Page 38 of Dead of Summer

And for once, it has nothing to do with Kayde.

Normally, I tandem kayak with Liza or Kinsley. Preferably Liza, as she’s the more confident and knowledgeable buddy to have in this situation. No offense to my best friend, but having someone who knows how not to let us tip has been a lifesaver for the past few years.

I rub my arms, skin prickling as I stare down at the single-person kayak I was given. This year we need most of the tandem ones for the kids, and somehow, I’d ended up as one of four counselors who are going solo in kayaks we don’t normally use, since tandem has proven to be safer for all of us.

While Liza, Kayde, and Daniel also have their own kayaks, none of them seem particularly put out or nervous about it. Liza checks hers over deftly, and casts a quick, worried look in my direction as if she can read my mind.

“You good, Summer?” she asks, her voice carrying enough that Daniel and Kayde look up at me. Daniel isn’t surprised by my trepidation; we’ve done this job together long enough that he knows how nervous I am about kayaking in tandem, let alone solo. But Kayde just looks confused until Daniel leans over and whispers an explanation in his ear.

Even then, Kayde’s expression just turns…bemused. Maybe a touch surprised, and I scrunch my nose in distaste at him knowing I have a weakness.

“I’m fine,” I lie, pushing the kayak closer to the water with my foot. Getting wet isn’t something I’m worried about. I’m dressed in clothes that are old, and I expect them to get soaked.

I just don’t want to drown.

“We can figure something?—”

“No, I’m really okay,” I lie, flashing her a smile hopefully filled with confidence I don’t feel. “You’ve been saving my ass for, like, four years now. Surely I’ve learned enough from you to keep myself afloat, right?” I laugh with the words, and Liza’s expression softens somewhat.

“If the kids can do it, so can you,” Daniel points out, in his own version of encouragement.

It’s not particularly helpful, though. Not when I’m now thinking of how embarrassing it’ll be to flail around in this kayak for the next hour.

“Absolutely,” I agree, a smile ready on my face for him as well. Then I turn, pinning Kayde with a look and raised eyebrows to invite his opinion as well.

But he only smiles, not looking malicious in the least, and goes back to checking over his kayak. Clearly he knows what he’s doing, and while I have no idea what he’s looking for, I can appreciate that he knows his way around this.

If only I did too.

Still, I shove the kayak into the water after Liza does the same, and try to remember the steps she’d taught me to make this easier.

Feet in the kayak.

Lean on the paddle.

Get a good grip and lower myself decisively into the seat.

Don’t fall out.

Really, don’t fall out.

Somehow, with only a moderate amount of flailing, I end up drifting into the river in my kayak and relatively dry. My hands tremble just slightly, and I reacquaint myself with the paddle in my grip as I steer myself in a small, measured circle near Liza.

I can do this. It really isn’t that bad, and most of the river is shallow enough that I won’t be in any danger of drowning unless I’m really, really stupid and forget how to stand up.

Once I’ve relaxed a little, even I can admit that while this is nerve-racking, there’s a lot about it that’s relaxing. The sun is warm against my skin, and the dark fabric of my tank top sucks in the heat that then sinks into my upper body. With my hair up in a messy bun to keep it out of my way, I can feel the sun against my scalp and the back of my neck.

Though, thinking of how rushed and messy I must look only reminds me of this morning. Of waking up with my nose pressed to Kayde’s chest and him just staring at me like I’d been doing something interesting.

And fuck, had I been sore. Somehow he’d known that too, and he’d handed me a couple Tylenol while I’d dressed in a whirlwind, citing the fact I needed to get out of his cabin before anyone could see me with him.

He hadn’t exactly been as worked up as me over it. Hell, he hadn’t been worked up at all as he’d watched me frantically running around his cabin from his spot on the bed. It was only when I’d been about to leave that he dragged me back to him and nipped at my throat enough I’d been sure he was going to leave a mark.

I close my eyes and sigh in the sun, ignoring my name being called by Redtail cabin’s feral occupants. “What?” I ask finally, looking around at them and steering my kayak closer to my girls. Unlike me, they all get to use tandem kayaks, and I’d carefully paired the confident girls with the lesser confident or newer ones.

It’s worked out, from what I can see. Melody sits protectively behind a smaller blonde girl who seems scared of her own shadow. But since Melody ‘adopted’ her the first night of the week, she’s been doing steadily better with everything.

My favorite camper is nothing if not inspiring, after all. Even if she is the one most likely to become a murderer when she’s older.

---