joey, who was now engaged in a full conversation with Jacob. He was explaining the kinds of rapids they would encounter on the stretch of river they were to ride down. Maybe Joey’s advice was correct. Being away, and connecting with each other through fun, might possibly lead to a deeper sense of bonding between them. Maybe it could even establish a bridge to compensate for what they lost and what got swept away from them. Hailey took in a deep breath, sighing and hoping that would happen, because she wasn’t sure where to go or what to do if it didn’t work.

  They pulled into a small parking lot that allowed river access. It belonged to the Department of Natural Resources and was designed for public use. The guys quickly got to work, first throwing the raft down and swiftly assembling the oars. It had a center plastic chair and two long oars, thereby providing one person a captain’s control over the entire raft. She stood off to the side, clutching her life jacket and helmet, observing how the two guys worked in such synchronicity and so quickly. She’d probably just have gotten in their way. She slipped the jacket on, snapping it over her chest and replacing her baseball cap with the helmet. She also wore water sandals and sunglasses. Brianna tried again to avoid wearing the helmet but Joey simply motioned towards AJ’s truck. “Then get in the truck and go back with AJ because you’re not coming with me if you don’t put it on right now.”

  Simple. Direct. Done. Brianna tapped her foot and scowled at him but slipped the helmet over her blond hair and obediently snapped the strap under her chin.

  Joey nodded, satisfied. He did the same with his own helmet. “We all look the same, Brianna, so get over it.”

  She rolled her eyes but seemed to take some solace from seeing him wearing it too. AJ called out. “I’ll come back for the other vehicle. Plan on seeing you in four?”

  Joey waved. “Yup, send out a posse if we don’t show up.” He glanced at Hailey while the kids were busily settling themselves inside the raft. Jacob sat in the front and Brianna sat next to him. “Nothing will happen, it’s just a normal precaution. Better safe than sorry.”

  She nodded. Joey seemed pretty safety-conscious and her esteem of him only continued to grow as she observed his manner of handling things. Especially where her children were involved.

  Joey threw a spare oar to her son. “Here you go, Jacob. The oar as promised. You need to try and keep the front of the boat pointed straight downriver at all times. Think you can manage that?”

  Jacob reached for it and caught the oar mid-air with a wide grin. “Sure.” His casual reply could not mask or diminish the excitement in his huge grin. He was very amped up about this.

  Joey glanced over at Hailey and flashed a grin. “You get in the back seat.”

  “Okay.” Hailey’s heart was thumping harder, not so much in response to Joey’s blinding smile, but the efficient way in which he was engaging her son, not to mention that he remembered the oar. The stinking, spare oar that she was sure was not necessary to “keep the boat pointed downriver.”

  She took her seat inside the raft bottom, while Brianna sat with one leg swung over the lip of the raft and other leg in, straddling it. Joey held it steady until they all got settled. Then, with a collective “Ready?” he launched the boat from the rocky shoreline, instantly catching the shallow current. Scrambling past her, Joey landed in the gray chair and immediately started working the oars in tandem routine. The strength that he possessed in his chest, shoulders, back and biceps did not fail to engage Hailey’s attention. From her special vantage point, all she could see were his silken muscles moving under the smooth sheen of his tanned skin. But the strength he showed in his control against the rapidly increasing current made her extra relieved he was so skilled and so strong.

  She gripped one of the black handles tightly that was sewn into the bottom of the raft to use as either a foot or hand hold. The water was clear, streaming over the speckled river-bottom made up of round rocks in every color of the rainbow, from oranges and reds to blues and greens. The sun-laced water swished over the rapidly changing depths and consistency of the substrate. From shallow river rock to deep pools that turned the water dark green and sandy bottoms to less than two feet of water over rocky bottoms. They glided past it all, mostly staying in the middle of the river. Sunlight cascaded around them in waves of heat. Shimmering and endless, the blue sky was the high, bright, life-affirming backdrop to it all. Her kids were both talking to each other, and smiling, laughing, even talking smack. They were interacting. Something they didn’t do very often, if ever, anymore. Joey shared their conversation until he turned back towards Hailey.

  “Hold on now, the first rapid is up ahead. It’s a good one.”

  She gripped the handhold until her knuckles turned white. Just when she was beginning to enjoy it. She nodded with dour resolution, ready to face the first obstacle. “Okay. Is it rough?”

  He flashed a smile, holding her gaze for a moment before turning back forward. “Well… after this, you’ll no longer be considered a river virgin.”

  Startled at his ominous words, Hailey stared straight ahead. The river grew louder as if it were turning up the volume in a stereo effect around her now. The increasing roars and crashes seemed to heighten her senses along with her fear, which paralleled the noise level. The current quickly accelerated up ahead and all she could see were the foamy whitecaps of rippling waves that were colliding ridiculously close together and becomin
g deep troughs and tall crests. Hailey screamed out loud and they were only at the first set of rapids. Joey glanced back, but offered no sympathy; smiling, he called out, “Hold on!”

  Steering them first through the center, and then quickly towards the left side of the river, he seemed to be following a predetermined trail through it. And the swift decisions he had to make in order to move them past the rocks were no less astonishing. The entire ride lasted maybe no more than a few seconds but they traversed from one side of the river to the other. Sitting behind them, she watched her children bobbing down into the wave and then straight up over her head as they violently swooped down and she was suddenly up. She glanced off to her side and saw the huge boulders sticking out right in middle of the water, some that would have been as high as her waist, making the water swirl all around them in huge, foamy circles of churning soup. She shuddered. If they hit one of those… but all the while, Joey moved them safely away, seemingly in complete control. Hailey had to cling to that belief. Complete control. All the while, she and Brianna screamed in terror while Jacob whooped and hollered in glee. Further onwards, it appeared as if all the water of the river had converged into a series of seven huge waves that toppled them up and down, up and down. Sailing right over the crest of each one, Joey kept their raft centered and straight. However, Hailey was barely conscious of that since she shut her eyes and began screaming. Then… it all stopped. They were all at once floating along in the calm, skimming the water and being pushed by only the gentlest of waves, which carried them until it grew calm again. When Hailey finally opened her eyes, she found Joey and her children laughing at her, all of them together.

  After screaming her head off and clutching the bottom of the raft between her legs with all her strength, her throat felt raw. She finally released the strap, just a smidgeon, and blinked them all into focus. “Oh, my God. Did we survive?”