Page 18 of Summer Showdown
I laughed, picturing myself in a flower-bedecked vessel. "So I need to worry about aesthetics, not just staying upright?"
"Exactly." His eyes twinkled with mischief. "Which reminds me..."
He paddled toward the shoreline where wildflowers grew in abundance, gesturing for me to follow. With expert precision, he maneuvered his kayak alongside the bank and began selecting various blooms—purple lupines, white daisies, yellow arnica.
"What are you doing?" I asked, attempting to mimic his positioning but ending up slightly askew.
"Gathering supplies," he replied, handing me a small bunch of flowers. "We’ll be able to use these for our decorating session."
There was something endearing about watching this tall, athletic man carefully selecting wildflowers, his expressions shifting as he deliberated between blooms like they were precious gems. It was a side of masculinity I rarely encountered in city boardrooms, where vulnerability was treated as weakness and sensitivity as a liability.
"Perfect," he declared finally, tucking the last stem into the mesh pocket of his life vest. "Now, let's see if you can make it back to our starting point without my help."
I accepted the challenge with a determined nod, focusing intently on the techniques he'd taught me. My arms burned pleasantly with the effort, but I found a rhythm that propelled me forward with increasing confidence. The sensation was liberating—the gentle glide of the kayak, the quiet splash of the paddle, the sun warm on my shoulders.
"Not bad at all," Wade called from behind me. "At this rate, we might actually stand a chance at the lake challenge."
I was about to reply when a familiar voice rang out from the shoreline.
"Not bad at all," Wade called from behind me. "At this rate, we might actually stand a chance at the lake challenge."
I was about to reply when a familiar voice rang out from the shoreline.
"Well, would you look at that," Wade said with a resigned smile, gesturing toward the shore with his paddle.
I followed his gaze to see Zoe Blake standing on the rocky beach, camera raised, her purple-streaked hair vivid against thelandscape. How she'd found us at this secluded spot was beyond me, but her journalistic persistence was beginning to seem supernatural.
Wade maneuvered his kayak alongside mine. "I guess our private lesson just became a photo op," he said with a good-natured shrug. "Might as well make it worth her while."
To my surprise, I didn't feel the same irritation I'd experienced during our first encounter with Zoe. Perhaps I was getting used to Wintervale's constant surveillance, or maybe I was simply enjoying myself too much to care.
"You two are going to dominate the Splash Challenge!" Zoe called out, snapping photos in rapid succession. "My readers are placing bets on whether you'll take home the trophy!"
This was news to me. "People are betting on us?"
Wade carefully balanced himself, then reached across the small gap between our vessels. He tucked one of the daisies behind my ear, his fingers brushing my cheek. The gesture was clearly calculated for our audience, but the warmth in his eyes seemed genuine.
"For the cameras," he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
Our kayaks drifted close, bobbing gently against each other with the lake's subtle current. Despite our separate vessels, the moment felt surprisingly intimate.
"Like this?" I asked, selecting a purple lupine from my collection and stretching to place it behind his ear.
His surprised laugh was genuine and warm, the sound echoing across the water. The flower looked ridiculous against his tanned skin and masculine features, which somehow made it all the more charming.
"Absolute perfection," he declared, making no move to remove it.
"That's going on the banner for the festival website!" Zoe exclaimed, reviewing her shots with obvious delight. "Any hints about your kayak decorations for Saturday? The competition's getting fierce—Edna and Mayor Snowcroft are going with a cat-themed vessel that has to be seen to be believed."
We paddled to shore together, Wade helping me beach my kayak with considerably more grace than I'd managed to launch it.
"Our design is strictly confidential," Wade replied with mock seriousness. "Can't have our competitors stealing our creative vision."
Zoe winked conspiratorially. "My sources tell me you two were quite cozy at last night's cookout. The romantic lakeside stroll was a particularly nice touch."
I felt heat rising to my cheeks but managed to keep my expression neutral. "Just enjoying everything Wintervale has to offer," I replied smoothly, falling back on my courtroom composure.
"Any comment on the sudden surge in festival ticket sales since your relationship went public?" Zoe pressed, notepad now in hand. "The mayor's office reports a thirty percent increase."
