Page 55 of You Know You Wanna

I shook my head, giving him a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t think they really know. Canoes tip easily, though. It might just have been that they shifted their weight a little too much or something. Cass got caught under the canoe at first, so she was disoriented when you got to her, and I think Heather just had a fright.”

“Well, the only thing that matters is that we got to them in time.” He dragged in a deep breath and started wringing water out of his shirt. “Laurene really got stuck in a net?”

Remembered panic gripped my heart as I nodded. “Her foot. She was trying to kick it free when I got to her.”

A pained expression tightened his features, but he didn’t seem angry that it had happened. It had been an accident, sure, but I had dealt with enough parents to know that they were prone to lashing out when they thought someone was to blame for an incident that could’ve gotten their child hurt.

At least he’s not doing that.

Eventually giving up on his shirt, he glanced at me. “I’m going to go grab my bag out of the car and get changed. You should do the same if we’re leaving.”

Without another word, he turned and strode a little ways down the dirt road from the campsite, disappearing around the corner in the direction of the small parking area. When he reappeared a few minutes later, he had a backpack over his shoulder, and instead of coming back to me, he headed directly to the restrooms.

I drew in a big breath, simultaneously wanting to get myself dried off as well as wanting to be here for the girls when they came out. Since I’d be changing in the same ladies room they were in, I finally made the decision to grab some fresh clothes and check on them there.

When I walked into the basic facilities, they’d already changed and they were just in the process of leaving. I stopped in the common area in front of the sinks, looking over each of them carefully in turn.

“Are you all sure you’re okay?”

Laurene managed a small smile as she nodded and stepped forward, her wet clothes in her hand and her towel hung around her neck. “I’m fine, Birdie. Really. Thank you for getting me out.”

“Of course, honey,” I said, turning to the others when she left to go find her dad. “How about you two?”

Cassidy seemed to be getting over the shock the fastest. Grinning, she glanced at me in the reflection of the mirror she’d been studying herself in. “Couldn’t be better. If I’d had another minute, I’d have been able to get myself out of there. Up and down just got a little jumbled after we went overboard.”

I reached out and gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “You’re a trooper, but it’s okay to need help. We were happy to be there for you.”

She chuckled and gave me a quick hug, careful to keep her body away from mine since I was still wet. When I turned to Heather, she flung her arms around me and held me tight, not giving a damn that she was getting her dry clothes damp again. “Thank you for saving us. Thank you for diving in even though you didn’t have to. We owe you big time.”

“You definitely don’t owe me,” I insisted, holding her until she seemed ready to let go. “Let me change real quick, and then meet me at the campfire, okay?”

“Are we having dinner yet?” Cassidy asked hopefully, patting her stomach as she angled her body toward the door. “I’m starving!”

“We’ll eat soon,” I promised. Back at the resort, that is.

I didn’t say it out loud just yet, though. Once we were all dry and gathered around the unlit fire, I finally broke the news. “Mr. Ford and I think it’ll be for the best if we head back to the resort. Given what happened at the lake, we decided⁠—”

“Noooo,” Cassidy wailed, her eyes wide as she shook her head. “We want to stay. None of us want to go back. Right, girls?”

Heather immediately agreed with her. “It was nothing! None of us are hurt and we’re having fun. We definitely want to stay.”

I arched an eyebrow at Laurene, even though I knew she was the only one who, in theory at least, could already have been gone. “How about you?”

She frowned at me. “Why would I want to leave? It was just a little swim.”

“You nearly drowned,” I said emphatically. “Don’t you want your own bed at the suite tonight?”

“No,” she said without any hesitation or even looking at her father. “I’m good with my bed right here. Thanks, though.”

I sighed and glanced at Remington, who stood silently on the other side of the campfire and simply shrugged in return. I thought it over as I cast another glance at each of them. Then I blew out a breath through my nostrils and nodded.

“Okay. As long as you’re sure you want to stay, we can stay.”

A round of applause rang out and while Remington and I busied ourselves with starting to prepare supper, Cassidy launched into a colorful description of her experience at the lake. With her comedic personality, it was a matter of seconds before her retelling had the other girls in stitches, and even I was smiling as I gathered everything we’d need for our burgers.

Remington worked with me seamlessly, not having to ask too many questions to make himself useful. While he made the fire and did the grilling, I readied everything else and handed out plates once the food was ready.

The girls dished up, their chatter suddenly a lot less lively as they ate. It was like I could see their energy levels depleting with each bite they took. Remington and I ate in silence, and right after dinner, all three girls went to take quick showers and fell asleep.